Professional Documents
Culture Documents
FORM
Present simple
infinitive (without the particle to)
Present continuous
form of be + verb + ing
e.g. I am eating
You eat
He/She/It eats
He/She/It is eating
We eat
We are eating
You eat
They eat
USE
In general or right now?
Do you want to express that something happens in general or that something is happening right
now?
Present simple
in general (regularly, often, never)
Present continuous
right now
e.g. Look! John is playing football.
for several actions happening at the
same time
e.g. John is playing football and Mary
another
e.g. First I play football, then I watch
is watching.
TV.
SIGNAL WORDS
Present simple
always, every , often, normally,
Timetable/Schedule or arrangement?
Present continuous
at the moment, at this moment, today,
now, right now, Listen! Look!
You have to decide whether you want to express something arranged for the near future or a time
set by a timetable or schedule.
Present simple
action set by a timetable or schedule
Present continuous
arrangement for the near future
e.g. I am going to the cinema tonight.
Do you want to talk about a daily routine or do you want to emphasize that something is only
going on for a limited (rather short) period of time?
Present simple
daily routine
e.g. Bob works in a bank.
Present continous
only for a limited period of time (does