WHAT'S THE
DIFFERENCE?
PRESENT SIMPLE
AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS
|
Present Simple |
Present Continuous |
|
Things which
are always true: • Water
boils at 100 degrees. |
Things which are happening at the moment of
speaking: • The water is boiling now, so you can put in the pasta. |
|
Permanent situations (or nearly permanent; true for
a few years at least): • Julie
lives in London. |
Temporary
situations: • Julie is living in Paris for a few months (usually she
lives in London). Situations
which are slowly changing:• I'm getting better and better at speaking English. |
|
Habits or
things we do regularly: • I
drink coffee every morning. |
Temporary or
new habits: • I'm drinking too much coffee these days because I'm so busy at work. Annoying
habits (usually with 'always'): • My flatmate is always leaving the kitchen in a mess! |
|
Future events which are part of a timetable: • My plane leaves at eight tonight. To talk about the future
after certain words ('when' 'until' 'after' 'before' 'as soon as'): • I'll
call you when I get home. |
Definite
future plans: • I'm meeting John after class today. |
|
To talk about what happens in books, plays and
films: • At the end of the book, the detective catches the killer. |
To talk about people in pictures and photos: • In this photo, my mother is walking beside a lake. |
Remember:
We use the present simple with stative verbs (Appendix I). We can't use any continuous tense
(including the present continuous tense, of course) with stative verbs.
 |
➤➤Exercise
3. Present Simple or Present Continuous?
Make the present simple or
present continuous:
1.
You (not / like) chocolate.
2.
She (not / study) at the moment.
3.
We often
(go) _ to the cinema.
4.
He usually (not / do) his homework.
5.
They (not
/ eat) rice every day.
6.
We (not / study) every night.
7.
(You /
like) spicy food?
8.
(She /
go) to Scotland often?
9.
(He /
eat) now?
10. We (go) to the cinema this weekend. 11.They (study) now.
12.I (clean) the
kitchen every day. 13.She (work) _
every Sunday. 14.We (not / sleep) now.
15.He
(not / go) to the park very often. 16.It (rain) a
lot here.
17.I (go) on
holiday tomorrow. 18.How long (she / stay) in London?
19.I
often (read) at night. 20.We (not / drink) much wine.
➤➤Exercise
4. Present Continuous All Forms
Make the present continuous:
1.
(I / be silly? )
2.
(they / not / read)
3.
(I / cook tonight)
4.
(he / see the doctor tomorrow? )
5.
(you / eat chocolate? )
6.
(what/you/do?)
7.
(we / make a mistake ? )
8.
(you / come
tomorrow)
9.
(it / snow)
10.
(John/ sleep at the moment)
11.
(he / not /
dance)
12.
(how / they / get here? )
13.
(when / it / start? )
14.
(I / not / speak Chinese at the moment)
15.
(Jill / drink tea now? )
16.
(he / pay the bill at the moment? )
17.
(I / stay with a friend for the weekend)
18.
(when / John / arrive?)
19.
(they / come to the party?)
20.
(we / not /
study)
➤➤Exercise 5 . Present Simple or Present Continuous?
Choose the present simple or
present continuous:
1.
(You /
come) tonight?
2.
(He /
eat) rice every day?
3.
I (work)
at the moment.
4.
(He / come) to
London often?
5.
He (play)
tennis now.
6.
(You /
come) to the cinema later?
7.
They (not / come) to
the party
8.
tomorrow.
9. He (not / play) _
golf now. 10.(You / play) tennis this Sunday? 11.They (go) to
a restaurant every 12.Saturday.
13.She
(not / go) to the cinema very 14.often.
15. You usually
(arrive) late.
16. He normally (eat) _ dinner at home. 17.(You / study) every night?
18.(They / work)
_ late usually? 19.You (not / go)
_
out later.
20.I
(not / work) tonight. 21.(She / work) at the moment?
22.I
(not / drink) coffee
very often. 23.Julie (sleep) now.
➤➤Exercise
6. Present Simple or Present Continuous?
Make the present simple or
present continuous:
1.
You (not / like) chocolate.
2.
She (not / study) at the moment.
3.
We often
(go) _ to the cinema.
4.
He usually (not / do) his homework.
5.
They (not
/ eat) rice every day.
6.
We (not / study) every night.
7.
(You /
like) spicy food?
8.
(She /
go) to Scotland often?
9.
(He /
eat) now?
10. We (go) to the cinema this weekend. 11.They (study) now.
12.I (clean) the
kitchen every day. 13.She (work) _
every Sunday. 14.We (not / sleep) now.
15.He
(not / go) to the park very often. 16.It (rain) a
lot here.
17.I (go) on
holiday tomorrow. 18.How long (she / stay) in London?
19.I
often (read) at night. 20.We (not / drink) much wine.
➤➤Exercise
7. Present Simple or Present Continuous?
Choose the present simple or
the present continuous. Watch out for stative verbs.
1.
Julie (read)
in the garden.
2.
What (we
/ have) for dinner tonight?
3.
She (have)
two daughters.
4.
I (stay)
in Spain for two weeks this summer.
5.
He often
_ (come) over for dinner.
6.
The class
(begin) at nine every day.
7.
What (you
/ eat) at the moment?
8.
What (Susie
/ do) tomorrow?
9.
I (not
/ work) on Sundays.
10. She (not /
study) now, she (watch) TV. 11.How
often (you / go) to restaurants?
12.I
(not / go) on holiday this summer.
13.I'm sorry, I (not
/ understand). 14.She (work) as a waitress for a month.
15.She
(take)
a salsa dancing class every Tuesday. 16.It (be)
cold here in winter.
17.Take
your umbrella, it _ (rain).
18.This cake (taste) delicious.
19. The bag (belong)
to Jack. 20.When _ (you / arrive) tonight?
