Using the present simple and continuous
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Overview | page 2 of 3 |
Uses of the present simple tense
When the present simple tense is used with verbs which represent actions or events (eg go, hit, drop, burst), it typically refers to actions or events which are habitual or "timeless", ie they are repeated regularly over a period of time including the present or are always the case.
He chops wood all day and every day. (Bank of English)
Gold dissolves in aqua regia. (Microconcord Corpus B)
When the present simple tense is used with verbs that represent our mental reactions to the world (eg like, hate, want, believe, remember, see, hear) as well as verbs that represent being and having (eg be, seem, represent, have, own, contain, consist of), it typically refers to a present situation which may extend into the future.
I admire his courage for what he is doing. (SCMP 02/09/92)
Tom has a strong sense of justice. (Bank of English)
Less typically, in certain contexts the present simple tense can also be used to refer to past actions or events, for example in newspaper headlines:
Food poisoning ends young driver's Grand Prix hopes (SCMP 14/11/97)
It can also be used to talk about future events that have been fixed or timetabled:
The food festival starts tomorrow at 4 pm and continues through the weekend. (SCMP 17/3/94)
For further information about verbs representing our mental
reactions to the world, see 
Representing thinking, perceiving, liking and desiring: Overview.
For further information about verbs representing being and
having, see Representing being and having: Overview.
For further information about the present-time meaning of the present simple tense, see
Using the present simple and continuous: Using the present simple
tense (p 2).
For further information about the past-time meaning of the present simple tense, see Using the present simple and continuous: Using the present simple
tense (p 5).
For further information about the future-time meaning of the present simple tense, see Using the present simple and continuous: Using the present simple
tense (p 6).
Uses of the present simple tense
