一般现在时是英语中应用最广泛的时态之一，是初中英语语法重点。它表示1)经常性、习惯性的动作或存在的状态。e.g. I go to school on foot. He is very busy now. 2)表示主语的特征、性格、能力、爱好等。e.g. He can swim. I work hard. I like watching TV. 3)表示客观真理 e.g. There are seven days in a week. The moon moves round the earth.
其结构按正常语序，即“主语+谓语+其它”，有时为了起强调作用，时间状语也可提前.
其句式变化可分为两种情况 1)表示动作， 一般人称作主语的，变否定句须在动词前加助动词don’t；变一般疑问句须在句首加助动词do。 E.g. They have lunch at 12:00. They don’t have lunch at 12:00. Do they have lunch at 12:00? 2）单三人称做主语的，变否定句须在动词前加助动词doesn’t；变一般疑问句须在句首加助动词does。
E.g. Jenny speaks English very well.
Jenny doesn’t speak English very well.
Does Jenny speak English very well?
含有be动词的要在be上做变化.
E.g. Danny is a good student.
Danny isn’t a good student.
Is Danny a good student?
其时间状语为often、 usually、 always、 sometimes等频率副词，on Saturdays、 in the morning(afternoon evening) 、every day 等。
学生常见错误如下：
一、be动词与行为动词同时出现在句子中
例：We are plant (plant) the trees in spring.
答案：plant
解析：学生往往会用汉语的思维方式去翻译，就成了“我们是在春天植树”。这是学习英语最忌讳的，要看语法是不是正确，在英语中，be是表状态，do是表动作，两种动词不能同时出现在句子中，可记住如下口诀：“英汉语言有差异，be 、do不能放一起，仔细琢磨细分析，语法千万要牢记。”
自我检测：
(一)、 单选
1 Jenny ____ in an office. Her parents ____in a hospital.
A work; works B works; work C work; are working D is working; work
2 One of the boys_____ a black hat.
A have B there is C there are D has
3 We will go shopping if it____ tomorrow.
A don't rain Bdidn't rain Cdoesn't rain Disn't rain
4 He said the sun ____in the east and ____in the west.
A rose; set B rises; sets C rises, set D rise; sets
5 Wang Mei ____ music and often ____ to music.
A like; listen B likes; listens C like; are listening D liking ; listen
6 Jenny____ English every evening.
A has study B studies C study D studied
答案：1 B 2D 3C 4B 5B 6B
(二)、填空
1 I can take Li Ming there when he _____ ( come) to visit.
2 _____your sister_____(know)English?
3Her home____ _____ ______(远离 )her school.
4The pot_____(not look) like yours very much.
5 Where _____you____(have)lunch every day?
6 Who_____(想要 )to go swimming?
7 ______she_____(do) the housework every day?
8 Jenny and Danny usually______(play) games in the afternoon .
答案：1 comes 2 Does know 3 is away from 4 doesn't look
二、单三人称形式易出错
例：1 He plaies (play) football very well.
2 Danny gos (go) to school at 7:10.
答案：1 plays 2 goes
解析：1以辅音字母加y结尾的动词变单三人称形式才能把y换成i再加es；2与名词变复数不同，变单三人称形式以o结尾的词要加es.
三、在句式变换时易出错
例：1 Does Jenny has (has) a good friend?
2 Brian doesn’t lives (not live) in China.
答案：1 Does have 2 doesn’t live
解析：单三人称做主语的一般现在时做句式变化时，可记住如下口诀：“见助动，用原形”。此口诀也可推广用于一般过去时态中。e.g. He didn't go home yesterday.
四、对do的理解易出错
例：We don’t (not do) our homework in the afternoon.
答案：don’t do
解析：do是一个比较难理解的词，它有三个含义: a)是所有行为动词的总称；b)是助动词，无实义；c)是一个具体的行为动词“做，干”。此句中给出的do指“做，干”，not指把此句变为否定句，故须在do前加助动词don’t。
五、对主语的数判断有误
例： Li Ming with me are (be) in Beijing.
答案: is
解析:表面一看是“我和李明两个人在北京”，但with在此做伴随状语，不能做主语，故用is.
另外，宾语从句中，从句部分若是表示客观真理，不管主句是何时态，从句都要用一般现在时；在时间和条件状语从句中，主句表将来，从句要用一般现在时。
