Helping Hints for the Present
Auxiliary Verbs Used with Present Tenses
Knowledge of auxiliary verbs used in various tenses is the key to correct tense conjugation. Here is a review of auxiliary verbs used in present tenses:
Present Simple:
Use 'do / does' in questions and negative statements to express a routine or habitual action. Use no auxiliary verb in the positive form.
Example:
The Senator doesn't pursue corporate accountability to the community unless he's pressured by his constituents.
How often do you calculate your expenditures?
BUT:
Phillip usually focuses on issues involving ethnicity.
Philip usually abhors workplace violence on Mondays.
Present Continuous:
Use 'am / is / are' in the present tense for the positive, negative and question forms in the present continuous tense to express something that is happening at the current moment, or around the present moment in time.
Example:
She's investigating the entire financial sector for fraud and crime.
Gene is only making one contribution this month.
Present Simple Passive:
Use the verb 'am / is / are' in the present for positive, negative and question in the present simple passive to express a present passive operation. Remember that the passive takes the participle form of the principal verb.
Example:
Staff development isn't prioritized in most companies.
The world court is rejected by the US despite the US commitment to human rights and US concern about crimes against humanity.
Present Perfect:
Use 'have / has' in the present for the positive, negative and question forms for the present perfect tense to express something that has happened up to the present moment in time, or something which has occurred at an unspecified moment in the past.
Example:
He's just revised what's considered standard lobbying techniques.
This community has been bombed seven times and has lost all essential services.
Present Perfect Continuous:
Use the verb 'have been / has been' in the present perfect for the positive, negative and question forms for the present perfect tense to express the duration of something that has been happening up to the present moment in time.
Example:
How long has the team been in the meeting on viral marketing?
How long have we approached this problem as an issue of empowerment?