PRESENT TENSE & ITS SUBTYPES

1. PRESENT TENSE & ITS SUBTYPES

English has four types of Present Tense:

A. Present Simple (Indefinite)

Uses

·         Habits & routines
She goes to school every day.

·         Universal truths
The earth moves round the sun.

·         Permanent situations
He lives in Pokhara.

·         Instructions
You mix flour with water.

Structures

·         Affirmative: S + V1(s/es) + Obj

·         Negative: S + do/does + not + V1

·         Interrogative: Do/Does + S + V1 + Obj?

---

B. Present Continuous (Progressive)

Uses

·         Actions happening now
They are watching TV.

·         Temporary actions
I am staying at my uncle’s house.

·         Future plans
We are meeting the manager tomorrow.

Structures

·         Affirmative: S + am/is/are + V-ing

·         Negative: S + am/is/are + not + V-ing

·         Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + S + V-ing?

---

C. Present Perfect

Uses

·         Action completed in the past with result in present
She has eaten breakfast (so she is not hungry now).

·         Life experiences
I have visited Janakpur.

·         Unfinished time period
I have studied for three hours.

Structures

·         Affirmative: S + has/have + V3

·         Negative: S + has/have + not + V3

·         Interrogative: Has/Have + S + V3?

---

D. Present Perfect Continuous

Uses

·         Action started in the past and still continuing
She has been studying for two hours.

·         Recently completed actions with present effect
I am tired because I have been running.

Structures

·         Affirmative: S + has/have + been + V-ing

·         Negative: S + has/have + not + been + V-ing

·         Interrogative: Has/Have + S + been + V-ing?

---

2. USEFUL STRUCTURES FOR EXAMS

Habitual action (Present Simple)

·         I/You/We/They + V1

·         He/She/It + V1+s

Action happening right now (Present Continuous)

·         S + am/is/are + V-ing

Action completed with present result (Present Perfect)

·         S + has/have + V3

Action continuing since/for (Present Perfect Continuous)

·         S + has/have + been + V-ing + since/for

---

3. MCQs WITH ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS

1. She ___ to school every day.

a) is going
b) goes
c) going
d) went

✔ Answer: (b) goes
Because it is a habit → Present Simple.

---

2. They ___ football now.

a) play
b) are playing
c) played
d) have played

✔ Answer: (b) are playing
“Now” → Present Continuous.

---

3. I ___ my homework already.

a) am doing
b) do
c) have done
d) had done

✔ Answer: (c) have done
“Already” → Present Perfect.

---

4. She ___ for two hours.

a) studies
b) is studying
c) has studied
d) has been studying

✔ Answer: (d) has been studying
Since/for + duration → Present Perfect Continuous.

---

5. The sun ___ in the east.

a) rises
b) is rising
c) has risen
d) has been rising

✔ Answer: (a) rises
Universal truth → Present Simple.

---

6. He ___ lunch at the moment.

a) eats
b) is eating
c) has eaten
d) has been eating

✔ Answer: (b) is eating
“At the moment” → Present Continuous.

---

7. I ___ this movie before.

a) see
b) am seeing
c) have seen
d) had seen

✔ Answer: (c) have seen
Life experience → Present Perfect.

---

8. They ___ in Kathmandu since 2010.

a) live
b) are living
c) have lived
d) have been living

✔ Answer: (d) have been living
Since + year → Present Perfect Continuous.

---

9. The boys usually ___ cricket on Saturdays.

a) play
b) are playing
c) have played
d) have been playing

✔ Answer: (a) play
“Usually” → Present Simple.

---

10. Look! The baby ___ .

a) cries
b) is crying
c) has cried
d) has been crying

✔ Answer: (b) is crying
“Look!” indicates something happening now → Present Continuous.

