3rd year – NES Miss Vane

PRESENT SIMPLE VS
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Present Simple vs. Present Continuous
Present Simple Present Continous
S + V/V-s/es
Form S + am/is/are S + am/is/are + V-ing
S + modal verbs + V-inf
 Things that are always true
(nature or scientific facts)
 actions in progress
 Habits/routine
Uses  Temporary situations
 Permanent situations or
 Arrangements in near future
states
 Timetables (future)
Spelling notes lives, studies, watches living, studying, setting

 adverbs of frequency (always,

usually, sometimes, etc.)
at the moment, currently, at
 every + …
Signals present, now, meanwhile, on
 once a week, twice a month,
Monday, etc.
etc.
 on Mondays, etc.
Verbs Action and non-action verbs only action verbs
Action verbs vs. Non-actions verbs/stative verbs
Action verbs Non-action verbs
Verbs describe Verbs describe states
Description
actions or feelings
agree, be, believe,
act, bite, cut, dig, do,
belong, depend,
eat, fill, fall, go, hunt,
forget, hate, hear,
improve, jog, keep,
know, like, love,
Example listen, meet, notice,
matter, mean, need,
open, prepare, run,
prefer, realize,
sing, teach, use,
recognize, seem,
view, etc.
suppose, etc.
SIMPLE tenses only,
Tenses All tenses NOT CONTINUOUS
tenses
 Some verbs have an action and non-
action/stative meaning.
Example:
HAVE:
– I have a big flat. (=possession)
 Non-action/stative verbs
– I’m having lunch. (=eating)
 Action