Explainingthe Functions of Simple Present Tense

in Teaching Simple Present Tense in Junior High School

By Furin Nurdianto

INTRODUCTION

Before the student learns the writing ability in English as a Foreign Language, they must know many tenses to make easy in their learning. There are four main tense such as: Present Tense, Past Tense, Future Tense, and Past Future Tense.

The present tense is separated in some form; there are the Simple Present Tense, Present Continuous tense, Present Future Tense, and Present Perfect Tense. Now, the writer will discuss about simple present tense. The simple present tense sentence is which is describing an incident every time or now in simple form.

DISCUSSION

  1. Definition of the Simple Present Tense

In the Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary (1995 : 912) is stated that present tense is the verb tense that expresses an action or action happening or existing at the time of speaking. According to Nurachmat and Kristiowati (1990 : 22) the simple present tense is a form of verb used to show daily activities and to show the general truth.

Sometimes in simple present tense there are some adverbs of time that is used in a simple present tense sentence, there are; every (day, week, month, year, Sunday, morning, afternoon, evening);on Sundays, in the morning, at seven o’clock. Adverb of frequent sometime is used in making the simple present tense sentences; those are always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, never, etc.

  1. Singular and Plural in Simple Present Tense

The students usually make a little mistake when they write sentences. Sometimes the student make a little mistake because the verb is not a ‘to be’ (is, am, are) after subject have given “s” or “es”. In the simple present tense, ‘the subject’ are separated into two types, there are singular and plural.

Singular

Plural

For example:

She write a letter ...... (it’s false)

She writes a letter ...... (it’s true)

I studies English ...... (it’s false)

I study English ...... (it’s true)

He drive a car ...... (it’s false)

He drives a car ...... (it’s true)

They supplies drink for the worker...... (it’s false)

They supply drink for the worker ...... (it’s true)

If we want to write the simple present tense sentence, there are two possibilities:

-The incident does not happen and not prove, so we describe in negative sentence.

-The incident is happening and to be proving, so we describe in interrogative sentence.

The student always thinks it easily. So, they may get some mistakes, even minimally or maximally. When the students make the negative or interrogative sentences they commonly do incorrectly;

She goes to Jakarta by Plane.

She do not go to Jakarta by plane. (false)

She does not go to Jakarta by plane.(true)

The cars run fast.

Why does the cars run fast?(false)

Why do the cars run fast?(true)

He studies in Junior High School.

He do not study in Junior High School.(false)

He does not study in Junior High School.(true)

Meanwhile, the students are still confused about such adverbial expression;

  1. The children play in the garden last morning. (false)

The children play in the garden this morning. (true)

  1. Where do you go last night? (false)

Where do you go tonight?(true)

  1. The student goes to Jakarta tomorrow.(false)

The student goes to Jakarta today.(true)

  1. Suffix

There some verb not ‘to be’ (is, am, are) which is get adding in suffixes that can include in present tense sentences:

  1. If the verb suffix “o” add “es”.

go goes = pergi

She goes to school.

My father goes to office.

My brother goes to Bandung.

  1. If the verb suffix “e” adding “s”

come comes = datang

give gives = memberi

She comes from Sumatra.

She gives some money.

  1. If the verb suffix “y” adding “s”

pay pays = membayar

buy buys= membeli

My father pays a cake in cashier.

My brother buys the book the book in Gramedia.

  1. If the verb suffix “x” adding “s/es”, but the consonant “y” to be chance “i”.

dry dries = menjemur

supply supplies = menyediakan

Santi dries the clothes.

The store supplies some books of student.

  1. If the verb suffix “s, ch, sh, x” will be added “es”

pass passes = melewatkan

teachteaches = mengajar

finishfinishes = selesai

mixmixes = mencampur

Ranti passes her holiday with her family.

He teaches English in Junior High School.

My young brother finishes his homework.

My mother mixes sugar and coffee.

Besides those, the students also write a sentence without a right structure. But, the students must clearly understand about the simple present tense. They only get some little mistakes when they write the simple present tense. They do look like mastery it, but they do not.

  1. The Function of the Simple Present Tense

The students of Junior High School be thought clearly and must be given by the simple method of teaching simple present tense. As we know, there are some little mistakes which are often done by the students. Those are;

  1. The students are still confused about the simple present tense which are ‘the subject’ separated into two type;
  2. The students are still confused about ‘how to make or write negative sentence and interrogative sentence’;
  3. The students do notclearly understand about ‘the adverbial expression’ yet.

Whenever the student want to learn and study the simple present tense accurately, thy may get a little mistake when they write or do the simple present tense terms. Actually, these are the way how to know and understand the student’s problems.

