Present Simple vs Present Continuous
One more important point of grammar. The forms are easy - but learners often confuse them when they talk.
Present Simple
|
for routines, facts, habits:
I get up at six every morning. |
Present Continuous
|
for things happening at the moment of speaking:
I'm writing a report for my superior. for temporary situations I'm watering my neighbor's plants while he's away. |
Forms of the present simple
I speak
you speak he / she / it speaks we speak they speak |
Forms of the present continuous
I am speaking
you are speaking he / she / it is speaking we are speaking they are speaking |
a) I work at a garage.
this is my job - I do this every day. |
b) I'm watering the plants.
1) at this moment 2) temporarily - as long as my neighbor is on vacation |
If you compare these two sentences, you can see why it's important to use the two tenses correctly:
I work for language point. This is my job - I do this every day.
I'm working for language point. This is a temporary thing only!
So be careful what you tell people! ;-)
What would life be without EXCEPTIONS ?
No ing-form here:
No ing-form here:
- state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
- possession: belong, have
- senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
- feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
- brain work: believe, know, think, understand
- Introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
Structure of the simple present: where goes the adverb of frequency ?
before the VERB:
Eric usually goes for a walk in his lunch break. Kim never eats late in the evening. I sometimes go to the movies. |
but after BE:
I'm sometimes angry about myself. My father is rarely in a bad mood. Jill and Dwayne are often in the gym after work. |
What would life be without EXCEPTIONS ?
The adverbs often, usually, sometimes and occasionally can go at the beginning of a sentence.
Sometimes I go swimming.
Often we surf the internet.
Sometimes these adverbs are put at the end of the sentence.
We read books occasionally.
The adverbs often, usually, sometimes and occasionally can go at the beginning of a sentence.
Sometimes I go swimming.
Often we surf the internet.
Sometimes these adverbs are put at the end of the sentence.
We read books occasionally.
::: Adverbs of frequency -Sentence puzzle - let's go! :::
:: Present Simple / Present Continuous Race :::
::: see the same page with German translations