Present simple and Present continuous

Present simple and Present continuous

Present simple Structure Use General facts Regular or repeated actions Planned, timetabled future events Non-continuous (stative) verbs Narration If and time clauses

Present simple Structure Statement Question Negative I work Do I work? I don t work You work Do you work? You don t work He/she/it works Does he/she/it work? He/she/it doesn t work We work Do we work? We don t work They work Do they work? They don t work

Present simple is used for General facts Simple statements, opinions and situations considered to be more or less permanent: Water boils at 100 C. It s hot at the equator. I don t like the rain. She lives in Germany

Present simple is used for Regular or repeated actions Events and habits; often used with adverbs of frequency: I go to work by car. He always gets up at 5.30am. We usually go to the pub on Fridays. They don t often visit.

Present simple is used for Planned, timetabled future events Planned or future events that are timetabled, and usually out of our control: The train leaves at 16:36. Hurry! The play starts in 10 minutes. What time does the class finish? The shop doesn t open on Sundays.

Present simple is used for Non-continuous (stative) verbs Many verbs of thinking, feeling and sensing are used in the simple form. For example: like, want, need, prefer, know, or seem: I love listening to classical music. She needs to study harder. They seem very friendly.

Present simple is used for Narration Anecdotes, jokes, summaries of books and films: A man walks into a bar In his latest film, George Clooney plays a man who At the end of the film, she dies.

Present simple is used for If and time clauses If clauses and time clauses: If it rains tomorrow, I ll stay at home. When you heat water to 100 degrees, it You can t leave until your mother gets boils. home.

Present continuous Structure Use Present actions Continuing actions Future events Trends New or temporary habits Annoying habits Non-continuous (stative) verbs

Present continuous Structure Statement Question Negative I am working Am I working? I m not working You are working Are you working? You aren t working He/she/it is working Is he/she/it working? He/she/it isn t working We are working Are we working? We aren t working They are working Are they working? They aren t working

Present continuous is used for Present actions Actions that are taking place at the moment of speaking: He s talking to his sister in Canada. The children are sleeping. They re watching the TV.

Present continuous is used for Continuing actions Actions that have begun and are unfinished at the time of speaking (but not necessarily taking place now): I m reading a really good book at the moment. He s studying to be a doctor. She s working as a waitress to pay for her student loan.

Present continuous is used for Future events Events that have already been arranged but are yet to happen: We re going to Hawaii in the summer! I m meeting my sister tomorrow. She s not coming home for Christmas.

Present continuous is used for Trends Changing and developing situations, even if these are very long-lasting: My daughter is getting bigger every day. The climate is getting warmer. Our population is expanding.

Present continuous is used for New or temporary habits Habits that are temporary or new: He's eating a lot these days. You're smoking too much. (For normal habits that continue for a long time, we use the present simple)

Present continuous is used for Annoying habits When we want to show that something happens too often and we don't like it we use words such as always, constantly and forever : You re always losing your keys! It s constantly raining in this country! His car is forever breaking down!

Present continuous is used for Non-continuous (stative) verbs Many verbs of thinking, feeling and sensing are used in the simple form not the continuous. For example: like, want, need, prefer, know, seem, etc. She needs to study harder. (not: she is needing ) They seem very friendly. (not: They are seeming )

Present continuous is used for Non-continuous (stative) verbs Some verbs, however, can be used in the continuous form and the simple form, depending on their meaning. Compare: I think she s great I m thinking about my next holiday He s stupid! He s being stupid!

Present continuous is used for Non-continuous (stative) verbs Extra! Although like and love are stative verbs, liking and loving are increasingly being used colloquially to emphasise approval of something particular at that moment: I m liking your new look! I m loving it!

Present simple or present continuous?

Test your knowledge Use the correct form of the verb (shown in brackets) 1. This is the best conference I ve ever been to. I (have) a wonderful time. 2. What are you doing? I m getting my umbrella. It (look) as if it s going to rain. 3. What are you doing? I (look) at Harry s report. 4. What time is the meeting? I (see) him at 3 o clock. 5. I do understand. I (see) what you are trying to do.

Test your knowledge Use the correct form of the verb (shown in brackets) 6. Susan Kay? I (believe) we have already met. 7. I don t think he s so bad. In fact, I (like, quite) him. 8. I m not sure about it. What (think)? 9. I don t really understand what you (want) me to do. 10. I (think) you are making a big mistake.

Test your knowledge Use the correct form of the verb (shown in brackets) 11. I hate Manchester because it (rain, always). 12. They (usually/go) to the mountains, but this summer they (go) to the beach. 13. Don't go. John still (need) to talk to you. 14. I (believe/negative) a word he says! He (tell, always) lies! 15. Laura (live) with some friends until she (find) her own apartment.

How did you do?

Answers 1. This is the best conference I ve ever been to. I m having a wonderful time. (present action) 2. What are you doing? I m getting my umbrella. It looks as if it s going to rain. (used as non-continuous verb. Alternative: I think it s going to rain) 3. What are you doing? I m looking at Harry s report. (present action) 4. What time is the meeting? I m seeing him at 3 o clock. (pre-arranged future event) 5. I do understand. I see what you are trying to do. (used as non-continuous verb. Alternative: I understand )

Answers 6. Susan Kay? I believe we have already met. (non-continuous verb. NOT: I am believing ) 7. I don t think he s so bad. In fact, I quite like him. (statement, opinion) 8. I m not sure about it. What do you think? (question, opinion) 9. I don t really understand what you want me to do. (non-continuous verb, indirect question) 10. I think you are making a big mistake. (statement, opinion)

Answers 11. I hate Manchester because it s always raining. (annoying habit: always ing) 12. They usually go to the mountains, but this summer they re going to the beach. (regular/repeated action) +(pre-arranged future event) 13. Don't go. John still needs to talk to you. (non-continuous verb. NOT: John is still needing ) 14. I don t believe a word he says! He s always telling lies! (non-continuous verb) + (annoying habit: always ing) 15. Laura is living with some friends until she finds her own apartment. (continuing action) + (time clause: until + present simple)