00 MCQs on Present Tense (With Answers & Explanations)

(Only Present Simple, Present Continuous, Present Perfect & Present Perfect Continuous)

---

PART A: PRESENT SIMPLE (1–25)

1. She ___ to school every day.

a) goes
b) is going
c) has gone
d) going
✔ Answer: a – Habit → Present Simple.

2. The sun ___ in the east.

a) rise
b) rises
c) is rising
d) has risen
✔ Answer: b – Universal truth.

3. I ___ coffee in the morning.

a) drink
b) am drinking
c) have drunk
d) drinking
✔ Answer: a – Routine.

4. They always ___ early.

a) wake
b) wakes
c) waking
d) have woken
✔ Answer: a – Habit.

5. Water ___ at 100°C.

a) boils
b) is boiling
c) has boiled
d) boil
✔ Answer: a – Scientific fact.

6. She seldom ___ television.

a) watch
b) watches
c) watching
d) is watching
✔ Answer: b – S + V(s/es).

7. We ___ English very well.

a) speaks
b) speaking
c) speak
d) are speaking
✔ Answer: c – Present ability.

8. He ___ in Kathmandu.

a) live
b) lives
c) is living
d) has lived
✔ Answer: b – Permanent situation.

9. My father ___ to the office at 10 am.

a) go
b) goes
c) going
d) has gone
✔ Answer: b – Routine.

10. Do you ___ football?

a) plays
b) play
c) playing
d) played
✔ Answer: b – Question form.

11. Birds ___ in the sky.

a) is flying
b) are flying
c) flies
d) fly
✔ Answer: d – General action.

12. The shop ___ at 9 am.

a) open
b) opens
c) is opening
d) has opened
✔ Answer: b.

13. He never ___ his homework.

a) do
b) does
c) doing
d) did
✔ Answer: b.

14. The earth ___ round the sun.

a) move
b) moves
c) is moving
d) has moved
✔ Answer: b.

15. My brother ___ three languages.

a) speak
b) speaks
c) speaking
d) spoken
✔ Answer: b.

16. The train ___ at 7 pm.

a) leave
b) leaves
c) is leaving
d) left
✔ Answer: b – Timetable.

17. I ___ the truth.

a) know
b) knows
c) knowing
d) am knowing
✔ Answer: a – Stative verb.

18. She ___ her guitar well.

a) play
b) plays
c) played
d) playing
✔ Answer: b.

19. He ___ a bicycle.

a) ride
b) rides
c) riding
d) is riding
✔ Answer: b.

20. People ___ for peace.

a) hope
b) hopes
c) hoping
d) has hoped
✔ Answer: a.

21. The shopkeeper ___ honestly.

a) work
b) works
c) working
d) is working
✔ Answer: b.

22. She ___ meat.

a) don’t eat
b) doesn’t eat
c) isn’t eating
d) didn’t eat
✔ Answer: b – Negative.

23. They ___ in Bedkot.

a) lived
b) living
c) lives
d) live
✔ Answer: d.

24. My mother ___ delicious food.

a) cook
b) cooks
c) cooked
d) cooking
✔ Answer: b.

25. Does he ___ English?

a) speak
b) speaks
c) speaking
d) spoken
✔ Answer: a – Base form after does.

---

PART B: PRESENT CONTINUOUS (26–50)

26. She ___ right now.

a) studies
b) studying
c) is studying
d) has studied
✔ Answer: c – Now → Continuous.

27. They ___ TV at the moment.

a) watch
b) are watching
c) watched
d) watches
✔ Answer: b.

28. I ___ a book these days.

a) read
b) am reading
c) have read
d) reading
✔ Answer: b – Temporary action.

29. Look! The dog ___ .

a) is running
b) runs
c) has run
d) running
✔ Answer: a.

30. We ___ dinner now.

a) are having
b) have
c) has
d) had
✔ Answer: a.

31. She ___ with her friends today.

a) meets
b) meeting
c) meet
d) is meeting
✔ Answer: d – Planned future.

