present simple and continuous

Maria Bleda Gilar

THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE: FORM: positive subject + verb + complements.

Negative subject + don’t-doesn’t + verb + complements.

Interrogative do-does + subject + verb + complements?

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I live in Manchester.

I don’t live in Manchester.

Do you live in Manchester?.

– She lives in Manchester – She doesn’t live in Manchester – Does she live in Manchester?

*The verb is always in infinitive, and in the third person singular we add –s to the infinitive. When the verb ends in –ss, -sh, -ch, -z, or –o, we add –es. *When the verb ends in consonant + y, we change the –y, to –ies. *In negatives and questions we use the infinitive of the verb. There is no –s in the third person singular.

USE: We use the present simple tense to: - Describe states: I live with my parents.

Water boils at 100 degrees.

- Describe regular events: I usually work late on Mondays They go on holiday to Ireland every year - Future timetables (very planned activities for the future): The bus leaves at 10.

The film begins at 8 SHORT ANSWERS: Do you live in London? Yes, I do Does he play golf? No, he doesn’t

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY The most common frequency adverbs in English are: Always, usually, sometimes, occasionally, never, hardly ever, seldom.....  You must remember the position of the frequency adverbs: 1. Before the verb.  I never get up late.

2. After verb “to be”.  I am usually very tired

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Maria Bleda Gilar

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE: FORM: positive subject + to be + verb-ing + complements.

Negative subject + to be(not) + verb-ing + complements.

Interrogative to be + subject + verb-ing + complements?.

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I am watching TV I’m not watching TV Are you watching TV?

SPELLING: To make –ing forms we add –ing to the infinitive.

Eateating Flyflying For verbs that end in –e, we remove the –e and add –ing Drive driving Come coming When the verb ends in consonant+ vowel+ consonant and the stress is on the final syllable, we double the final consonant and add –ing.

Run running Admit admitting USE: We use the present continuous tense to: 

Say what is happening at the moment.

- we are having dinner just now.

- Where is Sue? She is watching TV.



Describe a temporary state.

- I can’t find a flat, so I’m living with my parents.

- I am reading a book.



Describe a future arrangement. (planed event) - I’m playing tennis tomorrow evening.

- They are arriving next Monday at 10 o’clock.

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Maria Bleda Gilar Sometimes the use of the present simple or the present continuous depends on whether we see the situation as permanent or temporary STATE VERBS: Some verbs are not normally used in the continuous form even when they refer to the present moment. They refer to states and not to actions. The most important ones are:  like, love, prefer, hate, want, wish, need.

- I need a pen. NOT I’m needing a pen 

Imagine, believe, know, realize, mean, understand, remember, forget, suppose, hope, see.

- I don’t understand. NOT I’m not understanding



Be, seem, appear, sound, taste, smel.

- This tastes delicious. NOT this is tasting delicious.



Belong, contain, include, matter, owe, own.

- It belongs to Sam. NOT It is belonging to Sam.

Some of these verbs can be used in the continuous form when they describe actions and not states. Compare these sentences: This ice cream tastes disgusting. (state) He is tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt. (action) I think it is important. (state) I am thinking what to do. (action) I have a new car. (state) I am having a bath. (action)

PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS Look at these sentences, in each pair one is right and one is wrong:

3. He seems very tired.

He is seeming very tired.

1. I’m going to the cinema tomorrow evening.

I’m going to the cinema every day.

4. Where is Graham? He is cleaning the car.

Where is Graham? He cleans the car.

2. He is working here until Christmas.

He works here until Christmas.

5. Vegetarians don’t eat meat.

Vegetarians aren’t eating meat.

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Maria Bleda Gilar 6. I want to go out for dinner.

I am wanting to go our for dinner.

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