Hello! Welcome to your first lesson in the A2 Grammar Foundations module.
Today, we will focus on a fundamental grammar point that is essential for your work in the engine room: using the present simple tense. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use this tense correctly to describe two key things:
- Equipment functions: What a piece of machinery does.
- Engine routines: The regular tasks you and your colleagues perform.
This is the foundation for almost all technical communication, from reading manuals and writing logbook entries to explaining your work to a supervisor. Let's get started.
1. Describing Equipment Functions
In an engine room, you are surrounded by complex machinery. A critical skill is being able to state simply and clearly what each piece of equipment does. For this, we use the present simple tense.
Let's look at this image which shows some essential engine room equipment. Pay close attention to the verbs used in the descriptions.
As you can see, the descriptions state facts or general truths about the machinery.
- The Main Engine converts fuel energy to mechanical energy.
- The Purifier removes impurities from oil.
- The Air Compressor produces high-pressure air.
The key grammar rule here is for the third-person singular. When the subject is a single thing (like the engine, a pump, it), we add -s or -es to the verb.
To see more examples of how to describe the function of specific engine parts, watch the following short video. You don't need to memorize every part, just listen for how the narrator describes what each component does.
Marine Engine Parts and Functions #marine #engineparts #shipengine
This video, from the Marine Insight channel, describes the main parts of a large marine engine. As you watch, notice the verbs used to explain the purpose of each component.
Watch the section from 01:20 to 03:51. Listen for sentences that describe what parts like the 'A frame', 'turbocharger', and 'cylinder head' do.
From the video, you heard descriptions like:
- The A-frame carries the crosshead guides and supports the engine entablature.
- The cylinder head acts as a lid and supports the exhaust valve.
- The exhaust valve helps to draw out the exhaust gases.
All these sentences use the present simple to state the function of a part.
For a detailed look at different ways to explain what something does, the following resource is very helpful.
The textbook 'ENGLISH FOR MARITIME I' explains how to talk about the function of things. It shows a few different sentence structures, but we will focus on the most direct one.
Please read the section titled 'Function of things' (you can find it in Chapter 7, it starts on page 47). Pay special attention to the structure described in part 'e', for example: 'a crane lifts heavy objects'. This is the most common and direct way to state a function.
2. Describing Routines
The present simple tense is also perfect for talking about routines and repeated actions—the jobs you do every day or every week. Your role as an Engine Rating will involve many routines, such as inspections, cleaning, and taking readings.
To see what these routines look like, let's watch a clip from a video showing a day in the life of a marine engineer.
Day in the Life of a Mega-ship Marine Engineer
In this clip from 'Day in the Life of a Mega-ship Marine Engineer' by JeffHK, you'll see the engineer conducting his morning rounds. This is a perfect example of a daily routine.
Watch the section from 04:55 to 06:59. Observe the different tasks the engineer performs as part of his routine checks. After watching, think about how you would describe these actions as simple sentences.
After watching, you can describe his routine like this:
- He goes for his morning rounds.
- He takes the readings of all machinery gauges.
- He writes the readings on a piece of paper.
- He checks for any leaks or anything abnormal.
- The main engine runs 24/7, so it is vital to keep it well-maintained.
Notice again the use of the -s ending for verbs with a singular subject (he, the engine).
Test your understanding!
Based on the video clip, what is another routine task the engineer performs? Describe it in one sentence using the present simple.
Show answer
He checks the steering gear. or He puts new oil onto the shaft.
Now, let's dive into the grammar rules more formally.
3. Present Simple: Rules and Practice
The resource we looked at earlier, ENGLISH FOR MARITIME I, has an excellent section that breaks down the grammar for describing everyday work.
This reading will give you a clear explanation of how to form the present simple for different subjects and how to pronounce the '-s' endings.
Please read 'Unit 2 Talking About Everyday Work' (starts on page 10). Focus on the verb forms ('I wash' vs. 'He washes') and the pronunciation rules for the '-s' ending. This will help your speaking sound more natural.
Key Grammar Points Summary
Form:
- I / You / We / They:
Subject + base verb- I check the pressure.
- We clean the filters.
- He / She / It / A singular noun:
Subject + base verb + -s/-es- He checks the pressure.
- The pump moves the fluid.
- The Second Engineer delegates jobs.
Negative Form:
do not (don't)ordoes not (doesn't)+base verb- We don't use this pump for fuel oil.
- The engine doesn't sound normal.
Question Form:
Do / Does+subject+base verb- Do you clean the filters every day?
- Does this valve control the flow?
Adverbs of Frequency
To specify how often a routine happens, we use adverbs of frequency. These are very common with the present simple.
every hour,every day,once a week,once a yearalways,usually,often,sometimes,never
Example:
- The duty engineer always checks the logbook.
- We change the oil filters once every two weeks.
Test your understanding!
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses. These sentences describe functions and routines from the resources we've used.
- The crankshaft _______ (transmit) power to the propeller shaft.
- The engineers _______ (have) a toolbox meeting every morning.
- The lube oil purifier _______ (remove) dirt from the lubricating oil.
- The Fourth Engineer _______ (be) responsible for auxiliary machinery.
- A fitter _______ (not / usually / operate) the main engine.
Show answer
- The crankshaft transmits power to the propeller shaft.
- The engineers have a toolbox meeting every morning.
- The lube oil purifier removes dirt from the lubricating oil.
- The Fourth Engineer is responsible for auxiliary machinery.
- A fitter does not usually operate the main engine.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have covered the two primary uses of the present simple tense in a maritime technical context:
- Describing Functions: Stating what a piece of equipment does as a general truth (e.g., "The cooler lowers the temperature of the air.").
- Describing Routines: Talking about repeated actions and regular duties (e.g., "I check the gauges every four hours.").
The most important rule to remember is adding -s or -es to the verb when the subject is a third-person singular (he, she, it, the engine, a pump). Mastering this will make your technical descriptions clear, professional, and accurate.
Preview of the next lesson:
We briefly touched on how to form 'yes/no' questions today. In our next lesson, we will build on this by learning how to use question words like What, Where, How, and Why. This will enable you to ask for specific information about machinery, locations, and procedures in the engine room.