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Present Simple and Present Continuous

Average: 5 (6 votes)
Sun, 06/22/2008 - 00:01 — Chris McCarthy

I surf

'I surf / I am surfing.'

What's the difference between the Present Simple / Present Continuous and how to use them.

 

We use the present simple tense when we want to talk about fixed habits or routines – things that don’t change.

 

We use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening at the present moment, but will soon finish.


Compare these two statements.

 

  • (present simple) I play tennis.
  • (present continuous/ progressive) I am playing tennis.

 

 

(present simple) ‘I play tennis’ tells us that playing tennis is something the speaker always does. It is part of a routine or habit. We can call this a permanent situation.

 

(present continuous/ progressive) ‘I am playing tennis’ tells us that the speaker is playing tennis right now. Soon the game will be over. We call this a temporary situation.

 


 

With the present simple we use:

 

I play tennis

You play tennis

We play tennis

They play tennis

He/she/ it plays tennis.     

 

With the present continuous we use:

 

I am playing tennis

You are playing tennis

We are playing tennis

He/she/it is playing tennis

 

 

Frequency Adverbs we use with the Present Simple

 

With the present simple we use these frequency adverbs:

(Notice that the adverb comes before the main verb in the sentence.)


Always:            ‘I always read before I go to bed.’

Often:               ‘Her sister often comes shopping with us.’

Frequently:      ‘Michael frequently visits his family.’

Sometimes:      ‘You sometimes go to the gym, don’t you?’

Occasionally:    ‘It occasionally rains in summer.’

Seldom:            ‘They seldom ask for help.’

Rarely:             ‘He rarely goes out without his backpack.’

Hardly ever:    ‘I hardly ever eat pizza.’

Never:              ‘Japanese people never wear shoes inside.’


Time Expressions we use with the Present Continuous

 

With the present continuous we use these time expressions:

(Notice that the time expression can come at the start or at the end of the sentence.)


At the moment: ‘I’m watching TV, at the moment.’

These days: ‘Paul’s living in Cardiff, these days.’

Now: ‘What are you doing, now?’

Nowadays: ‘I think you are smoking too much, nowadays.’

 

 

Complete these sentences below using either the present simple or present continuous.

  • (Play) I golf every weekend.
  • (Play) The children outside at the moment.
  • (Work) Haruka today.
  • (Work) You can’t borrow my lawnmower because it doesn’t
  • (Make) Smells good! What are you ?
  • (Make) My husband never me breakfast.
  • (Live) Pauline is in Hong Kong.
  • (Live)Do you still with your parents?


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Comments

Fri, 02/06/2009 - 14:40 — rezaiguia

i do it goodly

the lesson passed good
i am very happy because ia passed it goodly

Mon, 02/09/2009 - 18:47 — amalbandi

hi friends

easy lesson but useful

Fri, 03/06/2009 - 22:20 — emymolux

hello

the lesson is very easy

Mon, 03/09/2009 - 13:47 — k.cute

great

love it, both tenses are my fav.

im doing it well Wink

each day is a new beginning, so, never give up y..

Thu, 03/19/2009 - 06:19 — sumannegi

superb

although the lession is very easy yet it is the best way to correct our grammer

Tue, 03/24/2009 - 12:10 — nakulkothari

hey it'sgood

did it well......all right

Wed, 03/25/2009 - 06:29 — boupha

very nice

:\ i can easily answer

Mon, 03/30/2009 - 20:08 — ahmed34

thank u so much for these

thank u so much for these informations.

Fri, 04/03/2009 - 07:57 — edz

FREDA

WHAT A LOVELY GIRL YOU ARE.

Thu, 04/16/2009 - 19:35 — Yura

Nice Lesson.I like the

Nice Lesson.I like the expressions best of all. It is rather difficult to find this information.

Sat, 04/25/2009 - 15:53 — jennifer nhu nguyen

so easy

so easy

Thu, 06/04/2009 - 23:31 — Barashada

tenses

I liked the simple way that you have had explained the difference between the simple pesent tense and the present comtinuous tense.

Fri, 08/21/2009 - 14:40 — Natalysmart

Please, explain

Nataly

I didn't do any mistakes and it wasn't difficult but "Pauline is living in Hong Kong"- is it fact or she is living at the moment? Why Present Continious? Please, explain

Fri, 08/21/2009 - 14:54 — Chris McCarthy

Re: Living in Hong Kong

The Present Cont. shows that something is happening at the moment and will probably end in the future. Basically, it is used for a temporary situation. 'She lives in Hong Kong' is the simple present; it shows fixed or permanent situations - situations that will not change.

Thanks,

Chris

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 16:05 — Natalysmart

Nataly Thank you, Chris, I

Nataly

Thank you, Chris, I understood

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 16:08 — Nelly Guato

grammar

thanks it's very easy to understand the differences between these tenses.

Thu, 08/27/2009 - 01:19 — Felix Ukam Ngwu

Free Lessons

I think this is a good practice. I pray I should continue to have time to study my lessons. You have done well for me to make your lessons free.Now I know the value of paying for my internet subscription for N10,000 monthly.

Thu, 08/27/2009 - 09:16 — Natsy

Wrong

Please explain me why "(Work) You can’t borrow my lawnmower because it doesn’t work.is Wrong!Thanks.

Thu, 08/27/2009 - 10:02 — Chris McCarthy

Re: work

Hi,

'work' is the correct answer. Click 'check answers' to see all.

Thanks,

Chris

Wed, 09/30/2009 - 08:29 — ynastia

Nice review

Nice review. Thank you.

Sat, 10/24/2009 - 00:14 — geofatma

THAT'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

Applause Applause Applause