PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Read through the following examples comparing the present simple and present continuous.

 

A.  Routine vs moment of speaking

1.     James works for an investment magazine. Every month he writes articles about new investment opportunities.

2.     Take these figures to James. He needs them for an article he's writing.

In 1, we are talking about something that James does as a routine.

In 2, we are talking about something he is doing at the moment of speaking.

 

 

B.   General activities vs current projects

1.     I work for “Teletraining”. We make training videos.

2.     At the moment we're making a training video for British Telecom.

In 1, we are talking about a general activity.

In 2, we are talking about a specific current project.

 

 

C.   Permanent vs temporary situations

1.     Peter deals with enquiries about our car fleet sales.

2.     I am dealing with enquiries about fleet sales while Peter is away on holiday.

In 1, this is seen as permanently true.

In 2, this is seen as a temporary situation.

 

 

D.  Facts vs slow changes

1.     As a rule, cheap imports lead to greater competition.

2.     Cheap imports are leading to the closure of a number of inefficient factories.

In 1, we are making a statement about a general fact that is always true. In 2, we are talking about a change that is taking place at the moment.

E.  Stative verbs

There are a number of verbs which describe states rather than actions. They are not normally used in the continuous form. Common examples are:

Verbs of thinking: believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, realize, suppose, understand

Verbs of the senses:        hear, smell, sound, taste

Verbs of possession: belong to, have (meaning possess), own, possess Verbs of emotion: dislike, hate, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish Verbs of appearance: appear, seem

Others:   contain, depend on, include, involve, mean, measure, weigh, require

 

 

These are usually found in the simple form because they do not refer to actions:

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean.

 

 

 

Exercise 1 Routine vs moment of speaking

Decide if the speaker is talking about routine activities or activities going on at the moment of speaking. Put the verbs into the present simple or the present continuous.

A: How(1) do you usually organize (you/usually organize) the delivery of milk to the factory? (2) (the farmers/bring) it here themselves?

B:   No, (3) (we/always collect) the milk ourselves, and the tankers (4)

  (deliver) it to the pasteurization plant twice a day.

A:   What sort of safety procedures (5) (you/have)?

B:   As a rule we (6) (test) samples of every consignment, and then the milk

(7)     (pass) down insulated pipes to the bottling plant, which (8)         (operate) 24 hours a day. I'll show you round a bit later, but the production line (9)

      (not work) at the moment because the employees (10) (change) shifts.

Exercise 2  General activities vs current projects

Decide whether the verbs refer to general activities or current projects. Put the verbs into the present simple or present continuous.

Our company was founded fifteen years ago, and we (1) manufacture (manufacture) and (2) (supply) clothing to large organizations such as the police, hospitals, and so on. We always (3)             (spend) a long time talking to the customers to find out their needs. At the moment we (4)         (produce) an order for 18,000 shirts for the police. The next order is for a local electronics factory and our head designer (5) (have) discussions with them to find out what sort of clothes they (6)       (require).

 

Exercise 3 Permanent vs temporary situations

In the following exercise, decide whether these situations are permanent or temporary. Put the verbs into the present simple or present continuous.

1.     He joined the company 25 years ago and he still works (work) for us.

2.     We   (not/send) out any orders this week because we‟re waiting for the new lists.

3.     I   (deal) with Mr Jarman‟s clients this week because he‟s away.

4.     Go down this road, turn right, and the road (lead) straight to the industrial estate.

5.     Because of the high cost of sterling, exports (not/do) very well.

6.     The stock market can be risky because the price of shares (vary) according to economic conditions.

7.     She would be excellent as a European sales rep because she (speak) French fluently.

8.     I'm Heinrich Brandt, I'm German, and I (come) from a small town near Munich.

9.     We (spend) a great deal on phone calls due to a postal strike.

Exercise 4 Facts vs slow changes

A        In the following passage, decide whether the verbs refer to general statements about change, or changes that are currently taking place. Put the verbs into the present simple or present continuous.

Political parties cannot last for ever. Normally they (1) enjoy (enjoy) a period of great popularity in their early years; then they (2) (go) through a period of stability and (3) (put) their ideas into practice. After that, they (4) (run) out of ideas, and the opposition (5)    (take) power. Now the present government (6)      (become) old and tired. It (7)

  (make) mistakes and it (8) (lose) popularity, and the opposition party (9) (start) to look like a possible alternative.

 

B        Fill in the blanks with the verbs in the box, using the present simple or present continuous.

In many ways, the economic outlook is good. Unemployment (1) is falling and

is now down to 8% from 14%. The economy (2) at a rate of 2.5%. However, the real danger is that inflation (3) to rise. This is dangerous because every time that inflation (4) up, people always (5)    higher wages, and this in turn (6) the problem worse.

 

Exercise 5 Stative verbs

In each of the following sentences, put one of the verbs into the present simple and the other into the present continuous.

1.     We are interviewing (interview) people from outside the company for the new post in the export department, but I think (think) we ought to give the job to Mr Jackson.

2.     At the moment we (carry) out a survey to find out what sort of after-sales service our customers (want).

3.     We‟ve got a competition on at work to do with our new range of cosmetics. The marketing people (try) to find a brand name that    (sound) natural and sophisticated.

4.       (you/know) what Mrs Ericson (do)? She's not in her office and nobody has seen her since lunch.

5.     Could you help me? I (try) to translate this letter from a Spanish client and I don't know what this word (mean).

6.     I (apply) for a transfer to our London office, but I don't know if

I‟ll be successful. It all (depend) on whether or not they have any vacancies.

7.     Their new „Own brand‟ instant coffee (taste) very good, so it's not surprising that it (become) more and more popular.