SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

I sing

How do we make the Present Simple Tense?

subject	+	auxiliary verb	+	main verb
		do		base

There are three important exceptions:

1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.

Look at these examples with the main verb like:

	subject	auxiliary verb		main verb
+	I, you, we, they			like	coffee.
	He, she, it			likes	coffee.
-	I, you, we, they	do	not	like	coffee.
	He, she, it	does	not	like	coffee.
?	Do	I, you, we, they		like	coffee?
	Does	he, she, it		like	coffee?

Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:

	subject	main verb
+	I	am		French.
	You, we, they	are		French.
	He, she, it	is		French.
-	I	am	not	old.
	You, we, they	are	not	old.
	He, she, it	is	not	old.
?	Am	I		late?
	Are	you, we, they		late?
	Is	he, she, it		late?

How do we use the Present Simple Tense?

We use the present simple tense when:

• the action is general
• the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present and future
• the action is not only happening now
• the statement is always true

John drives a taxi.
past	present	future
It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and future.

Look at these examples:

• I live in New York.
• The Moon goes round the Earth.
• John drives a taxi.
• He does not drive a bus.
• We meet every Thursday.
• We do not work at night.
• Do you play football?

Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the present simple tense for situations that are not general. We can use the present simple tense to talk about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to be" in the present simple tense - some of them are general, some of them are now:

Am I right? Tara is not at home. You are happy.
past	present	future
The situation is now.

 

I am not fat. Why are you so beautiful? Ram is tall.
past	present	future
The situation is general. Past, present and future.

This page shows the use of the present simple tense to talk about general events. But note that there are some other uses for the present simple tense, for example in conditional or if sentences, or to talk about the future. You will learn about those later.

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_present-simple.htm

 

Have Got To

"Have got to" is used to express necessity and obligation.

Examples:

• Drivers have got to get a license to drive a car in the US. necessity
• I have got to be at work by 8:30 AM. obligation

Using "Have Got to" in Present, Past, and Future

Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "have got to" behaves in different contexts.

Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	You can also use:
have got to necessity	1. People have got to be on time if they want to get a seat in the crowded theater. 2. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" You had to be on time if you wanted to get a seat in the crowded theater. 3. You have got to be there on time tonight if you want to get a seat in the crowded theater.	1. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" People don't have to be there on time to get a seat. 2. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" You didn't have to be there on time to get a seat. 3. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" You won't have to be there on time to get a seat.	have to, must
haven't got to future obligation		Haven't you got to be there by 7:00? Haven't you got to finish that project today? "Haven't got to" is primarily used to ask about future obligations. It can be used in statements, but this is less common.	Don't you have to

http://www.englishpage.com/modals/havegotto.html

USE OF HAD BETTER

"Had better" is most commonly used to make recommendations. It can also be used to express desperate hope as well as warn people.

Examples:

• You had better take your umbrella with you today. recommendation
• That bus had better get here soon! desperate hope
• You had better watch the way you talk to me in the future! warning

Using "Had Better" in Present, Past, and Future

Most modal verbs behave quite irregularly in the past and the future. Study the chart below to learn how "had better" behaves in different contexts.

Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present   2. = Past   3. = Future	You can also use:
had better recommendation	1. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" OR "OUGHT TO" People should unplug toasters before they clean them.2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD HAVE" OR "OUGHT TO HAVE" You should have unplugged the toaster before you tried to clean it. 3. You had better unplug the toaster before you try to clean it.	1. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" OR "OUGHT TO" People shouldn't clean toasters without unplugging them first.2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD HAVE" OR "OUGHT TO HAVE" You shouldn't have cleaned the toaster without unplugging it first. 3. You had better not clean the toaster until you unplug it.	should, ought to
had better desperate hope, warning	The movie had better end soon.They had better be here before we start dinner. Desperate hopes and warnings usually refer to the near future.	They had better not be late.They had better not forget Tom's birthday gift. Desperate hopes and warnings usually refer to the near future.

"Had better" is often simply pronounced as "better" in spoken English.

http://www.englishpage.com/modals/hadbetter.html

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SHOULD AND HAD BETTER

We use “had better” to give advice about specific situations, not general ones. If you want to talk about general situations, you must use “should”.

• You should brush your teeth before you go to bed.
• I shouldn't listen to negative people.
• He should dress more appropriately for the office.

When we give advice about specific situations, it is also possible to use “should”.

• You shouldn't say anything.
• I should get back to work.
• We should meet early.

However, when we use “had better” there is a suggestion that if the advice is not followed, that something bad will happen.

• You'd better do what I say or else you will get into trouble.
• I'd better get back to work or my boss will be angry with me.
• We'd better get to the airport by five or else we may miss the flight.

MODAL VERBS

EXCERSISES WITH SOME MODAL VERBS

YOU NEED TO PLAY THE GUITAR

Peter wants to be the best guitar player. He needs to play the guitar every day.

YOU MAY PLAY THE GUITAR

This afternoon my band has a concert but I do not know if I can go because my mom is very sick I believe that I may play the guitar.

I MIGHT PLAY THE GUITAR

Tomorrow there will be a party. I might play the guitar because they invited me but I do not know if I can go.

EXAMPLES WITH SOME MODALS VERBS

I SHOULD PLAY THE GUITAR

Tomorrow there will be a very important contest the winner will win a thousand dollars. I do not have enough money. And my sister gives an advice and says you can play the guitar very well. You should play the guitar.

I MUST PLAY THE GUITAR

Tomorrow there will a contest. I do not want to compete because I do not like to play the guitar but I know and my father tells me you must play the guitar. Here is an obligation because I do not want.

I HAVE TO PLAY THE GUITAR

I have to play the guitar every day because the next month I have an important presentation. It means that I have to practice a lot.

I HAD TO PLAY THE GUITAR

I had to play the guitar every day because the last month I had an important presentation. I practiced a lot and now the presentation was amazing and all of the news talked about me. 

YOU WILL HAVE TO PLAY THE GUITAR

Peter wants to be the best guitar player. He will have to play the guitar for hours every day.