Present Simple and Present Continuous
Present Simple and Present Continuous
Present Simple and Present Continuous
PRESENT SIMPLE
USES
1: First, we use the Present Simple when something is generally true:
2: Secondly, we need to use this tense for a situation that we think is more or less
permanent:
3: The next use is for habits or things that we do regularly. We often use adverbs of
frequency in this case
FORMS
-The affirmative is really easy. It's just the verb with an extra 's' if the subject is 'he',
'she', or 'it'.
-For the negative form, you need to use 'do not' (don't) or ' does not' (doesn't)
-To form a 'wh' question, you just add the question word at the front:
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
USES
1: First, we use it for things that are happening at the moment of speaking.
2: We can also use this tense for temporary situations, when we feel something won't
continue for a long time.
FORMS
The present continuous (sometimes called the present progressive) tense in English is really
easy to make and is the same for all verbs. We make it using the present simple of 'be' +
verb-ing:
-The affirmative
- Questions
DIFFERENCES
Form
I speak I am speaking
you speak you are speaking
he / she / it speaks he / she / it is speaking
we speak we are speaking
they speak they are speaking
Exceptions
Final ie becomes y.
Example: lie – lying
Colin plays football every Tuesday. Look! Colin is playing football now.
present actions happening one after also for several actions happening at the same
another time
First Colin plays football, then he watches Colin is playing football and Anne is watching.
TV.
Signal words
Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present:
be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want