Present Simple v

Present Continuous
English Grammar
 • Theory

• Present Simple v Continuous

Agenda • Speaking exercise

• Follow up writing task

 Present Simple

Example sentence?
I play football every day
I learn English every Tuesday
I play tennis on Saturdays
My sister goes to school during the week.
 Present Simple

When do we use this?

Regular action

I go to work every day

I learn English every Thursday
I play football every week
 Present Simple

Fact

Water boils at 100 degrees - NOT is boiling

The moon goes round the earth NOT is going
My children go to school every day NOT are going
 Present Simple

Compare Ing form / (Continuous)

• I live in England • I am living in England
• I work at McDonalds • I am working at McDonalds

Permanent Situation Temporary Situation

 Present Simple

• Regular action I go to work

every day

• Fact Water
boils at 100 degrees

• Permanent Situation I work for the bank

 Form – Present Simple

• Pronoun + Verb
• I go
• You go
• He/She/It goes THE SHIT RULE!!!!
• We go
• They go
Present Simple – Questions and Negatives

Question -? Negatives - X

Do or Does Don’t or doesn’t

Do you like cheese? I don’t like cheese / No, I don’t

Does she like cheese? She doesn’t like cheese ? / No, she doesn’t
 Keywords

• Always
• never
• Sometimes
• often
• every day
• every week
• every year
• every Tuesday
• every Thursday
 Present Continuous – ‘Ing form’

Example Sentence:

We are learning English

I am eating a pizza
She is watching TV
 Present Continuous - Use

• When do we use the -ing form?

• An action happening now /incompleted action / currently in progress

• She is playing tennis

• I am watching ‘Who is the Mole?’
• We are learning English
 Present Continuous - Use

Temporary situation or developing situation

I am living in London (at the moment but I plan to leave soon)

I am working at the bank (at the moment but I plan to leave)
The weather is getting colder
The prices are increasing
I am learning to play guitar
My English is improving
 Present Continuous - Form

• Pronoun + Verb ‘to be’ + Verb+ing

• I am eating
• You are eating
• He/she/it is eating
• We are eating
• They are eating
 Questions and Negatives
• Am I laughing? • I’m not laughing
• Are you watching TV? • You aren’t watching TV
• Is she swimming? • She isn’t swimming
• Are we crying? • We aren’t crying
• Are they running? • They aren’t running
 Keywords

Now

At the moment

Currently
 Present Simple and Continuous
PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I play football, every week I am playing football, now

Regular action Action happening now

Permanent Temporary
Fact Developing situation

?- Do you like tennis / does she like tennis? ? - Are you playing football?
X- No, I don’t like tennis / she doesn’t like tennis X- I’m not playing football

Every day, every week, reguarly, often, sometimes, usually Now, at the moment, currently
 Exceptions

Verbs that don’t normally take the –ing form

I love (not I am loving) I believe (not I am believing)

I hate (not I am hating) I understand (not I am
I remember (not I am remembering) understanding)

I want (not I am wanting) That pen belongs (not is belonging)

I know (not I am knowing)
 Exceptions

We don’t normally use the –ing form with senses

This pizza smells good (not is smelling) The music sounds good (not is sounding)
The kebab tatses horrible (not is tasting) This film looks good (not is looking)
 Exceptions
Verbs that indicate feelings, states of mind.
Stative verbs