32. They ___ in the garden.

a) plays
b) are playing
c) play
d) played
✔ Answer: b.

33. I ___ to music now.

a) listen
b) listens
c) am listening
d) listening
✔ Answer: c.

34. He ___ very fast today.

a) run
b) runs
c) is running
d) has run
✔ Answer: c.

35. The students ___ for the exam.

a) is preparing
b) preparing
c) are preparing
d) prepares
✔ Answer: c.

36. She ___ her mother now.

a) helps
b) helping
c) is helping
d) has helped
✔ Answer: c.

37. The baby ___ .

a) cry
b) cries
c) crying
d) is crying
✔ Answer: d.

38. They ___ a new house this month.

a) buy
b) buying
c) are buying
d) bought
✔ Answer: c – Temporary period.

39. He ___ for a job.

a) is looking
b) looks
c) look
d) has looked
✔ Answer: a.

40. We ___ to India tomorrow.

a) go
b) are going
c) goes
d) going
✔ Answer: b – Planned future.

41. She ___ her dress.

a) wears
b) is wearing
c) wore
d) worn
✔ Answer: b.

42. The boys ___ loudly.

a) is shouting
b) shouting
c) are shouting
d) shout
✔ Answer: c.

43. I ___ my project this week.

a) complete
b) am completing
c) completed
d) completing
✔ Answer: b – Temporary.

44. He ___ on the phone now.

a) talks
b) is talking
c) talking
d) talked
✔ Answer: b.

45. They ___ football now.

a) play
b) played
c) are playing
d) plays
✔ Answer: c.

46. She ___ the piano today.

a) practices
b) is practicing
c) practicing
d) has practiced
✔ Answer: b.

47. We ___ our assignment.

a) do
b) are doing
c) did
d) done
✔ Answer: b.

48. He ___ the garden at the moment.

a) cleans
b) cleaning
c) is cleaning
d) cleaned
✔ Answer: c.

49. They ___ the newspaper.

a) read
b) are reading
c) reading
d) has read
✔ Answer: b.

50. I ___ for my friend.

a) wait
b) am waiting
c) waited
d) waits
✔ Answer: b.

---

PART C: PRESENT PERFECT (51–75)

51. She ___ her homework already.

a) has done
b) did
c) is doing
d) does
✔ Answer: a.

52. I ___ this movie before.

a) am seeing
b) saw
c) have seen
d) see
✔ Answer: c.

53. They ___ in Kathmandu for five years.

a) lived
b) live
c) have lived
d) are living
✔ Answer: c.

54. He ___ just arrived.

a) has
b) have
c) has been
d) is
✔ Answer: a (+ V3 implied).

55. She ___ her lunch.

a) has eaten
b) ate
c) is eating
d) eats
✔ Answer: a.

56. The bus ___ .

a) has gone
b) went
c) is going
d) goes
✔ Answer: a – Bus left & not returned.

57. We ___ our work.

a) finished
b) have finished
c) finish
d) finishing
✔ Answer: b.

58. He ___ the book.

a) have read
b) has read
c) is reading
d) reads
✔ Answer: b.

59. I ___ him for two years.

a) know
b) knew
c) have known
d) knowing
✔ Answer: c.

60. They ___ the news.

a) hear
b) heard
c) have heard
d) hearing
✔ Answer: c.

61. She ___ never seen snow.

a) has
b) have
c) has been
d) has never
✔ Answer: a + V3 implied.

62. We ___ already decided.

a) have
b) has
c) have been
d) decides
✔ Answer: a + V3 implied.

63. He ___ the letter.

a) has written
b) wrote
c) write
d) writing
✔ Answer: a.

64. I ___ the answer.

a) found
b) have found
c) finding
d) finds
✔ Answer: b.

65. She ___ the song many times.

a) has sung
b) sang
c) singing
d) sings
✔ Answer: a.

66. They ___ the match.

a) have won
b) win
c) won
d) winning
✔ Answer: a.

