مدونة التربية و التعليم في الجزائر – دروس، فروض، نتائج امتحانات مدونة التربية والتعليم في الجزائر | تحضير الدروس، فروض واختبارات، نتائج البكالوريا وBEM، مسابقات التوظيف، والتوجيه المدرسي للطلاب وأولياء الأمور.
Bac English: The Present Tenses (Simple, Continuous, Perfect) – 3rd Year Secondary School
I. Present Simple
📘 Form
Affirmative: Subject + verb (base form) / verb + -(e)s for 3rd person singular
Negative: Subject + do/does + not + verb (base form)
Interrogative: Do/Does + subject + verb (base form)?
Examples
✅ She reads every day.
✅ They do not (don’t) play football on Fridays.
✅ Does he speak French?
Uses
- Habits and routines: She wakes up at 7 a.m. every day.
- Permanent states: They live in Algiers.
- General truths / facts: Water boils at 100°C.
- Scheduled events (timetables): The train leaves at 6 p.m.
- Commentaries / instructions: First, you mix the ingredients.
Time Expressions
always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, every day/week/month, once a week, on Mondays, in the morning, at night
II. Present Continuous
📘 Form
Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing
Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?
Examples
✅ I am studying for the Bac exam.
✅ She is not (isn’t) listening to music now.
✅ Are they playing in the garden?
Uses
- Actions happening now (at the moment of speaking): Look! It is raining.
- Temporary situations: He is staying with his grandparents this week.
- Arrangements for the near future: We are meeting our friends tomorrow.
- Trends and changes: The population is growing rapidly.
- Annoyance / emphasis (with always): She is always complaining!
Time Expressions
now, right now, at the moment, today, this week/month, these days, look!, listen!, still
⚠️ Stative Verbs
Some verbs are NOT normally used in continuous forms: know, believe, understand, want, need, like, love, hate, prefer, belong, seem, appear, have (possess), think (opinion).
✅ I know the answer. (NOT: I am knowing)
✅ She likes chocolate. (NOT: She is liking)
III. Present Perfect Simple
📘 Form
Affirmative: Subject + have/has + past participle
Negative: Subject + have/has + not + past participle
Interrogative: Have/Has + subject + past participle?
Examples
✅ I have finished my homework.
✅ She has not (hasn’t) visited Paris yet.
✅ Have you ever been to London?
Uses
- Past action with present result: I have lost my keys. (I can’t find them now)
- Life experiences (ever/never): She has never eaten sushi.
- Unfinished past (with for/since): He has lived here since 2010.
- Recent actions (just/already/yet): They have just arrived.
- With superlatives: This is the best film I have ever seen.
Time Expressions
ever, never, just, already, yet, for, since, so far, recently, lately, up to now, once/twice/three times
📌 For vs. Since
For + duration: for two years, for a week, for a long time
Since + starting point: since Monday, since 2020, since I was a child
IV. Present Perfect Continuous
📘 Form
Affirmative: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing
Negative: Subject + have/has + not + been + verb-ing
Interrogative: Have/Has + subject + been + verb-ing?
Examples
✅ She has been studying for three hours.
✅ They have not (haven’t) been waiting long.
✅ Has it been raining all day?
Uses
- Action that started in the past and continues to the present (emphasis on duration): I have been working here for five years.
- Recent action with visible present result (emphasis on activity): You look tired. Have you been running?
- Temporary situations that started in the past: She has been living in Oran since January.
Time Expressions
for, since, all day/morning/week, how long, lately, recently
V. Comparison Table — Present Tenses
| Tense | Form | Main Use | Signal Words | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | V / V-(e)s | Habits, facts, routines | always, every day, never | She reads every day. |
| Present Continuous | am/is/are + V-ing | Now, temporary, future arrangement | now, at the moment, today | She is reading now. |
| Present Perfect Simple | have/has + V3/p.p. | Experience, result, unfinished past | ever, never, just, yet, for, since | She has read that book. |
| Present Perfect Continuous | have/has + been + V-ing | Duration, ongoing activity with result | for, since, all day, how long | She has been reading for two hours. |
VI. Common Mistakes
❌ Common Errors
- ❌ I am knowing him. → ✅ I know him. (stative verb)
- ❌ She has arrived yesterday. → ✅ She arrived yesterday. (past simple with definite past time)
- ❌ I have been to London last year. → ✅ I went to London last year.
- ❌ He don’t like coffee. → ✅ He doesn’t like coffee.
- ❌ I have living here since 2020. → ✅ I have been living here since 2020.
- ❌ She is always late. (correct as simple present for habit) → Actually correct!
- ❌ I have seen him yesterday. → ✅ I saw him yesterday.
VII. Practice Exercises with Answers
Exercise 1: Choose the correct tense
1. She usually (wake / wakes / is waking) up at 7 a.m.
2. Listen! Someone (knocks / is knocking / has knocked) at the door.
3. I (have known / know / am knowing) him for ten years.
4. They (don’t finish / haven’t finished / aren’t finishing) their project yet.
5. Water (boils / is boiling / has boiled) at 100°C.
✅ Answers
1. wakes (habit → Present Simple)
2. is knocking (now → Present Continuous)
3. have known (duration → Present Perfect; stative verb)
4. haven’t finished (yet → Present Perfect)
5. boils (general truth → Present Simple)
Exercise 2: Put the verbs in the correct present tense
1. She ________ (study) English for three years.
2. Right now, they ________ (play) football in the garden.
3. He never ________ (eat) meat.
4. I ________ (just / finish) my homework.
5. We ________ (wait) for the bus since 8 a.m.
✅ Answers
1. has been studying (duration up to now → Present Perfect Continuous)
2. are playing (right now → Present Continuous)
3. eats (never → Present Simple)
4. have just finished (just → Present Perfect)
5. have been waiting (since + duration → Present Perfect Continuous)
VIII. Bac Exam Exercises
🎯 Bac-style Exercise 1: Correct the verbs
1. She (be) ________ a teacher for 15 years.
2. Look at the clouds! It (rain) ________ soon. (Present Continuous for near future)
3. They (already / visit) ________ the museum three times.
4. I (not / understand) ________ this lesson. Can you explain it again?
5. He (travel) ________ to France every summer.
6. How long (you / learn) ________ English?
✅ Answers
1. has been (for 15 years → Present Perfect)
2. is raining (look! + near future)
3. have already visited (already → Present Perfect)
4. don’t understand (stative verb → Present Simple)
5. travels (every summer → Present Simple)
6. have you been learning (how long + duration → Present Perfect Continuous)
🎯 Bac-style Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentences
1. I started learning English in 2020 and I still learn it. (Use Present Perfect Continuous)
2. She has never eaten couscous before. (Use Present Simple to express a general habit)
3. They are building a new school in our neighbourhood. (Use Present Passive)
4. He finished his homework. Now he can watch TV. (Link using Present Perfect + result)
✅ Answers
1. I have been learning English since 2020.
2. She doesn’t eat couscous. / She never eats couscous.
3. A new school is being built in our neighbourhood.
4. He has finished his homework, so he can watch TV now.
💡 Quick Revision Tips
- Present Simple → routines + facts
- Present Continuous → now + temporary + future arrangement
- Present Perfect Simple → experience + result + unfinished past
- Present Perfect Continuous → duration + ongoing activity with visible result
- Signal words are your best friends in multiple-choice questions!
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