Get to know about present tense : definition, structure, rules chart & pdf, examples , quizzes, sample exercises, etc. Present Tenses Definition, Rules, Structure, Usages, Example Sentences . The present tense is a verb tense used to express an action or a state of being that is occurring in the present. It is often used to describe habits, routines, general truths, or states that are consistently true. Learn how to use the present tense in English grammar with four types: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. See definitions, rules, structures, and examples for each type, as well as negative and interrogative sentences.