Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

Hook

“I work in a bank” and “I’m working late tonight” both use work, but they mean different things. One is your life; the other is this moment. Choosing the right tense is one of the most important steps at A1.

Notice

  • I work in a hospital. (my job: always true)
  • I‘m working right now. (at this moment)
  • She plays tennis every Sunday. (a habit)
  • She‘s playing tennis now. (happening now)
  • He usually wears a suit, but today he‘s wearing jeans.

Which time words go with each tense?

Rule

Present simplePresent continuous
Use forhabits, routines, facts, things that are always trueactions happening now, or only for a short time
FormI work / she worksI’m working / she’s working
Time wordsalways, usually, often, every day, on Mondaysnow, right now, at the moment, today, Look!

State verbs are not usually used in the continuous: like, love, hate, want, need, know, understand. Say I want a coffee (not I’m wanting).

Watch Out

  • ✗ I am work in a bank. → ✓ I work in a bank. (a job = present simple)
  • ✗ Look! It rains. → ✓ Look! It’s raining.
  • ✗ I’m knowing the answer. → ✓ I know the answer. (state verb)
  • ✗ She is usually getting up at 7. → ✓ She usually gets up at 7. (habit)

Practice

  1. I usually ___ (walk / am walking) to school.
  2. Look! It ___ (rains / is raining)!
  3. She ___ (works / is working) at a bank.
  4. Right now, he ___ (studies / is studying) for his exam.
  5. Which time word goes with the present continuous: every day or right now?
  6. I ___ (want / am wanting) a new phone.
  7. We ___ (don’t watch / aren’t watching) TV at the moment.
  8. He ___ (goes / is going) to the gym every Monday.
Show the answers
  1. walk
  2. is raining
  3. works
  4. is studying
  5. right now
  6. want
  7. aren’t watching
  8. goes

Your Turn

Write three pairs of sentences about people you know: one habit and one thing happening now. My dad usually cooks dinner, but tonight he’s working late.

Connect

Our Grammar Quiz mixes present simple and continuous questions at A1.

Try our Grammar Quiz →

Find the wrong tense in real sentences with our Error Correction tool.

Try Error Correction →

CEFR A1 — Reading / Writing: I can tell the difference between habits and actions happening now in simple texts.

Azizul Hakim
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