PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS
USES OF THE PRESENT SIMPLE: USES OF THE PRESENT
Routine (things that happen regularly) CONTINUOUS:
Example: She always does her homework. To speak about something that is
happening at the moment of speaking (gerund).
Facts (things that are always true) Example: I am reading a book right now
Example: Dolphins live in the sea.
CLUE WORDS: FREQUENCY CLUE WORDS: TIME REFERENCE
ADVERBS Now, right now, at the moment, at this
Adverbs: always, usually, often, moment, today
sometimes, never Example: My sister usually studies in the
Example: He is always late to school. She library but today she is studying at home.
often goes to the beach.
Expressions: every day, once a month,
twice a year, every two weeks. Example:
They play football twice a week.
FORMATION: PRESENT SIMPLE FORMATION: PRESENT
AFFIRMATIVE CONTINUOUS AFFIRMATIVE
Only the third person singular changes by Subject+ to be+ verb-ing
adding -s (He/She/It) Monosyllable verbs ending by consonant-
Verbs ending by –ss/-sh/-o/-x/ -ch add – vowel consonant double the last consonant
es (Example: running)
Examples: We go to the cinema once a month, but Examples: I am studying for the exam but he is
she goes every Friday. chatting online.
1
FORMATION: PRESENT SIMPLE FORMATION: PRESENT
NEGATIVE CONTINUOUS NEGATIVE
We need the auxiliary verb DO. We just need to negate the verb to be.
Do+not= don’t
Does+not= doesn’t (only for 3rd person Example: He isn’t eating lunch now. They are
singular) waiting for the bus.
Example: We don’t usually drink tea. She
doesn’t like tea either.
FORMATION: PRESENT SIMPLE FORMATION: PRESENT CONTINUOUS
INTERROGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
(wh-) DO/DOES + subject + verb? (wh-) to be+ subject + verb-ing?
Example: What does she like to eat for Example: Are they watching TV?
breakfast? What is she doing now?
How often do you go to the dentist?
1. Choose the best answer:
We use the present continuous...
a) To speak about a routine.
b) To speak about an action happening at the same moment of speaking.
We form the present continuous with...
a) The verb to be in the past and the verb+ing.
b) The verb to be in the present and the verb+ing.
c)
With the present continuous we...
a) Don’t need “do” and “does” for negatives and interrogatives.
b) Need “do” and “does” for negatives and interrogatives.
In the present simple negative and interrogative, the third person singular...
a) Needs does and adds –s to the verb.
b) Adds –s to do, so we don’t need to add –s to the verb.
2. Classify this expressions: Right now/ usually/often/at this moment/
now/always /never/today/sometimes/at the moment/every day /once a month
PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS
2
3. Form the affirmative, negative and interrogative form of these verbs in the
PRESENT SIMPLE tense.
Drink: He drinks He doesn’t drink Does he drink?
Watch: She
Go: It
Live: We
Cry: He
Catch: She
Buy: You
Paint: They
4. Form the affirmative, negative and interrogative form of these verbs in the
PRESENT CONTINUOUS tense.
Cook: He is cooking He isn’t cooking Is he cooking?
Close: We
Sit: I
Play: They
Wash: You
Sleep: She
Drive: He
Stop: It
5. Choose the best option.
- Look! They leave/ are leaving the house.
- Brian cycles/ is cycling 30km every day.
- Samantha does/ is doing her homework at the moment.
- You don’t see/ aren’t seeing her every day.
- The baby doesn’t sleep/ isn’t sleeping at the moment
3
- I don’t read/ am not reading a book now
- Do they play/ are they playing computer games every day?
- Does she eat/ is she eating dinner at the moment?
6. Complete the sentences. Use present simple or present continuous.
- My parents ______________________________(shop) right now.
- He usually _______________________________(get up) early in the morning.
- We ___________________________________(not go) to school on Sundays
- He ___________________________________(not watch) the news every day.
- My dogs _______________________________( not bark) at the moment
- _______________________________(she/ play) chess today?
- _______________________________(you/visit) your grandma very often?
- What_____________________________(they/ do) right now?
7. Complete the text using the verb in brackets. Use present simple or continuous.
Right now I_________________________(live) in my grandparents’ house, but
normally I ________________________(live) with my parents. We had a problem at
home and they __________________________ (repair) it now. My room
______________(be) in a mess, I _______________________(hate) having everything
untidy. However, it ____________(be) funny living here. My grandparents never
_____________ (wake) me up soon, they always ____________________(prepare) my
favourite meals and they usually_________________ (give) me presents.
8. Fill in the gaps with the present simple or continuous form of the verb in
brackets.
- Ann goes to school every day, but today it’s Saturday so she
______________________(stay) at home.
- Paul_____________________(play) basketball every Sunday but today he
________________________(play) tennis.
- They ____________________(swim) in the sea every morning, but this morning
they _____________________(sunbath) because the water is cold.
- Mrs. Smith ___________________(go) shopping every Saturday morning, but
this morning she ____________________(do) her hair.
- I __________________(clean) my house every Sunday but this Sunday I
_______________(walk) my dog in the park.
- The teacher _________________(speak) three languages, now he
________________(speak) Dutch.
4
- I usually ___________________(drive) to work, but today my husband
_________________(drive) me.
- _______ you_________(eat) fruit every day? _________ you __________ (eat)
an apple right now?
