Present tenses are often used to tell stories. This usually happens in an informal style. In stories, the simple present tense is used for events that happen one after another. The present continuous tense is used for background actions.

The simple present tense is sometimes used to talk about the future. This, for example, happens when we are talking about events that are part of a timetable.

Fill in the blanks with suitable present tense forms.

1.    They ————————- for Sydney tomorrow.

a)    Are leave
b)    Are leaving
c)    Leaving
d)    Have left

Present Perfect Tense

Form
Affirmative
I have written.
He has written.
They/you/we have written.

Negative
I have not written.
She has not written.
They/you/we have not written.

The present indefinite or the simple present

Form:
Affirmative

I work.
She works.
They/you work.

Negative

I don’t work.
She doesn’t work.
They/you don’t work.

Interrogative

We have seen that the past perfect tense is used to talk about a completed past action. Note that when two past actions have to be mentioned, the past perfect is used for the earlier of the two, and the simple past for the later.

The tense of a verb shows not only the time of the action but also whether it is complete or not. There are three tenses in English: