（18）現在時態（The Present Tenses）

Ⅰ. 單純現在時態（The present tense simple）可用來表示：

a. 現在的動作：See！The bird flies.

b. 永久不變之真理：The earth goes round the sun.

c. 習慣的行為，反復的事件：He teaches English. She keeps her word. The boy goes to school everyday.

d. 將來時的代用：（1）I leave here tomorrow.（2）（在表示時及條件的副詞節中）I shall not start if it rains. Please tell him so when he comes. 但在名詞節時則仍須用將來時：I do not know if it will rain. I cannot tell when he will come.

e. 現在完成時的代用：（say、tell、hear、be told、write、read、find 等）My father writes（= has written）to say that I may go to Tainan. I hear（= have heard）that he will soon be married.

f. 過去事件用現在時來敘述，使其躍如眼前，故又稱為歷史的現在（Historical Present），或劇的現在（Dramatic Present）。

Caesar leaves there，crosses the Rubicon，and enters Italy with 5,000 men.

Ⅱ. 現在進行時態（Present continuous tense）用來表示：

1. 現在進行中的事：He is reading a book.

2. 以現在為中心而反復繼續的行為：He is writing a book on electricity.

3. 動作之開端：She is dying.

4. 將來時的代用：He is coming to see me tonight.

5. 以現在為中心的習常行為：My father is always smoking.

練習題（30）

將括號中的動詞用為單純現在或現在進行時：

1. The train（leave）the station at 4 p. m. every day.

2. At present I（stay）with my aunt.

3. Every morning I（stay）in bed.

4. The sun（rise）in the morning.

5. The monks（hold）a service now.

6. These tourists（travel）round the world.

7. The Chinese（inhabit）a large region.

8. Hark！The bells of the temple（ring）.

9. Letters（write）very quickly on a typewriter.

10. He（play）tennis better than you do.

11. They（have）a big sale on shoes at Macy’s today.

12. John often（stay）in a hotel when he（come）to town，but tonight he（stay）with us.

13. John seems very busy，I guess he（prepare）his English lesson.

14. The sun always（rise）in the east.

15. The sun（rise）in the east now.

16. The rain（fall）heavily today.

17. Listen！The clock（strike）.

18. This afternoon the children（play）in the park.

19. This careless child（lose）his clothes too often.

20. Our side（lose）in this game.

21. When you（leave）for Europe？I understand that Mr. Smith（leave）next Saturday.

22. My mother（come）to see me next week.

23. I（go）to the seashore on my vacation.

24. On what train your friends（arrive）？

25. At present they（build）many new highways in New York State.