1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: Listen to this. Yesterday, I go to the pizza place 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,960 down the block and I find out they have new owners, 3 00:00:09,439 --> 00:00:12,240 and I look behind the counter and they have all 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,679 these weird kinds of pizza. They even have one with 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:22,640 pineapple and tuna. I don't really think that's pizza. Hey, 6 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,640 are you wondering why my story about yesterday uses all 7 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,960 present verbs. Let's check it out. 8 00:00:35,079 --> 00:00:38,799 Speaker 2: Welcome to another Happy English podcast, coming to you from 9 00:00:38,799 --> 00:00:42,600 New York City. And here's your English teacher, Michael. 10 00:00:43,399 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: All right, thank you John, and thanks everyone. It's Michael 11 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,600 here from Happy English and I help people speak English better. 12 00:00:53,119 --> 00:00:58,200 And this is Happy English Podcast, Episode seven ninety six. 13 00:00:59,079 --> 00:01:04,560 Seven ways to use the simple present tense. According to 14 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,959 a lot of grammar books, the simple present tense is 15 00:01:09,079 --> 00:01:14,840 used to describe actions, facts, and situations that are true 16 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:21,000 or regular. But what does that really mean? You may 17 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,920 be surprised to know that the simple present tense has 18 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:31,120 seven different uses in everyday English conversation. And that's what 19 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,719 we're going to do a deep dive into today. So 20 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,799 let's get the ball rolling. First of all, we use 21 00:01:39,879 --> 00:01:45,000 this simple present tense to state facts that are always true, 22 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:50,640 like scientific facts or other things that don't change, like 23 00:01:51,319 --> 00:01:56,439 the sun rises in the east. The sun rises, that's 24 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:02,040 something that doesn't change. Or boils at one hundred degrees 25 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:09,599 and water phrases at zero degrees. Those are two scientific facts, 26 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:14,479 but there are other kinds of facts too, like cats 27 00:02:14,599 --> 00:02:19,919 have sharp claws and fire is hot. We also use 28 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:25,039 the simple present tents to talk about things we do regularly, 29 00:02:25,759 --> 00:02:31,560 you know, like your daily activities and other habits. I 30 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:37,120 drink a cup of macha every morning. My sister drinks coffee, 31 00:02:37,479 --> 00:02:41,199 and she goes to the gym twice a week. A 32 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:46,080 lot of people like to watch the evening news. Teenagers 33 00:02:46,159 --> 00:02:50,479 spend a lot of time with their phones, and keep 34 00:02:50,479 --> 00:02:57,199 in mind, we tend to use time expressions like always, usually, often, 35 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:02,639 sometimes never with the present ten vents like I always 36 00:03:02,759 --> 00:03:09,039 drink green tea or Kim usually finishes work at six o'clock. 37 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,400 We also use the simple present tents when we talk 38 00:03:13,479 --> 00:03:18,919 about scheduled events in the future. This includes things like 39 00:03:19,039 --> 00:03:26,919 transportation schedules, business meetings, and TV programs. Like the train 40 00:03:27,039 --> 00:03:31,800 to Boston departs at ten am. When I fly to Tokyo, 41 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:37,319 the travel agent said, my flight arrives at noon. The 42 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:43,479 evening news starts at six. So basically, when something is 43 00:03:43,719 --> 00:03:48,599 planned and follows a fixed schedule, the simple present tents 44 00:03:48,759 --> 00:03:53,199 can be used instead of the future tents. Those are 45 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,719 all examples of events that are regularly scheduled in a timetable, 46 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,840 but in four normal situations. You can also use the 47 00:04:02,879 --> 00:04:07,319 simple present tense to talk about future arraignments that are 48 00:04:07,439 --> 00:04:13,840 already decided, often with specific times, like the new boss 49 00:04:13,879 --> 00:04:17,639 flies to New York next Monday. I think we meet 50 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,560 her on Tuesday morning. Again, this usage of the simple 51 00:04:22,639 --> 00:04:26,720 present does have a formal sound to it. Another way 52 00:04:26,759 --> 00:04:30,519 we use the simple present tense is when we give instructions, 53 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:36,680 commands or directions, like you just press this button to 54 00:04:36,759 --> 00:04:42,079 start the coffee maker. When you make bread, first mix 55 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:46,040 all the dry ingredients, then add them to the water. 