[Grammar] Confused about English Tenses

[leslieking]

I have two statements:

1. He is drinking.
2. She is cold.

I'm sure the first statement is the Present Continous tense.

He - Subject
is - The verb be in the present tense
drink + ing = The main verb + ing

But I'm not sure about the second statement. What tense is the second statement? Is it Present Continous too? I ask it, because the second statement doesn't contain the word "ing" after the verb. But as far as I know the Simple Present do not use the verb be at all. I suppose it's a kind of Present Continous. Isn't it?

I'm learning English and would love to understand the difference between the two.

 

[5jj]

She is cold.

Is is the present simple of the verb BE.
Don't forget that BE is a verb in its own right - it's not just an auxiliary verb

 

[MikeNewYork]

I have two statements:

1. He is drinking.
2. She is cold.

I'm sure the first statement is the Present Continous tense.

He - Subject
is - The verb be in the present tense
drink + ing = The main verb + ing

But I'm not sure about the second statement. What tense is the second statement? Is it Present Continous too? I ask it, because the second statement doesn't contain the word "ing" after the verb. But as far as I know the Simple Present do not use the verb be at all. I suppose it's a kind of Present Continous. Isn't it?

I'm learning English and would love to understand the difference between the two.

The second sentence is: subject (pronoun, she) - linking verb (is) - cold (predicate adjective, modifying the subject).

 

[leslieking]

The second sentence is: subject (pronoun, she) - linking verb (is) - cold (predicate adjective, modifying the subject).

So, the word "drinking" is a verb and "cold" is an adjective?

 

[MikeNewYork]

So, the word "drinking" is a verb and "cold" is an adjective?

The word "drinking" is the present participle of a verb (drink) and is part of the present continuous form of the main verb (is drinking).

 

[5jj]

So, the word "drinking" is a verb

'Drinking' is the -ing form (present participle) of the verb DRINK. When combined with the present simple of the verb BE, it forms the present progressive/continuous aspect of the verb DRINK.

 

[leslieking]

Thanks. Yes, I understand that "drink" is a verb, but what about "cold"? Is "cold" an adjective? I suppose adjectives can't be suffixed with -ing.

 

[leslieking]

Am I right?

She is drinking. <- Present continuous tense
She is cold. <- Present tense
She drinks. <- Simple present

Is the Simple Present without the verb "be"?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks. Yes, I understand that "drink" is a verb, but what about "cold"? Is "cold" an adjective? I suppose adjectives can't be suffixed with -ing.

Yes, "cold" is an adjective. Some -ing words (present participles of verbs) can be used as adjectives.

slithering snake
barking dog
loving child

 

[MikeNewYork]

Am I right?

She is drinking. <- Present continuous tense
She is cold. <- Present tense
She drinks. <- Simple present

Is the Simple Present without the verb "be"?

Yes, your third sentence is the simple present (without the verb "to be").

 

[Tdol]

She is cold. <- Present tense
She drinks. <- Simple present

What distinction are you making here?

 

[leslieking]

What distinction are you making here?

Well the second statement doesn't have the verb BE. So, I suppose that's why we say Simple Present. But the one that have "is" is just Present tense. Or am I wrong?

 

[5jj]

She is naughty. Present simple.
She is being naughty. Present progressive/continuous.

 

[GeorginaWitcombe]

Well the second statement doesn't have the verb BE. So, I suppose that's why we say Simple Present. But the one that have "is" is just Present tense. Or am I wrong?

They both are Present Simple. In the first one the verb is ''is'' or ''to be''. In the second one is ''drinks''. ''To be'' is a verb that usually has some adjective after itself.

 

[leslieking]

They both are Present Simple. In the first one the verb is ''is'' or ''to be''. In the second one is ''drinks''. ''To be'' is a verb that usually has some adjective after itself.

But why the second statement doesn't have the verb be "is" ?

 

[MikeNewYork]

But why the second statement doesn't have the verb be "is" ?

Both statements have one verb in the present tense, so they are both in the simple present.

 

[Tdol]

Well the second statement doesn't have the verb BE. So, I suppose that's why we say Simple Present. But the one that have "is" is just Present tense. Or am I wrong?

BE:
He is being silly. (Present progressive/continuous)
He is French. (Present simple)

DRINK:
She is drinking a cup of coffee. (Present progressive/continuous)
She drinks wine most evenings. (Present simple)

 

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by zoltankr
She is cold. <- Present tense
She drinks. <- Simple present

What distinction are you making here?

The present simple tense = the simple present tense = the present tense = the (simple) present indicative (tense).
You are making no distinction by using two equivalent terms.