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Advanced Composition
Grammar
Unit 1: Present Time
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Key Words
1. Present simple
2. Present continuous/progressive
3. State verbs
4. Action verbs (or event verbs)
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Present
Simple
Continuous
permanent
temporary
facts
in progress
states
around now
habits
temporary habits
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PRESENT CONTINUOUS
temporary states
actions in progress
around now
permanent states
facts
habits
PRESENT SIMPLE
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Present Simple: Basic Uses
 Facts that are always true
The earth rotates around the sun.
Canberra is the capital of Australia.
 Habits
I work out every morning before breakfast
I take the MRT to school.
 States
These trousers don’t fit me.
I love sushi.
STATE VERBS are always
used in the present simple
• We should also cover the use of the present
tense after certain sentence openings
• In case it rains …
• If you are on time…
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Present Continuous: Basic Uses
Temporary actions
I’m living with my grandparents for the summer.
Actions actually in progress now
It’s raining! We’d better go inside.
Actions generally in progress around now
I’m learning French. I have a class later.
Change or development
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Present Continuous: advanced points 1
 Repeated actions – not yet habits
am walking to
My car has broken down, so I _________
work these days.
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Present Continuous: advanced points 2
 Complaints about annoying habits (with
always, forever etc.)
are always making snide remarks about my
You _______________
cooking!
Snide (adj.)
mocking in an indirect way
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Present Continuous: advanced points 2
 with verbs describing change or development
The rain ___________
harder. We’d better go
is getting
inside.
are moving
Every year, more and more people ____________
to the cities.
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Common State Verbs
Mental actions
Likes and dislikes
Senses
believe
think
know
want
wish
suspect
understand
realize
recognize
like
dislike
love
hate
prefer
fancy
feel
see
taste
hear
sound
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State Verbs
 Some STATE VERBS describe a permanent condition.
Therefore, they do not usually have a continuous
form.
prefer pork to steak.
1. I __________
belongs to my sister.
2. That laptop __________
believe in freedom of speech.
3. We __________
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Stative and active meanings
 Some verbs can have stative and active meanings
be, depend, feel, have, see, taste etc.
State
Event /action
Jack is a really friendly guy.
I think Toyota is the most
reliable model.
Jack is being very friendly to
Amy at the moment.
I am thinking about changing
my car.
She has a new puppy.
She’s having a good time.
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Summarize
With a partner, summarize what we have learned so
far about:
1. Present simple
2. Present continuous/progressive
3. State verbs
4. Action verbs (or event verbs)
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PRESENT SIMPLE : a habit
1. Every year I visit / I’m visiting
Britain to improve my English.
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PRESENT CONTINUOUS: a
change or development
3. It’s time we turned on the air-
conditioning. It gets / It’s getting
hotter every day.
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PRESENT SIMPLE: “fit” is
a state verb
3. I’m going to buy a new swimming
costume. My old one doesn’t fit /
isn’t fitting any more.
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4. I forever tidy up / I’m forever
tidying up the mess in your room.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS:
complaint about an
annoying habit
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PRESENT SIMPLE: plot
summary of a book or film
5. The main character died / dies at
the end of the story.
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PRESENT CONTINUOUS : repeated
action closely connected to the
present moment
6. I use / I’m using my brother’s car
this week.
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