Present vs Present

• Present (current, happening now) – Adjective

• Present (to give or show) – Verb

Pronunciation

These words are heteronyms, meaning they are spelled the same but pronounced differently and have different meanings.

• Present (Adjective): Pronounced /ˈprezənt/ (PREH-zent) — Current.

• Present (Verb): Pronounced /prɪˈzɛnt/ (pri-ZENT) — To give.

Listen to the audio. Notice how the pronunciation changes based on the meaning.

What makes them different is your intonation, expression, and context, or the other words in the sentence.

Instruction

Read each sentence aloud and practice identifying the meaning of "present" in context.
Can you tell which “present” is being mentioned as you read each sentence?

Example Sentences

1. All students must be present at the assembly.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

2. She will present her project to the committee.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

3. The teacher asked if everyone was present in the classroom.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

4. The CEO will present the new business strategy tomorrow.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

5. He was not present at the meeting yesterday.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

6. They will present awards to the winners at the ceremony.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

7. Is the manager present to approve this decision?
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

8. She was excited to present her findings at the conference.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

9. I was not present during the argument.
   a. Current, happening now
   b. To give or show

10. He will present the gift to her at the party.
    a. Current, happening now
    b. To give or show

Answers

1. a

2. b

3. a

4. b

5. a

6. b

7. a

8. b

9. a

10. b

Intonation

Instructions: Intonation is controlling the rise and fall of your voice. When we do this with words and phrases, we send the listener a specific message.

Present (current, happening now)

1. She was present for the entire workshop. (Stress present to confirm attendance.)

2. Is everyone present and accounted for? (Highlight present to focus on being there.)

3. The manager is present to oversee the work. (Emphasize present to show presence.)

Present (to give or show)

1. He will present his idea during the meeting. (Stress present to focus on the action.)

2. She prepared to present her report to the audience. (Highlight present to show readiness.)

3. They will present awards to the winners. (Emphasize present to mark the act of giving.)

Expression

The following explains how stressing or emphasizing the bolded words alters the tone or focus of the sentence and offers some helpful tips. Practice stressing these words when speaking.

Present (current, happening now):

1. Present at the meeting: Confirms someone’s attendance.

   • Tip: Highlight present to emphasize attendance.

   • Sentence: He was present at the meeting and took notes.

2. Present in class: Refers to being physically or mentally there.

   • Tip: Stress present to show importance.

   • Sentence: Are all the students present in class today?

3. Not present: Indicates someone’s absence.

   • Tip: Highlight not to emphasize unavailability.

   • Sentence: She was not present during the discussion.

Present (to give or show):

1. Present the idea: Focuses on sharing an idea.

   • Tip: Highlight present to stress the act of sharing.

   • Sentence: He will present the idea to the board members.

2. Present the award: Refers to formally giving recognition.

   • Tip: Stress award to emphasize the importance of the event.

   • Sentence: She will present the award to the best performer.

3. Present a gift: Suggests giving a gift ceremonially.

   • Tip: Highlight gift to show thoughtfulness.

   • Sentence: They will present a gift to their teacher on the last day.

Things to Remember:

The word "present" is used in different contexts:

• Present (current, happening now): Often paired with phrases like "present at the meeting," "present in class," or "not present."

  • Example: Is the teacher present in the classroom?

• Present (to give or show): Commonly used with "present the idea," "present the award," or "present a gift."

  • Example: She will present the award during the ceremony.