PRESENT SIMPLE versus PRESENT CONTINUOUS (1)

The slides describe Present simple and Present continuous tenses formation and usage; differences in the use of the two tenses; some clues; some exercises. The slides describe Present simple and Present continuous tenses formation and usage; differences in the use of the two tenses; some clues; some exercises.

PRESENT SIMPLE

VERSUS

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

I PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FORMULATION

I play

You play

He/ She play s.

We/ They play.

I am play ing.

You are

play ing.

He/ She is play ing.

We/ They are play ing.

Positive

FORMULATION

S + do/does + not + V S + am/is/are +not +V-ing.

I don’t play

You don’t play

He/She doesn’t play

We/They don’t play.

I am not play ing

You are not play ing

He/She is not play ing

We/They are not play ing

Negative

FORMULATION

Do/ Does + S +V? Am/ Is/ Are +S + V-ing?

- Do you/ they play?

Does he/ she play?

-Yes, I/ we/ they do.

he/ she does.

No, I/ we/ they don’t.

he/ she doesn’t.

- Am I playing ?

Is he/ she playing ? Are they playing ?

-Yes, I am he/ she is we/ they are

-No, I am not he/ she isn’t we/ they aren’t

Interrogative

FORMULATION

WH- + do/ does + S +V? WH- +am/ is/ are +S + V-ing?

- When do you play?

Where does she play?

-I play in the morning.

She plays in the garden.

- Where are you playing? What is she playing?

- I am playing in the garden.

- She is playing tennis.

WH- Questions

USAGE

past present future

Things in general or repeated

actions (habits, routines).

Something happening at or close to the time of speaking.

Water boils at 100 degrees

Celsius.

Tom plays tennis everyday

The water is boiling Could you turn it off, please?

- Where’s Tom? – He is playing

tennis in the garden.

1

Mark is a teacher He teaches

English at a school

A permanent situation A temporary situation

I live with my parents in

London.

This machine doesn’t work

It hasn’t worked for years.

I’m living with some friends

until I can find a flat.

This machine isn’t working

It broke down this morning.

2

MS Hoa works in a bank

in Hanoi

She is working in

Ho Chi Minh city this week

Normally used to talk about

thoughts, feelings, states.

Mainly used for actions and happenings Not usually used

for states.

I don’t know .

I don’t believe! Is that true?

Like- love- hate- want- need Prefer- suppose- know-mean Understand- believe- seem- remember

3

CLUE WORDS

Adverbs of frequency:

- Always

- Usually

- Often

- Sometimes

- Occasionally

- Rarely

- Never

- Everyday

- At present

- At the moment

- Recently

- Nowadays

- Now

- Right now

the morning He is reading a book now .

PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

in the evening.

in the evening.

always

Everytime

(habits, hobbies)

Too often (complaints, criticism,…)