Present continuous и present simple

 

A. Study the explanations and compare the examples:

 

Present simple (I do)	Present continuous (I am doing)
Use the simple for things in general or things that happen repeatedly.	Use the continuous for something that is happening at or around the time of speaking. The action is not finished.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Excuse me, do you speak English? It doesn’t rain very much in summer. What do you usually do at weekends? What do you do? (=What’s your Job?) I always go to bed before midnight. Most people learn to swim when they are children.	The water is boiling. Can you turn it off? Listen to those people. What language are they speaking? Let’s go out. It isn’t raining now. ‘Don’t disturb me. I’m busy.’ ‘Why? What are you doing?’ I’m going to bed now. Goodnight! Maria is in Britain at the moment. She’s learning English.
Use the simple for a permanent situation	Use the continuous for a temporary situation
My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives. John isn’t lazy. He works very hard most of the time.	I’m living with some friends until I find a flat. ‘You’re working hard today.’ ‘Yes, I’ve got a lor to do.’

B. I always do and I’m always doing

 

Usually we say ‘I always do something’ (= I do it every time):

• I always go to work by car. (not ‘I’m always going’)

 

You can also say ‘I’m always doing something’, but this has a different meaning. For example:

• I’ve lost my key again. I’m always losing things.

 

‘I’m always losing things’ does not mean that I lose things every time. It means that I lose things too often, more often than normal.

‘You’re always -ing’ means that you do something very often, more often than the speaker thinks is normal or reasonable.

• You’re always watching television. You should do something more active.
• John is never satisfied. He’s always complaining.

 

EXERCISES

 

1 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the verbs that are wrong.

 

1. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.                       … ………………………………..
2. The water boils. Can you turn it off?                    … …………………………………
3. Look! That man tries to open the door of your car.        ………………………………..
4. Can you hear those people? What do they talk about?     ………………………………..
5. The moon goes round the earth.                              ………………………………..
6. I must go now. It gets late.                                            ………………………………..
7. I usually go to work by car.                                       ………………………………..
8. ‘Hurry up! It’s time to leave.’   ‘OK, I come.’              ………………………………..
9. I hear you’ve got a new job. How do you get on?          ………………………………..

2 Put the verb in the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

 

3 Finish B’s sentences. Use always -ing (see Section B).

 

A: I’m afraid I’ve lost my key again.                .
B: Not again! … ……………………………………………

A: The car has broken down again.
B: That car is useless! It ……………………………….

A: Look! You’ve made the, same mistake again.
B: Oh no, not again! I……………………………………

A: Oh, I’ve left the lights on again.
B: Typical! You …………………………………………..

 

A. We use continuous tenses only for actions and happenings (they are eating / it is raining etc.).

 

Some verbs (for example, know and like) are not action verbs. You cannot say ‘I am knowing’ or ‘they are liking’; you can only say ‘I know’, ‘they like’.

 

The following verbs are not normally used in continuous tenses:

like;  love;  hate;  want;  need;  prefer;  know;  realise;  suppose;  mean;  understand;  believe;  remember;  belong;  contain;  consist;  depend;  seem

 

• I’m hungry. I want something to eat. (not ‘I’m wanting’)
• Do you understand what I mean?
• Ann doesn’t seem very happy at the moment.

 

When think means ‘believe’, do not use the continuous:

• What do you think (= believe) will happen? (not ‘what are you thinking’)
• but You look serious. What are you thinking about? (= What is going on in your mind?)
• I’m thinking of giving up my job. (= I am considering)

 

When have means ‘possess’ etc., do not use the continuous:

• We’re enjoying our holiday. We have a nice room in the hotel, (not ‘we’re having’)
• but We’re enjoying our holiday. We’re having a great time.

B. See   hear   smell   taste

 

We normally use the present simple (not continuous) with these verbs:

 

• Do you see that man over there? (not ‘are you seeing’)
• This room smells. Let’s open a window.

 

We often use can + see/hear/smell/taste:

 

• Listen! Can you hear something?

 

But you can use the continuous with see (I’m seeing) when the meaning is ‘having a meeting with’ (especially in the future):

 

• I’m seeing the manager tomorrow morning.

C. He is selfish and He is being selfish

 

The present continuous of be is I am being / he is being / you are being etc.

I’m being = ‘I’m behaving / I’m acting’. Compare:

 

• I can’t understand why he’s being so selfish. He isn’t usually like that.(being selfish = behaving selfishly at the moment)
• but He never thinks about other people. He is very selfish, (not ‘he is being’) (= he is selfish generally, not only at the moment)

 

We use am/is/are being to say how somebody is behaving. It is not usually possible in other sentences:

 

• It’s hot today, (not ‘it is being hot’)
• Sarah is very tired, (not ‘is being tired’)

D. Look and feel

 

 

You can use the present simple or continuous when you say how somebody looks or feels now:

• You look well today, or You’re looking well today.
• How do you feel now? or How are you feeling now?
• but I usually feel tired in the morning, (not ‘I’m usually feeling’)

EXERCISES

1 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the ones that are wrong.

 

1. I’m seeing the manager tomorrow morning.
2. I’m feeling hungry. Is there anything to eat?
3. Are you believing in God?
4. This sauce is great. It’s tasting really good.
5. I’m thinking this is your key. Am I right?

2 Use the words in brackets to make sentences.

 

1. (You / not / seem / very happy today)
2. (What / you / do?) Be quiet! (I / think)
3. (who / this / umbrella / belong to?) I’ ve ho idea
4. (the / dinner / smell / good)
5. Excuse me, (anybody / sit here?) No, it’s free.
6. Can you ring me back in half an hour? (I / have / dinner).

3 Put the verb into the, correct form, present continuous or present simple.

 

1. Are you hungry? … ……………………………………………… something to eat? (you/want)
2. Jill is interested in politics but she . …………………………………………. to a political party, (not/belong)
3. Don’t put the dictionary away. I…………………………………………… it. (use)
4. Don’t put the dictionary away. I…………………………………………… it. (need)
5. Who is that man? What……………………………………………? (he/want)
6. Who is that man? Why …………………………………………… at us? (he/look)
7. George says he’s 80 years old but nobody …………………………………………… him. (believe)
8. She told me her name but I…………………………………………… it now. (not/remember)
9. I………………………………………….. of selling my car. (think)   Would you be interested in buying it?
10. I………………………. you should sell your car. (think)   You ……………………………it very often, (not/use)
11. I used to drink a lot of coffee but these days I…………………………………………… tea. (prefer)
12. Air …………………………………………… mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, (consist)

4 Complete the sentences using the most suitable form of be.

 

Sometimes you must use the simple (am/is/are) and sometimes the continuous is more suitable (am/is/are being)

 

1. I can’t understand why … ……………………………….. so selfish. He isn’t usually like that.
2. Jack …………………………………………. very nice to me at the moment. I wonder why.
3. You’ll like Jill when you meet her. She ………………………………………..very nice.
4. Normally you are very sensible, so why …………………………………………. so silly about this matter?
5. Why isn’t Sarah at work today?   …………………………………………. ill?