PRESENT SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS - VERBS FORM

Simple Present	Present Progressive
infinitive (3rd person singular: infinitive + 's') I speak you speak he / she / it speaks we speak they speak	form of 'be' and verb + ing I am speaking you are speaking he / she / it is speaking we are speaking they are speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 's' : For can, may, might, must, do not add s. Example: he can, she may, it must After o, ch, sh or s, add es. Example: do - he does, wash - she washes After a consonant, the final consonant y becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - he worries but: play - he plays	Exceptions when adding 'ing' : Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled. Example: sit - sitting After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English). Example: travel - travelling (British English) but: traveling (American English) Final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

SIMPLE VS CONTINUOUS

Simple Present	Present Continuous
in general (regularly, often, never) Colin plays football every Tuesday. present actions happening  one after another First Colin plays football, then he watches TV.	right now                      Look! Colin is playing football now.                      also for several actions happening                       at the same time                      Colin is playing football and Anne is watching.
Signal words
always every ... often normally usually sometimes seldom never first then	at the moment at this moment today now right now Listen! Look!

PRESENT SIMPLE VS CONTINUOUS

We use the Present Simple
• for regular actions or events
  I watch TV most evenings.
• facts
  The sun rises in the east
• facts know about the future
  The plane leaves at 5.00 in the morning.
• thoughts and feelings about the time of speaking
  I don't understand.
We use the Present Continuous
• at the time of speaking ('now')
  I'm watching a movie on TV.
• things which are true at the moment but not always
  I'm looking for a new job.
• present plans for the future
  I'm taking my husband to New York for his birthday.
Look at these sentences:
• I usually don't drink coffee but I'm having one this morning because there is nothing else.
• I often drive to work but I'm taking the train this morning because my car is in for repair.
• I'm thinking about dying my hair blonde but I don't think my wife will be very happy about it.
• My parents live in New York but I'm just visiting.




Notice how in all these examples we use the present continuous to talk about events which are temporary/limited in time and the present simple to talk about events which are habits/permanent.

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