Grammar Focus: Present Simple and Present Continuous
1. Present Simple
Uses of Present Simple:
- Daily activities and habits: We use this tense to talk about things we do regularly or generally.
- Examples:
- I go to school every day.
- She plays basketball on Sundays.
- Examples:
- General truths or permanent situations: Used for facts or things that do not change.
- Examples:
- Water boils at 100°C.
- The sun rises in the east.
- Examples:
Structure:
- Affirmative sentences: Subject + base form of the verb (add -s for he, she, it).
- I eat breakfast at 7 am.
- He plays tennis every weekend.
- Negative sentences: Subject + do/does + not + base verb.
- I do not like coffee.
- She does not watch TV in the evening.
- Interrogative sentences: Do/Does + subject + base verb?
- Do you play football?
2. Present Continuous
Uses of Present Continuous:
- Actions happening now: We use it for things that are happening at the moment of speaking.
- Examples:
- I am studying English right now.
- She is reading a book at the moment.
- Examples:
- Future plans: We also use it to talk about activities that are planned for the near future.
- Examples:
- I am meeting my friends tomorrow.
- They are traveling next week.
- Examples:
Structure:
- Affirmative sentences: Subject + am/are/is + verb + -ing.
- I am eating lunch.
- She is playing tennis.
- Negative sentences: Subject + am/are/is + not + verb + -ing.
- I am not working today.
- They are not watching a movie.
- Interrogative sentences: Am/Are/Is + subject + verb + -ing?
- Are you coming to the party?
- Is she studying for the test?
Notes:
- Add -ing to the base verb. Some rules:
- If the verb ends with -e, remove it and add -ing (e.g., make → making).
If the verb ends with a vowel + consonant, double the final consonant before adding -ing (e.g., run → running).
Difference between Present Simple and Present Continuous
|
Present Simple |
Present Continuous |
|
For regular activities and habits. |
For actions happening now or planned for the near future. |
|
Subject + base form of the verb (add -s for he, she, it) +Object. |
Subject + am/are/is + verb + -ing. |
|
Keywords: always, usually, often, sometimes, never
|
Keywords: now, at the moment, today, this week
|
|
I read every morning. – Daily habit He works in a bank. – Permanent situation
|
I am reading right now. – Happening at the moment She is working on a project at the moment. – Current activity
|
1 Work in pairs. Look back at the dialogue in Lesson 2 and say True or False. Then say why.
1 Arlo goes scooting every day. True
2 Faisal does archery on Tuesdays. False
3 Arlo goes snowboarding indoors. False
2 Read the grammar table. Then read the rules and circle the correct options.
3 Read the dialogue in Lesson 2 again. Find examples of the Present simple and Present continuous tenses.
4 Write three questions about Arlo and Faisal’s sports using the Present simple and Present continuous. Then work in pairs and ask and answer.
The student’s own answer
5. Listen and write the names.
7 Make true and false sentences. Use the Present simple and Present continuous. Can your partner guess which are false?
The student’s own answer.
