Question

Identify the tense used in the following sentence:
They are working on the project together.
A) Simple Present
B) Present Continuous
C) Simple Past
D) Past Continuous

Answer 1

Hint:
i) This can be used in both the indicative and the subjunctive moods.
ii) Approximately 5% of verbs that come under spoken English are in this form.
iii) This form of tension is used to describe something that happens at the exact moment of speech.

Complete answer:
Verbs come in three phases: past, present and future. The past is used to describe things that have happened before (e.g., earlier in the day, yesterday, last week, 3 years ago). The present tense is used to describe things that are going on right now/things that are continuous. The future tense describes things that have not yet happened (e.g., later, tomorrow, next week, next year, 3 years from now).

In the present continuous tense, the auxiliary verb (be) is conjugated in the Present Simple: am, are, is, etc. The main verb is invariable in the present form of the participle:-ing. For negative sentences, we do not insert between the auxiliary verb and the main verb. In the case of question sentences, we exchange the subject and the auxiliary verb.

Following are the given alternatives:
The present continuous form of the verb "work" is "are working" this form is used in the sentence, so we know that the sentence is presently continuous.
A) Option A is incorrect, because the sentence is not simply present. The simple present form of the verb "work" remains the same, so the sentence in simple present would start as "They work..."
B) "Are working" means that the action is taking place while the speaker says the action. That is why Option B is correct.
C) Option C is incorrect, the simple previous form of 'work' is 'worked,' and the sentence does not contain this form.
D) Option D is not correct, the past continuous form of 'work' is ' were working', whereas the phrase contains the present continuous form 'are working'.

Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.


Note:
Some instances where continuous tension is present are used as follows:
A) To describe the action that is taking place right now, but not at the exact moment of speech.
i) He works in Dubai.

B) To describe an event planned for the future
i) I'm going to take my French exam on Tuesday.

C) With always but often meaning (used to emphasize the frequency of an action in a humorous or hyperbolic way).
i) My mother always makes me go to school!
ii) She's always playing with a doll.
iii) He always eats chocolate.