However, it needs a clearly explanation to solve the problems of the students in Junior High School when they start to study the simple present tense which are called the first tense, a basically education of tense.

In teaching the simple present tense a teacher may need to explain some functions of the simple present tense to make the students easy to understand the using of simple present tense in making a sentence.

There are some functions of the simple present tense to explain in teaching English as the following;

  1. Express the General Truths

The sentence to describe the incident in simply sentence and the action or daily activity, but necessary we know that the basic not only to happened. The sentences usually are using auxiliary verb such as “do” or “does”. The sentence made to show the place where the incident was happened.

Coffee comes from Brazil.

Does coffee come from Brazil?

Costa Ricans speak Spanish.

Do Costa Ricans speak Spanish?

The earth revolves around the sun.

Why does the earth revolvearound the sun?

  1. Express customs and habitual actions, often with such adverbial expressionas frequently, usually, every, and soon. It is also the usual present tense form of stative or ‘private’ verb, such as wish, hope, fear, love, like, understand, and know’. The sentence which is described an incident which is happened at past but until now still has done.

I spend every summer in the mountains.

Do I spend every summer in the mountains?

She always studies in the library.

Where does she always study?

She goes to Jakarta every week.

Does she go to Jakarta every week?

He always sings a song in studio.

Where does he always sing a song?

  1. When used with the verb ’do’ or ‘does’, show emphasis.

The sentences emphasis something or activities usually in the sentences with auxiliary verb “do” or “does”. The student usually make mistake because the student do not understand about it.

He does look like his father.

We do not speak Italian, but we do speak English.

She may not be brilliant, but she does get good grades.

  1. Express commands or requests (second person only)

In express commands or request, it have not been used method like present tense, because in express commands or request we can make sentence which is simplified and can be understand by student.

Please let me know how get along.

Get out of my sight.

Telephone him if you have time.

  1. Express future time with express future adverbial

Express future for described adverbial of time especially the future. Many verbs are used for adverbial of time such as; next week, tomorrow, next month, etc. A sentence in simple present tense is made to show the time certainly. Usually be useful for describe the incident which have to go on the future.

She leaves next week.

She does not leave next week.

Classes begin the day after tomorrow.

When do classes begin?

The team plays in St. Louis next month.

CONCLUTION

From explanations above, it can be concluded that there are some functions of the simple present tense in writing English, as the following:

  1. Express the General Truths,
  2. Express customs and habitual actions,
  3. When used with the verb ’do’ or ‘does’, it shows emphasis,
  4. Express commands or requests (second person only),
  5. Express future time with express future adverbial.

By explaining the function of the simple present tense, as a teacher can help the students to make their learning easily, and as a student can understand more about the using of the simple present tense in writing English.

David Paul (2003: 34) states that whenever possible, the core activity in a lesson should cover the four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. If one of these skills falls behind, we may need to spend extra time on that skill in some lessons. The skill the children usually find most difficult is writing, so it may be necessary to have lesson where the children do a lot of writing.

Byall explanations above, it can be concluded that as a teacher in teaching the student must see the four skills. The teacher should know how much the teacher mastery in their lesson, so the teacher should use the ways to explain the Simple Present Tense. There are some steps to teach the Simple Present Tense to students:

  1. Before teacher enters the lesson, it is necessary to give an illustration in a story reading by teacher that connected with the Simple Present Tense.
  2. The teacher should give explanation about function and meaning of the Simple Present Tense in using a sentence.
  3. The teacher gives some sentences example of the Simple Present Tense.
  4. It is important to give the formula ofthe Simple Present Tense.
  5. The teacher gives some exercise to student reflected the Simple Present Tense, as to make a sentence in Simple Present Tense or the others exercises.
  6. After student understand about the Simple Present Tense, give he/she some repetition to make sure that that student has mastery the Simple Present Tense.
  7. Give extra exercise to student to practice the Simple Present Tense in her/his daily or in the four skills; listening, speaking, writing, reading.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Nurachmat and Kristiowati. 1990. Structure and Vocabs. Al-Azhar. Parakan, Cilacap.

Oxford University Press. 1995. Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary. New York.

M. Echols,John and Hassan Sadily. 1996. Kamus Inggris - Indonesia. PT. Gramedia Pustaka Utama. Jakarta.

Murphy, Raymond. 1998. English Grammar in Use. Cambridge University Press. United Kingdom.

Schampfer Azar, Betty. 1993. Understanding and Using English Grammar. Bina Rupa Aksara. Grogol, Jakarta Barat.

Paul, David. 2003. Teaching English to Children in Asia. Pearson Education Asia Limited, Hongkong.

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