Unit 1: Present time
Ngữ pháp Present time: present simple, present continuous, present perfect simple, present perfect continuous, stative verbs
📘 Giải thích tiếng Việt
Present simple (Hiện tại đơn)
Diễn tả thói quen, sự thật hiển nhiên, tình huống lâu dài và trạng thái: Toby walks to work. Ngôi thứ ba số ít thêm -s/-es. Có thể dùng do/does trong câu khẳng định để nhấn mạnh: It does stop right outside the factory.
Present continuous (Hiện tại tiếp diễn)
Cấu tạo am/is/are + V-ing, diễn tả hành động đang xảy ra ngay lúc nói, tình huống tạm thời hoặc đang thay đổi: Mike is driving to work at the moment. Dùng với always để than phiền thói quen khó chịu: Dad is always cleaning the car!
Present perfect simple (Hiện tại hoàn thành)
Cấu tạo have/has + V3, nối quá khứ với hiện tại: trạng thái bắt đầu trong quá khứ còn kéo dài, hành động đã hoàn thành mà kết quả quan trọng ở hiện tại, hoặc trải nghiệm không nêu thời điểm: Have you ever flown in a helicopter? Cụm It's the first/second time… luôn đi với thì này.
Present perfect continuous (Hiện tại hoàn thành tiếp diễn)
Cấu tạo have/has been + V-ing, nhấn mạnh quá trình / độ dài của hành động kéo dài đến hiện tại hoặc vừa mới dừng: I've been running to get here in time.
Sắc thái (nuance) simple vs continuous
Bản hoàn thành đơn nhấn kết quả / sự hoàn tất (I've read that book = đã đọc xong); bản tiếp diễn nhấn quá trình chưa xong (I've been reading that book = chưa đọc xong). Với từ ever/never chỉ dùng thì hoàn thành đơn.
Stative verbs (Động từ chỉ trạng thái)
Các động từ như believe, know, like, love, need, own, seem, understand thường không chia tiếp diễn vì không tả hành động: I see what you mean (không nói I am seeing). Một số động từ (have, think, taste, see) đổi nghĩa khi dùng tiếp diễn: having lunch (đang ăn) khác have a ticket (sở hữu).
Theory
Present simple
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| statement | I/you/we/they travel … He/she/it travels … |
| negative | I/you/we/they don't travel … He/she/it doesn't travel … |
| question | Do I/you/we/they travel …? Does he/she/it travel …? |
Use
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Current habits | Toby walks to work. |
| To talk about how often things happen | Angela doesn't visit us very often. |
| Permanent situations | Carlo works in a travel agent's. |
| States | Do you have an up-to-date passport? |
| General truths and facts | Poland is in the European Union. |
The bus isn't quicker than the train but it does stop right outside the factory.
Present continuous
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| statement | I am driving … You/we/they are driving … He/she/it is driving … |
| negative | I'm not driving … You/we/they aren't driving … He/she/it isn't driving … |
| question | Am I driving …? Are you/we/they driving …? Is he/she/it driving …? |
Use
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Actions happening now | Mike is driving to work at the moment. |
| Temporary series of actions | Taxi drivers aren't stopping at the train station because of the roadworks. |
| Temporary situations | Are they staying in a hotel near the Olympic stadium? |
| Changing and developing situations | Holidays abroad are becoming increasingly popular. |
| Annoying habits (usually with always) | Dad is always cleaning the car when I want to use it! |
Present perfect simple
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| have/has + past participle | |
| statement | I/you/we/they have flown … He/she/it has flown … |
| negative | I/you/we/they haven't flown … He/she/it hasn't flown … |
| question | Have I/you/we/they flown …? Has he/she/it flown …? |
Use
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Situations and states that started in the past and are still true | She's had her motorbike for over six years. |
| A series of actions continuing up to now | We've travelled by taxi, bus, plane and train – all in the last twenty-four hours! |
| Completed actions at a time in the past which is not mentioned | Have you ever flown in a helicopter? |
| Completed actions where the important thing is the present result | I've booked the coach tickets. |
Speakers of American English often use the past simple in situations where speakers of British English would use the present perfect simple.
US: We've already gotten Dan a new backpack for his summer vacation.
UK: We've already got Dan a new rucksack for his summer holiday.