56 00:04:46,879 --> 00:04:50,360 Oh yeah, when I got to the motor vehicle office, 57 00:04:50,879 --> 00:04:55,120 the woman behind the desk said, please take a seat 58 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,839 and fill out this form next up. We usually use 59 00:04:59,879 --> 00:05:03,839 the simple present when we give our opinions and talk 60 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:09,720 about preferences. For example, I like dogs, but my friend 61 00:05:09,759 --> 00:05:15,000 Nobi likes cats, and unlike a lot of Americans, I 62 00:05:15,199 --> 00:05:21,040 think football is boring. Don't you think coffee tastes better? 63 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:27,600 With a little milk. Of course, verbs that express thoughts, emotions, 64 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:31,319 or senses are often used with the present tents because 65 00:05:31,319 --> 00:05:35,360 they can't be used in a progressive tense. Like the 66 00:05:35,399 --> 00:05:39,839 boss believes in working hard even on the weekend. We 67 00:05:40,079 --> 00:05:44,759 can't say the boss is believing in working hard. The 68 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,920 boss believes in working hard. Lastly, we use the simple 69 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:55,519 present tents in storytelling, sports commentaries, and jokes to make 70 00:05:55,560 --> 00:06:01,040 the action feel more immediate and exciting. Using the simple 71 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,959 present tense to tell a story, even if it's a 72 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:10,399 story based in the past, makes the story feel more real. 73 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,879 Like yesterday, I walk into the coffee shop near my 74 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:19,120 office and I see my ex girlfriend. She's there with 75 00:06:19,199 --> 00:06:23,160 some guy who's like twenty five years older than her, 76 00:06:23,439 --> 00:06:27,439 and she sees me, and then blah blah blah blah blah. 77 00:06:27,519 --> 00:06:31,040 You get the idea. Using the present tense in this 78 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,639 story makes the action seem real. And speaking of action, 79 00:06:36,319 --> 00:06:40,120 when you watch sports on TV, the announcer uses the 80 00:06:40,199 --> 00:06:45,399 simple present tense like here comes show, Hey o'tney, he 81 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:49,000 stands in the batter's box, Here comes the pitch he 82 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:54,199 swings home wrong. Keep in mind the best way to 83 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,639 remember English like this and any other word or phrase 84 00:06:57,639 --> 00:07:01,279 in English is to take that word or phrase, write 85 00:07:01,319 --> 00:07:04,519 it in a sentence that's true for you or true 86 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,920 in your world, and then memorize your sentences. You know what. 87 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,079 You can get more practice using your English when you 88 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:17,639 join my podcast Learner's study Group. There you can make 89 00:07:17,759 --> 00:07:21,560 new friends, join us for live group lessons every week 90 00:07:21,639 --> 00:07:26,839 where we practice these podcast lessons together. Plus you get 91 00:07:26,879 --> 00:07:31,399 access to the pdf, transcript and audio download for every 92 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:35,040 Happy English podcast in the past and in the future. 93 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,480 And on top of that, each episode has exercises where 94 00:07:39,519 --> 00:07:43,040 you can practice this English point with speaking and writing 95 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:47,600 checked by me. To learn more, just visit Myhappy English 96 00:07:47,639 --> 00:07:52,560 dot com and choose podcast lesson seven ninety six. Remember, 97 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,879 learning another language is not easy, but it's not impossible, 98 00:07:57,199 --> 00:08:01,120 and I'm here to help you on you your journey. 99 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,759 Speaker 2: This podcast was brought to you by Happy English. Please 100 00:08:04,879 --> 00:08:09,399 visit Myhappy English dot com show your support for Happy 101 00:08:09,439 --> 00:08:13,199 English by leaving us a review. Get English, Get Happy, 102 00:08:13,439 --> 00:08:26,759 Happy English.