Simple Present:
We use the the Simple Present to express our actions, ideas or beliefs that occur all the time, usually, in certain time periods. Some common time phrases used with this tense are:all the time, usually, every day (week, month, year, and etc.), some times.
Examples:I go to the movies every week. I exercises every day. (These action occurs every week; every day.
)I believe in God. (This belief happens all the time.)
My daughter is intelligent. (The parent perceives this idea all the time.)
Writers use the Simple Present in their stories and novels or poetry to express general ideas, habits or actions.
Examples:
In this story there are two characters, husband and wife. The husband is an architect, middle-aged. He works for a international construction company. The wife is a nurse.(Tenses: 'is' and 'works' are in the Simple Present.)
We replace the Present Continuous with Simple Present when we use certain English verbs such as feel, see, look. Generally speaking, these verbs do not take the Present Continuous.
Examples: I see you are ready to leave home. (I am seeing you are ready to leave home is incorrect although this action takes place in the present continuous.)
I feel cold now. I need to put on my jacket. (The time is in the present continuous but we, as a rule, use the Present perfect with the verb 'feel'.)
You look nice in this dress. (This idea occurs in the present continuous but we most of the time use the Simple Perfect with 'look'.)
Simple Past: Past actions are expressed with the Simple Present tense. With this tense time common time phrases we use are:yesterday, last day, the day before, last week, last year, ago (one year ago, an hour ago, ten years ago)
Examples: I graduated from college two years ago. (Ago time phrase)I left home early this morning (It is not morning now).
Attention: Some times the place, building, vehicle may suggest an action that took place in the past. For example, I met my husband in in Chicago. (She is not in Chicago now.)
I bought these shoes in Lady's' First. (She is not in the Lady's' First department store now.)
Present Perfect: This tense is most challenging to English learners. So I have provided a detailed explanation for it. Please click here to view it.
Use of Articles 'a' and 'the'There are two articles in the English language: 'a' 'an' and 'the'. If you are familiar with the English language, you must have seen them already. However, the difficulty is to use them correctly, especially article 'the'. In English we use a/an to modify non specific nouns, and the for specific nouns. We call 'the' the definite article and 'a/an' the indefinite article.
Examples:I am reading a book about world cultures. The us of 'a' in this sentence suggest not a specific book I am talking about, but just that I am reading something about world cultures. If I say, "Let's read the book," then I mean a specific book such as "Cultural Evolution in the Internet Age". a specific book with a specific title, and author. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.
Ways of Using Article 'the'
When we refer to a specific member of a group. The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The article signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group.
Examples:
I met the US tennis champian of 2008 in New York last summer. There are many tennis champions of other countries for Year 2008, but there is only one of the tennis champian representing the US for Year 2008.
I had a conversation with the president of the my university yesterday. There are many university presidents that represent the group of university president. But there is only one representing my university currently.
For example:"The woman who called my name disappeared on the street." Here, I am talking about a specific woman, the woman who called my name.
"I was happy see the giant football star in the restaurant." Here, I mean a specific football player, a star. Even if I don't tell the football star's name, it is still a particular football player, the one that has a big body and is tall. The giant footbal player suggests the idea that he is one known in that communit and there is only one well-known in that community.
I saw the senator in the movie." Here, I am talking talking about a particular senator, perhaps the one who represents my city, New York.
Using 'the' with Non-countable Nouns
Article 'the' can be used with non-countable nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.
"I love to swim in the ocean." (some specific ocean) or "I love to swim in ocean." (any ocean).
"He dropped the egg on the floor" (some specific egg, perhaps the egg he has just taken out of the refrigerator.) or "He dropped egg on the floor" (any egg).
Using the with geographical nouns
Do not use 'the' before:
names of most countries/territories:
France, Italy, Mexico; however, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States
names of cities, towns, or states: New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Miami
names of streets: Hoover Avenue, Redford Boulevard, Queens St.
names of lakes and bays: Lake Michian, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes
names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn names of continents (Asia, Europe)
names of islands (Western Island, Maui, Kus Adasi except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
Do use the before:
names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific
points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula
Indefinite Articles: a and an"A" and "an" indicate that the noun used after it is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:"My boyfriend really needs a haircut." This sentence means any haircut. The style of the haircut is not mentioned here, but the idea of getting a haircut is important here. I don't know if he will get a short haircut or not.
Call a cab" This statement suggests any cab. It doesn't refers to any specific cab such as yellow cab,but any cab that is available.
"When I was in London, I met a royal lady in the theatre." Here, I am talking about a single, non-specific royal woman. There are probably several aristocrat women in London but I am just referring here to an aristocrat female I saw in the theatre. Using 'a' or 'an' depends on the sound that begins the next word. a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a chair; a house; a bike; a dress; a dog an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an idea, an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound that is pronounced like like 'yoo' . For example, user begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle
Examples:
a broken egg
an unusual problem
a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound)
Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group
I am a doctor. (I am a member of a large group known as doctors.) Sue is an American. (Sue is a member of the people known as American.) Mehmet is a practicing Muslim. (Mehmet is a member of the group of people known as Muslims.)
"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.
I need a glass of water." "I want a bottle of juice."Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a water," unless you're implying, say, a bottle of water.
Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:
Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian
Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science