Present perfect continuous
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| have/has + been + -ing | |
| statement | I/you/we/they have been travelling … He/she/it has been travelling … |
| negative | I/you/we/they haven't been travelling … He/she/it hasn't been travelling … |
| question | Have I/you/we/they been travelling …? Has he/she/it been travelling …? |
Use
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Actions continuing up to the present moment | We have been driving for hours. Can't we have a break soon? |
| Actions stopping just before the present moment | I'm out of breath because I've been running to get here in time. |
✓ We've been walking for hours and I need a rest.
✓ Have you ever flown in a helicopter before?
✗
✓ I have worked at the airport for four years. = I have been working at the airport for four years.
✓ I have read that book about cruise ships. (I have finished it.)
✓ I have been reading that book about cruise ships. (I have not finished it.)
Stative verbs
✗
| Stative verbs often refer to: | Example |
|---|---|
| thinking | believe, imagine, know, mean, think, understand |
| existence | be, exist |
| emotions | hate, like, love, need, prefer, satisfy, want |
| the human senses | hear, see, smell, sound, taste |
| appearance | appear, look, resemble, seem |
| possession and relationships between things | belong to, consist of, have, include, involve, own |
✓ Are you having lunch at the moment? (action: eating)
Exercise A
Circle the correct word or phrase.
Blank (i):
Exercise B
Rewrite correctly. Change the words or phrases in bold.
Exercise C
Complete using the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Exercise D
Complete using the words in the box.
Exercise E
Choose the correct answer.
Exercise F
Complete using the correct form of the words in the box.
Ancient aviators?
Everyone (1) __________ that humans have been flying for only a few hundred years. But (2) __________ it possible that ancient civilizations also had the ability and technology to fly?
In the Nazcan Desert in southern Peru, there are hundreds of lines which an ancient culture drew in the dust. On the ground, they just (3) __________ like straight lines. But when you (4) __________ them from the air, you (5) __________ exactly what they are incredible and enormous pictures. The pictures (6) __________ animals, birds and symbols.
One bizarre theory, which most mainstream scientists (7) __________ with, is that the people who made the lines thousands and thousands of years ago flew above the lines in balloons. It (8) __________ incredible, but a few people (9) __________ believe it's possible.
Exercise G
Match to make sentences.
B I'm going to buy the new Racetrack CD.
C a haircut at the moment.
D for his glasses. Have you seen them?
E not old enough to drive a car.
F of getting Dad a CD for his birthday.
G very annoying at the moment!
H like he needs a holiday!
Exercise H
Find the extra word in each line.
International friends
1 I've been to travelling round Europe all summer. It's the first time I've 2 ever been going abroad, and I've had a fantastic time! I've seen 3 loads of interesting places and I have to also made loads of new friends. 4 I've been decided to stay in touch with them now I'm back. One of 5 them, Giselle, is French. She was making on holiday too. We now send 6 text messages are to each other all the time. They're usually in English 7 because my French isn't very good! I'm planning to have visit her in 8 France next year sometime. I hope I can. I am love meeting people from 9 other countries! I want to have had lots of friends from all over the world! 10 Travelling certainly broadens the mind but it also is broadens your circle of friends!
Write the extra word for each line (1–10):
Exercise I
Write one word in each gap.
Holiday Blues
'You've (1) __________ looking at that timetable for the last ten minutes. It can't be that confusing!' said Sheila angrily.
'I (2) __________ wish you'd be quiet! I've (3) __________ a splitting headache thanks to you!' replied Matt.
'Mum! Dad! Please!' said Alison. 'You're both (4) __________ very silly. (5) __________ is no point at all in blaming each other. That's not going to help us find out what time the next train to Budapest is due to leave.'
'You (6) __________ quite right, darling. I (7) __________ sorry,' said Sheila.
'Me too,' mumbled Matt. 'Now, let's have another look at this timetable. Well, it (8) __________ like we (9) __________ definitely missed the last train today. That was the 18.20 we just missed, wasn't it?'
'I (10) __________ so,' said Sheila. 'I mean, it did leave at 18.20. Whether it's actually going to Budapest or not is another question.'
'Well, one thing is (11) __________ in doubt,' said Matt.
'What's that?' asked Sheila and Alison together.
'This is the worst holiday we've (12) __________ been on,' said Matt. 'Next year, we're going to try something far less adventurous.'
'Agreed!' said Sheila and Alison.
Exercise J
Complete each second sentence using the word given, so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Write between two and five words in each gap.
How __________ , Jimmy?
Do __________ you?
Sasha __________ team sports at all.
She __________ in a recording studio once before.
We __________ three hours.
I __________ hours and it's still not right.
It is the first __________ alone.
Sharon __________ at the moment.
Paul __________ surprises, just not on his birthday!
