Present Simple & Present Continuous.Lesson #1

Books: Just Grammar Intermediate.Links: aprenderinglesfacil.es

We use the presentsimple to talk aboutgeneral facts thatare true and will betrue for some time:

She lives in London. The Earth travelsround the sun.

We use the presentsimple to talk aboutrepeated actions orhabits:

He gets up at 6:30every morning.

I always cry duringromantic films.

The present simpleis often used to tellthe stories of filmsand plays, and insportscommentaries:

So then he makeshis way back toRome and becomesa gladiatior.

Mental states:believe, know,realise, recognise,suppose, think,understand. Wants and likes:want, like, love,hate, need, prefer. Appearance:appear, seem, looklike

Some verbs usuallytake the presentsimple rather thanthe presentcontinuous,whatever thecontexts.

The present simpleis used to talkabout futureschedules andarrangements:

The bus leaves at10 oclock.

Her exam finishesat 2 oclock.

We use the presentcontinuous to talkabout things thathave begun and arenot yet finished atthe time ofspeaking. Theyre staying withfriends in Italy thisweek.

We use the presentcontinuous to talkabout changes inpeople and theworld around us:

House princes arerising.

Keith is gettingtaller every day.

It is sometimesused with always todescribe repeatedactions that occusmore often than isexpected.

Hes alwaysforgetting his key.

We use the presentcontinuous to talkabout things in thefuture that we orsomeone else hasarranged:

Im travelling toSydney next week.

Present Simple

General facts Habits Stories of films orsportsMental statesLove & hateAppearance

Future schedulesor arrangements

Present Continuous

Actions happeningnow Changes around us

Unexpectedrepeated actions(used with always)

Arranged future