67. We ___ the movie recently.

a) saw
b) seen
c) have seen
d) sees
✔ Answer: c.

68. He ___ his friend.

a) has met
b) met
c) meets
d) meeting
✔ Answer: a.

69. I ___ the bill.

a) have paid
b) paid
c) pay
d) paying
✔ Answer: a.

70. She ___ well.

a) has done
b) did
c) does
d) doing
✔ Answer: a.

71. They ___ the result.

a) have known
b) knew
c) know
d) knowing
✔ Answer: a.

72. He ___ from London.

a) has come
b) comes
c) is coming
d) came
✔ Answer: a.

73. I ___ the truth.

a) have told
b) told
c) telling
d) tells
✔ Answer: a.

74. She ___ all the tasks.

a) has completed
b) completed
c) completes
d) completing
✔ Answer: a.

75. We ___ the car.

a) have sold
b) sold
c) selling
d) sells
✔ Answer: a.

---

PART D: PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS (76–100)

76. She ___ for two hours.

a) studies
b) is studying
c) has studied
d) has been studying
✔ Answer: d – Since/for.

77. I ___ here since morning.

a) work
b) working
c) have been working
d) am working
✔ Answer: c.

78. They ___ this project for months.

a) have been doing
b) are doing
c) did
d) do
✔ Answer: a.

79. He ___ for you for 20 minutes.

a) waited
b) has waited
c) is waiting
d) has been waiting
✔ Answer: d.

80. She ___ the piano since 5 pm.

a) plays
b) played
c) has been playing
d) is playing
✔ Answer: c.

81. I ___ for you all day.

a) am looking
b) look
c) have been looking
d) looked
✔ Answer: c.

82. It ___ raining for hours.

a) is
b) has been
c) has been raining
d) rains
✔ Answer: c.

83. We ___ for two hours.

a) are talking
b) talked
c) have talked
d) have been talking
✔ Answer: d.

84. They ___ in this office for years.

a) worked
b) work
c) have been working
d) are working
✔ Answer: c.

85. She ___ too much lately.

a) has been eating
b) eats
c) eating
d) ate
✔ Answer: a.

86. He ___ since morning.

a) studies
b) studied
c) is studying
d) has been studying
✔ Answer: d.

87. I ___ over the phone for an hour.

a) talked
b) have talked
c) have been talking
d) talk
✔ Answer: c.

88. They ___ the same song all day.

a) have played
b) play
c) are playing
d) have been playing
✔ Answer: d.

89. She ___ her bike for a long time.

a) has been riding
b) riding
c) rides
d) rode
✔ Answer: a.

90. My friends ___ outside since noon.

a) are playing
b) have been playing
c) play
d) played
✔ Answer: b.

91. He ___ here for long.

a) is working
b) works
c) has been working
d) has worked
✔ Answer: c.

92. We ___ since last week.

a) travel
b) are travelling
c) have travelled
d) have been travelling
✔ Answer: d.

93. The baby ___ for 10 minutes.

a) cries
b) crying
c) has been crying
d) is crying
✔ Answer: c.

94. She ___ for her exam for days.

a) studies
b) is studying
c) has studied
d) has been studying
✔ Answer: d.

95. I ___ this book for hours.

a) read
b) am reading
c) have been reading
d) readed
✔ Answer: c.

96. They ___ in that room since morning.

a) sit
b) have sat
c) have been sitting
d) are sitting
✔ Answer: c.

97. He ___ too much recently.

a) eats
b) is eating
c) has eaten
d) has been eating
✔ Answer: d.

98. We ___ the same problem for months.

a) face
b) faced
c) have faced
d) have been facing
✔ Answer: d.

99. She ___ well lately.

a) sings
b) is singing
c) has been singing
d) sang
✔ Answer: c.

100. I ___ English for a long time.

a) learn
b) learned
c) have been learning
d) learning
✔ Answer: c.