This is a tutorial, giving a perspective on PRESENT TENSE VERBS

Imagine a time when mere grunting and pointing had progressed to where one hunter turns to another and says, “There is a lion in those bushes.” He is passing on a piece of information; and at that moment, neither feels a need to discuss ‘how long do you think it’s been there?’ nor ‘how long do you think it will stay there?’ They both run and climb a tree.

Today, when someone asks, “What make of car do you own?” I reply, “My car is a Mazda.” The idea that the listener would be thinking, wondering – (that is, interested in and wanting to know) – ‘when did it become a Mazda? how long has it been a Mazda? how long will it remain a Mazda’?... seems bizarre!

This is the first major point about Present Tense verbs:

1. Present Tense verbs have no time boundaries
They are ‘timeless’. They just convey a piece of information – a fact - and any idea of a beginning or any end is irrelevant to the speaker, and to the listener.

Universal Truths, like “The sun rises in the east” are in the Present Tense. Pictorially, it is:

….………The……….Sun……rises……..in…the….east……………..

where ”……….” represents the time-line, from time immemorial, to eternity! “The Sun rises in the east.”
We can’t conceive of any Beginning (when did it first start to ‘rise in the east’?) or End point in time (when will it stop rising in the east?) It is sufficient that it is TRUE.

Look at these sentences:
I brush my teeth.
He smokes.
Cats drink milk.

Grammar books for non-native speakers tell you that “Present Tense is used for habitual actions”, as in the sentences above.

Or, “for permanent situations”, as in
My parents live in London
I go to London every weekend.
Water boils at 100° C.

Or, “for plans and schedules”
My train leaves at 10 a.m. next Friday.
The President addresses Congress today… He flies to Texas on Thursday to attend his daughter’s wedding.

etc. etc.

There is a basic reason why the Present Tense can, and is, used in these seemingly different ways. If you look at each of the sentences above, you will see that each is simply conveying a piece of information – that is, a FACT; and it is a fact that the speaker asserts is TRUE.
Note that the fact may not necessarily be true as far as anyone else is concerned - only that the speaker regards it as true. Hence, a speaker might assert:

"Tokyo is the capital of Korea." (The speaker has a poor knowledge of geography!)
Although this is objectively false, the speaker asserts this as a fact that is true.

…or I say to some people:
"John is a fool." (though other people might think John isn’t a fool, but that I am!)

How many criminals, convicted of their crime, assert: “I am innocent!”

Note: the truth of a statement can also be expressed in the negative form:
He is an honest man.
compare
He is not an honest man.

So –
2. Present Tense verbs convey a FACT that the speaker asserts is TRUE

Logically, this leads to a very surprising conclusion: a Present Tense verb is NOT an action.

Look at that sentence above, "I brush my teeth."
This is not performing the action. I am telling people that I practice oral hygiene.

The Present Tense may not be referring to any event ‘in the present’ at all, but could instead refer to an event that, by the clock/calendar, is in the future:

“My train leaves from Paddington at 10 a.m. next Friday.”

Our lives would grind into chaos if timetables couldn't be relied on. We regard them as true, the times as definite.
Any consideration of changes between Winter Timetable and Summer Timetable is not relevant. ALL THAT THE TWO PARTIES (speaker and listener) are interested in at that moment is what is TRUE now.)

In the sentence earlier about the President, the President's addressing of Congress is not some whim of the moment, nor is attending his daughter’s wedding. Such events have been planned months before and announced in advance. Hence, the moment the news is out that the President is to do something on such and such a day, then citizens regard this as a fact that can be relied on – a fact that is true.

Note: another use of the Present Tense is when we comment on or describe an action taking place.
A radio sports commentator at a cricket match might say:
“Bernard bowls to Ritchie…Ritchie hits the ball…”
The commentator is describing the action he sees taking place, conveying information, facts.


Next time, I’ll cover Past Tense verbs, and compare Present Tense and Past Tense verbs.
If anyone has a question about what I've written above, please post.