PRESENT SIMPLE OR PRESENT

CONTINUOUS?
Grammar » A1 Grammar lessons and exercises » Present
simple or present continuous? » Page 2

Exercises Explanation Downloads

Exercises: 1 2 3

Present simple or present

continuous?

Exercise 2

Complete the following sentences choosing

the correct present simple or present
continuous forms.

You have completed this test.

Correct answers: 9/10.

Your score is 90%.

Check your answers:

1 You can take the newspaper. I _____ it.

a. 'm not reading

b. don't read
c. 'm not read

➪ We use the present continuous for

things happening now, at the moment of
speaking. (You can take the newspaper
because I'm not reading the newspaper
now.)
➪ *Am not read is not a verb tense. We
form the present continuous
with am/is/are + the -ing form of the
verb.

2 I _____ to work by car, but today I'm

going by bus.

a. usually go

b. 'm usually going

c. usually going

➪ We use adverbs and expressions of

frequency (always, usually, often, etc.)
with the present simple.
➪ Going is not a verb tense. The present
simple is I go and the present continuous
is I am going.

3 'Where is John?' 'He _____ a shower.'

a. has
b. having

c. 's having

➪ We use the present continuous for

things happening now, at the moment of
speaking. He is having a shower now,
while I am speaking.
➪ Talking is not a verb tense. We form
the present continuous with am/is/are +
the -ing form of the verb.

4 I _____ exercise very often.

a. 'm not doing

b. don't do

c. 'm not do

➪ We use adverbs and expressions of

frequency (always, usually, often, etc.)
with the present simple.
➪ *'m not do is not a verb tense. The
present simple is don't do and the
present continuous is 'm not doing.

5 Can you hear that? Our neighbours

_____.

a. argue
b. arguing

c. are arguing

➪ We use the present continuous for

things happening now, at the moment of
speaking (Our neighbours are arguing
now).
➪ Arguing is not a verb tense. We form
the present continuous with am/is/are +
the -ing form of the verb.

6 Our neighbours _____ almost every day.

a. argue

b. do argue
c. are arguing

➪ We use adverbs and expressions of

frequency (always, usually, often, every
day, etc.) with the present simple.
➪ *Do argue is incorrect, because we do
not use do before the main verb in the
present simple a"rmative.

7 What time _____ work on Fridays?

a. is she start

b. does she start

c. is she starting

➪ On Fridays = every Friday. We use

present simple for habits or actions that
we repeat regularly.
➪ *Is she start is not a verb tense. Present
simple: *does she start; present
continuous: *is she starting

8 I'm hungry. I _____ to eat something.

a. 'm wanting
b. 'm want

c. want

➪ We use the present simple because

want is a non-action verb. There are
verbs that don’t describe actions. These
verbs are called stative or non-
action verbs, and we can use these verbs
in present simple but NOT in present
continuous. Some of these verbs
are: be, have (meaning 'possess' or
'own'), like, love, hate, prefer, need,
want, know, etc.
➪ *Am want is not a verb tense. The
present simple a"rmative is only one
word, and we form the present
continuous with am/is/are + the -
ing form of the verb.

9 'Where is Jane?' 'In the living room.

She___________ a movie.'

a. 's watching

b. watching
c. watches

➪ We use the present continuous for

things happening now, at the moment of
speaking. (She is watching a movie now.)
➪ Watching is not a verb tense. We form
the present continuous with am/is/are +
the -ing form of the verb.

10 I _____________ TV when I'm having

dinner.

a. 'm never watching

b. never watch

c. 'm never watch

➪ We use adverbs and expressions of

frequency (always, usually, often, etc.)
with the present simple.
➪ *Am watch is not a verb tense. Present
simple: watch; present continuous: am
watching.

Exercises: 1 2 3

Related tests:

Present continuous – I’m doing, I’m

not doing, Are you doing?

Present simple vs present

continuous

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