1. PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS

2. I speak you speak he / she / it speaks we speak they speak
Simple Present
Present Continuous
Bare infinitive (inf. Without TO) (3rd person singular: infinitive + 's')
I speak you speak he / she / it speaks we speak they speak
Present 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

3. Simple Present:
Daily routine
Bob works in a restaurant.
Present Progressive/continuous:
Only for a limited period of time, usually now (but does not have to be happening right at the moment of speaking)
Jenny is sleeping now.
Jenny is working in a restaurant this week.

4. Certain Verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present (not in the continuous form).
State: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
Example: We are on holiday.
Possession: belong, have
Example: Sam has a cat.
Senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
Example: He feels the cold.
Feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
Example: Jane loves pizza.
Brain work: believe, know, think, understand
Example: I believe you.
Introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
Example: “I am watching TV,“ he says.

5. Use
When to use which tense, Present Simple or Present Continuous?
1- For actions happening regularly, often or never, we
use …………………………………..…….
2- For actions happening now, we use …………………………………..
3- The verbs 'be', 'have', 'like' and 'want' are normally only used
in ………………………….……..
4- The signal word 'usually' indicates that we have to
use ……………………………………..……..
5- The signal word 'now' indicates that we have to
use ………………………………………………

6. ANSWERS:
1- For actions happening regularly, often or never, we
use THE PRESENT SIMPLE
2- For actions happening now, we use THE PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
3- The verbs 'be', 'have', 'like' and 'want' are normally only
used in THE PRESENT SIMPLE
4- The signal word 'usually' indicates that we have to
5- The signal word 'now' indicates that we have to
use THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

7. Exercise 1
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple present or present progressive).
1-Look! He (leave) ……………………………………………………. the house.
2-Quiet please! I …………………………………………………..(write)  a test.
3-She usually ……………………………………………………..(walk)  to school.
4-But look! Today she ……………………………………………….(go)  by bike.
5-Every Sunday we ………………………..(go)  to see my grandparents.
6-He often ……………………………………………………….(go)  to the cinema.
7-We ……………………………………………(play)  Monopoly at the moment.
8-The child seldom ………………………………………………………………..(cry) .
9-I ………………………………………..(not / do)  anything at the moment.
10-……………………………………………….(watch / he)  the news regularly?

8. 1- Look! He IS LEAVING the house.
ANSWERS
1- Look! He IS LEAVING the house.
2- Quiet please! I AM WRITING  a test.
3- She usually WALKS to school.
4- But look! Today she IS GOING by bike.
5- Every Sunday we GO  to see my
grandparents.
6- He often  GOES  to the cinema.
7- We ARE PLAYING Monopoly at the moment.
8- The child seldom CRIES .
9- I AM NOT DOING anything at the moment.
10- DOES HE WATCH  the news regularly?

9. Exercise 2 1- This ……………………………………………………..(be) Marc.
Look at the picture and complete the sentences (Simple Present / Present Progressive).
1- This ……………………………………………………..(be) Marc.
2- He ………………………………………(wear) a t-shirt and
shorts today.
3- He ……………………………………..(eat) an apple at the
moment.
4- Marc ……………………… (like) fruits and vegetables.
5- He …………………………….(eat) some every day.
6- Marc ………………………(know) that
apples ……………………………(be)  good for his health

10. ANSWERS:
1- This  IS Marc.
2- He IS WEARING a t-shirt and shorts today.
3- He IS EATING an apple at the moment.
4- Marc LIKES fruits and vegetables.
5- He EATS some every day.
6- Marc KNOWS that apples ARE  good for his
health

11. Exercise 3
Look at the picture and complete the sentences (Simple Present or Present Progressive).
1- This ………………………………………..(be)  Caroline.
2- Caroline …………………………………………(have)  long blond hair.
3- She usually ……………………………………(wear)  glasses, but now
she ………………………………………(wear)  contact lenses.
4- Caroline ………………………………………(like)  sports.
5- She ……………………………………..(play)  handball every Monday
and Thursday

