Present simple and

present continuous

PRESENT SIMPLE
General

truths and facts

To refer to a general or a permanent state of affairs, or facts which are

considered true at the present time:
My daughter lives in Berlin. (My daughter is living in Belgrade.)
Shes Swedish. She comes from Stockholm. (He is coming from Edinburgh.)
I just love documentary films.
To convey general truths and permanent facts about the world:
2 plus 2 makes 4.
The river Danube runs through many European countries.
A work of art or artist:
Jane Austen allows us to see within the minds not only of her heroines, but
of many other characters as well.
Plot summaries, book blurbs, reviews of novels, films, plays, etc:
One morning, Rebecca wakes up and realises she has turned into a wrong
person.

PRESENT SIMPLE
Regular

or habitual events

We always have breakfast at 9

I get up before 10 a.m. every

morning.

a.m.

PRESENT SIMPLE
Immediate

reactions:
To talk about feelings and reactions
experienced at the moment of
speaking:
That looks too risky.
It tastes very bitter.
It can also be used to describe
immediate perceptions and feelings:
Ow, it hurts!
Quick! Open the window! I feel sick.

PRESENT SIMPLE
Immediate

communication

In commentaries on sports events, and on public

ceremonies:

Schweinsteiger to Ozil He plays it through

And he scores!
In demonstrations and instructions:
You out the washer on first, then the metal ring
and then you tighten the screw.

PRESENT SIMPLE
Mental

process verbs ( verbs of

perception)

I hear you went to see a football match. (Im

hearing you went to see a football match.)
I see what you mean.
I think he has lost a bit of weight actually.
*Im thinking of moving to Porto. (-consider,
incline towards an opinion think)

*Shes seeing some guy from her class. (- have a

romantic relationship with see)
*Im sorry, hes busy. Hes seeing a client at the
moment. (-meet with see)

PRESENT SIMPLE
Speech

act verbs

Verbs of promising, denying, apologizing, demanding, etc:

I wont forget this time, I promise. (I wont forget this
time, Im promising.)
I swear I saw tears in his eyes. (Im swearing I saw tears
in his eyes.)
I agree with you.
I name this ship Beatrice II.
In formal, business and legal communication:
I write to inform you that you have been successful in
your application to join the service.

PRESENT SIMPLE
FORM
Rules

about adding s:

After verbs ending in o, -ch, -sh, -s add es

After a consonant y becomes ie, but not after a

vowel:
Worry- worries
Play plays

PRESENT SIMPLE
Always,

every day/month often,

normally, usually, sometimes,
seldom, never, first, then

Be,

have, hear, love, know, like, see,

smell, think, want, believe, hope,
belong, mean, seem, understand,
wish, taste

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Events

in progress at the time of

speaking

To refer to events which are happening at the moment of

speaking:
Well, err, Im looking across the road now and all I can see
is a chemist shop.
Vs. I look at catalogues. I always read catalogues in train.
To refer to things which are taking place or which are true
around the moment of speaking, though they might be
only temporary:
They are travelling through Italy right now.
Shes having a bad time now.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Repeated

events in temporary

context

To describe regular actions in relation to a

particular time or a specified event, especially
where those events interrupt things already in
progress:
Im always having a shower when the newspaper
comes.
He never answers the phone when hes working
on his computer.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Processes

of change

Hes been in hospital for three weeks but

is improving steadily.
Theyre building a by-pass. It will be good
for the town, but its taking ages to finish.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

With adverbs of frequency (always, constantly,

continually, forever) to describe something that
annoys you:

Im always losing my car keys. I really must get one of those

massive key rings.
Shes constantly getting into trouble.

BE- refers to a current action or behavior:

I think he is being awfully tolerant here.

Stop it! Youre being silly!

At the moment, at this moment, right now, now,

currently, etc.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
FORM:
Rules

about adding ing:

-Silent e is dropped:

make making
take taking
*agree- agreeing

After a short stressed vowel, the final consonant is

doubled:

cut cutting
put putting
begin beginning
commit committing
*travel travelling traveling

the final ie becomes y:

Die dying
Tie tying
Lie lying

REVISION
Present

simple facts that are always

true, habits, states:

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

British people drink a lot of tea.
I dont like horror films.

Present

continuous actions that are in

progress at the moment, and which may
be temporary:

I m staying in a hotel until I find a flat.

The dog is sleeping on our bed!
Im learning to drive.

Underline the correct word or phrase in each

sentence.
a) I havent decided yet about whether to buy a new car or a second-hand
one. But I think about it./Im thinking about it.
b) All right, you try to fix the television! But I hope / Im hoping you know what
you are doing.
c) Every year I visit / Im visiting Britain to improve my English.
d) Its time we turned on the central heating. It gets / Its getting colder every
day.
e) Of course, youre Mary, arent you! I recognize/ I am recognizing you now.
f) The film of War and Peace is very long. It lasts / Its lasting over four hours.

g) I can see from what you say that your mornings

are very busy! But what do you do/ are you doing
in the afternoons?
h) Im going to buy a new swimming costume. My
old one doesnt fit / isnt fitting any more.
i) That must be the end of the first part of the
performance. What happens / is happening now?
j) Whats the matter? Why do you look/ are you
looking at me like that?

References:
Cambridge

Advanced

Vince

Grammar of English

English Practice, Michael

 Thank you!