Present simple vs Continuous
Complete the review of the present tense with ‘simple’ or ‘continuous’.
We use the present ___________1 to talk about repeated or permanent things:
I wake up every morning at 8 o’clock.
Where do you live?
We use the present ___________ 2 to talk about things that are happening now or around this time:
•I’m learning English at the moment.
•He isn’t working right now. He’s on holiday.
We use the present ___________ 3 to talk about plans and future arrangements:
I’m going to the cinema tonight.
Present Simple Form
The he/she/it form of most verbs uses the infinitive + -s.
Sometimes we add -es [do —► does; go —► goes).
If the verb ends in consonant -y, we replace -y with [carry-* carries).
We use present simple verbs to talk about:
things that happen regularly:
We go to school every weekday.
things or facts that are always true:
Summer comes after spring.
things that are generally true and are true now:
We live in Paris.
We use present simple verbs:
with verbs that describe states (things that don't change), e.g.: be, like, hate, have, want, love, know, understand:
I like apples but I hate oranges.
I have three cousins, and I love them all.
Present Continuous
We can use the present continuous verbs to talk about :
things that are happening now:
We're watching television at the moment.
We do not usually use state verbs in the present continuous: e.g.: be, like, hate, have, want, love, know, understand:
understand German and Spanish.
I am understanding German and Spanish.
Some verbs can be either a state verb or an action verb.
but often they have a different meaning:
I have two brothers.
(have = to own, state verb)
We're having breakfast. (ave = to eat, action verb)
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