12. ANSWERS:
1- This IS Caroline.
2- Caroline HAS long blond hair.
3- She usually  WEARS  glasses, but
now she IS WEARING contact lenses.
4- Caroline  LIKES sports.
5- She PLAYS  handball every Monday and
Thursday

13. 1- Joe and Dennis ……………………………..(be) best friends.
Exercise 4
Look at the picture and complete the sentences (Simple Present or Present Progressive).
1- Joe and Dennis ……………………………..(be)  best friends.
2- They often …………………………….………(meet)  in the afternoon.
3- What ……………………………………………(do / they)  at the moment?
4- They …………………………………………………… (play)  football.
5- They ……………………………………(love)  football.
6- Joe………………………….…… (practise)  with his father every
weekend, but Dennis …………………….…… (not / play)  football
very often.

14. ANSWERS:
1- Joe and Dennis ARE best friends.
2- They often MEET  in the afternoon.
3- What  ARE THEY DOING  at the moment?
4- They ARE PLAYING  football.
5- They LOVE  football.
6- Joe PRACTISES  with his father every
weekend, but Dennis DOESN’T PLAY football very often.

15. Exercise 5
Look at the picture on the right and complete the sentences (Simple Present or Present Progressive).
1- These ………………………………………….(be)  Linda and Jeff.
2- Linda ……………………………………………….(be)  Jeff's little sister.
3- At the moment, the two kids …………………………….(sit)  on the floor.
4- Jeff ……………………………… (hold)  a book right now,
he ……………………………………….(read)  a story to Linda.
5- Look! Linda …………………………………….(listen)  carefully and
she …………………………………………(look)  at the beautiful pictures.
6- Linda ……………………………………………………(love)  Jeff's stories.
7- He ………………………………………………….(read)  a story to her every day.
8- Jeff sometimes even …………………………………………(write)  his own
stories.

16. 1- These ARE Linda and Jeff. 2- Linda IS Jeff's little sister.
ANSWERS:
1- These ARE Linda and Jeff.
2- Linda IS Jeff's little sister.
3- At the moment, the two kids ARE SITTING on the floor.
4- Jeff IS HOLDING  a book right now, he IS READING a story to
Linda.
5- Look! Linda IS LISTENING carefully and
she IS LOOKING at the beautiful pictures.
6- Linda LOVES Jeff's stories.
7- He READS  a story to her every day.
8- Jeff sometimes even  WRITES  his own stories.

17. 1- You …………………………(see / not) her every day.
Negative sentences
Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.
1- You …………………………(see / not)  her every day.
2- The baby …………….(sleep / not)  at the moment.
3- I ………………………………….(read / not)  a book now.
4- We ………………….(go / not)  to school on Sundays.
5- He …………………(watch / not)  the news every day.

18. ANSWERS:
1- You DON’T SEE  her every day.
2- The baby ISN’T SLEEPING at the moment.
3- I AM NOT READING  a book now.
4- We DON’T GO to school on Sundays.
5- He DOESN’T WATCH  the news every day.

19. 1- (you / go)……………. on holiday by plane sometimes?
Questions
Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.
1- (you / go)…………….  on holiday by plane sometimes?
2- (they / play) ……………….. computer games every day?
3- (she / eat) ………………………dinner at the moment?
4- What (they / do) … right now?
5- (she / visit) ………………………. her grandma very often?

20. ANSWERS:
1- DO YOU GO on holiday by plane sometimes?
2- DO THEY PLAY computer games every day?
3- IS SHE EATING dinner at the moment?
4- What ARE THEY DOING right now?
5- DOES SHE VISIT her grandma very often?

21. AND THAT’S THE END OF THE QUESTIONS.
I HOPE YOU ARE AN EXPERT IN THE USE OF BOTH PRESENTS NOW! 