Talking about the present

3.03 Talking about the present

There are two main tenses which are used to talk about present time:

PRESENT SIMPLE I work; it rains; do they want? etc

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE He is working; it is raining; are you coming? etc
(also called Present Continuous)

The two tenses are normally not interchangeable. Apart from some infrequent or special uses, they are used as follows:

PRESENT SIMPLE is used to talk about:

permanent states

The town lies on the River Severn.
Where do you come from?

habitual actions

I always have dinner at 8 o'clock.
It never snows in the summer.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE is used to talk about:

temporary states

Because the canteen's closed for a week, we're having lunch in the office.

actions or situations happening now or "around now"

Sorry, you can't speak to her. She's having a shower.
Birmingham is preparing for next month's summit meeting.
The climate is gradually getting warmer.

In written academic assignments, it is unlikely that you will need to use the present progressive very often: the present simple (or other tenses) will be more frequent.

Special uses of the present tenses

Present simple

Referencing

The present simple is the best tense to use when you are introducing information from a source. Even though your source material was written in the past, it is there in front of you on paper or on the screen now. So:

Lara (1997) discusses the psychology of captaincy ...
Another view is postulated by Graveney (1966), who argues that ...

Referring to data

Similarly, you should use the present simple (active or passive) when referring to data in your writing:

Figure 2 shows the differences ...
The relationship is expressed in Figure 3.

Talking about the future

The present simple is often used in 'subordinate clauses' to refer to the future, very often after words such as if, when, after, while, until etc:

The regulations will stay in force until a new law is passed.
If the truth comes out, the committee will have to resign.

The present simple is also used to refer to the future in the context of 'fixed' times such as timetables, schedules, agenda etc

My planes leaves at 10 tomorrow morning.
The contract finishes next September.

Instructions and processes

The simple present is the verb usually used in giving instructions or explaining processes:

First, detach the cover and connect the power supply lead.
The water enters through a fine filter and is then channelled to the tank.

Top of page

Present progressive

Verbs without present progressive form

Some verbs are never, or rarely, found in the progressive form, even when they refer to 'now'. A group of these verbs are sometimes referred to as 'stative' verbs, as they describe mental or emotional states rather than actions (eg know, love etc):

I know more now than I did at the beginning of the year. (NOT I am knowing)

Some verbs are not found in the progressive form only when they have a certain meaning. For example, think can refer to what going on in your head:

What are you thinking about? You look worried.

But it can also mean 'have an opinion', in which case it is not used in the progressive form:

I now think that Macs are far superior to PCs.

Talking about the future

The present progressive is often used to talk about plans in the future:

What are you doing tonight?
We're staying at home this summer and redecorating.

Expressing annoyance at repeated actions

Although repeated or habitual actions would usually be expressed with the present simple (I always play squash on Saturday afternoon), the present progressive can sometimes be used in more informal English to show disapproval of a repeated action which is annoying:

You're always interrupting me when I start to speak. I wish you wouldn't.

Links to further resources on talking about the present

UsingEnglish.com
Englishpage.com
University of Victoria
Impact English

Top of page

Grammar index

Home

Steve Gould
Last updated: 27 May 2011