Unit Three: Simple & Progressive Verbs; Gerunds & Infinitives

Unit Three: Simple & Progressive Verbs; Gerunds & Infinitives English Center Tutor Training ESOL

Table of Contents • Unit 1: Parts of Speech • Unit 2: Phrases, Clauses, and Sentence Structure • Unit 3: Simple & Progressive Verbs • Unit 4: Perfect & Passive Verbs • Unit 5: Complex Sentences • Unit 6: Overview of City ESOL Program

Simple Present • Habitual Actions My dog Punch goes to bed at 8pm every night. I drink coffee when I eat breakfast. • General Truths The sky is blue. Stress causes high blood pressure. • With Non-Action/Stative Verbs (describing states or situations) I hope to move abroad again soon. This class knows how to write an introduction.

Four Types of Non-Action/Stative Verbs: 1. Express Emotions (hate, like, love, want, feel) 2. Describe Mental States (know, remember, believe, understand) 3. Show Possession (have, own, possess, belong) 4. Describe Perception and Senses (hear, see, smell, taste, feel, notice, appear)

Simple Present: Let’s Review… Habitual Action Express Emotions Describe Mental States Non Action/Stative Verbs General Truths Show Possession Describe Perceptions and Senses

Present Progressive be + V-ing • Actions Happening Right Now I am talking to the class. The students are wearing shoes. • Extended Present Actions (which may not be happening at the moment of speaking) We are studying essay structure. Mark is training for a 100-mile bike ride this month. • Temporary Actions I am staying with friends, but I plan to leave soon.

Present Progressive We are not sleeping right now because we are learning about grammar. • Happening now • Occurring over a period of time • Do not use non action verb Now Past Future

Tutoring Note! Some verbs can have an active or stative (non-action) meaning, depending on the context. You need to be able to help students identify the difference. Common verbs that may be used with either meaning include have, think, taste and look. For example… The soup tastes good. Try some. (non-action/stative) She’s tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt. (active)

For each pair, use the present (non-action/stative) or present progressive (active) have • We _______ two textbooks in this class. • They ___________ a hard time with grammar. think • She _____________about her boyfriend, not about grammar. • He ___________ we should go to the library after class. look • I _____________for a new book to read. • You ____________ great today. have are having is thinking thinks am looking look

Tutoring Note! At the beginning levels, students tend to easily distinguish the simple present from the present progressive (habitual vs. happening now). As their learning advances and they realize that the present and present progressive tenses are used in more varied situations, they can become confused. Therefore, it’s important to be able to explain the different uses of these two tenses. Additionally, with the progressive tenses, students tend to omit the “be” verb. If you notice that a student as omitted a “be” verb, ask the student to self correct. What’s missing here? Is this verb complete?

Simple Past • To talk about actions, states, or situations that are now finished. I wanted to eat chocolate ice cream before class. I went to Paris in 1998. I hiked Half Dome two years ago. Now Past Future

Past Progressive • To describe an action that wasin progress over a period of time in the past. We were hiking for many hours before we reached the summit. *I was hating the hike down. • Happened in the past • Occurred over a period of time • reminder: Do not use non action/stative verb in progressive Now Future Past

Past Progressive • Two actions in progress at the same time in the past While I was talking on the phone, he was watching TV. He was watching TV while I was talking on the phone. Now Past Future was watching was talking

Past Progressive & Simple Past • An action interrupted by another action When = simple past While = past-progressive I was taking a shower when the phone rang. While I was taking a shower, the phone rang. Now phone rang Past Future was taking a shower

Simple Past & Simple Past • One action occurs in the past, then another action occurs in the past. I walked into class, and I sat in a chair. Now Past Future

Future Forms scheduled events Simple present Be going to + verb Present progressive Will + be + V -ing Will + verb The plane leaves at 5:00pm tonight. The plane is leaving at 5:00pm tonight.

My flight departs on a Monday morning. Future Forms I am going to have a wonderful experience. Simple present I am changing planes in Mexico City. Be going to + verb Present progressive Will + be + V -ing Will + verb I will be hiking in Patagonia for one week next January. Will you go to Argentina with me?

Tutoring Note! In most cases will and be going to can be used interchangeably. In the few situations where one or the other is correct, just correct it for the student because those differences are very subtle.

Unit Three: Simple & Progressive Verbs; Gerunds & Infinitives