Present Simple or Present Continuous?

• newEditor
• Engels
• Secundair onderwijs
• Technisch secundair onderwijs
• Leerjaar 2

When do we use the present simple

or the present continuous?

 

Messi is playing football.
(right now)

Messi plays football.
(but he is not doing it right now!
It is a fact.)

1. I like scary movies.

2. He is walking the dog now.

3. We are dancing all night long.

4. She plays the piano.

5. They are my parents.

Present Simple

Present Continuous

1

2

3

4

5

Present simple or present continuous? Action happening at the moment of speaking.

A

present simple

B

present continuous

C

D

Present simple or present continuous? A habit/routine

A

present simple

B

present continuous

C

D

Present simple or present continuous? A fact

A

present simple

B

present continuous

C

D

Present Simple

signal words

Present Continuous

signal words

never

now

Listen!

at the moment

often

every day

sometimes

today

on Sundays

Look!

3 times a week

Mrs. Jones (to drink) ... tea every Sunday.

A

drinks

B

drink

C

is drinking

D

am drinking

Mrs Salaets (not to teach) maths.

A

don't teaches

B

isn't teaching

C

doesn't teach

D

doesn't teaches

Look! She (to drink) ... hot chocolate.

A

drink

B

drinks

C

is drinking

D

am drinking

Now she (not to play) ... tennis.

A

doesn't plays

B

isn't playing

C

don't play

D

doesn't play

Susan (to play)... a nice song on the piano.

A

play

B

plays

C

is playing

D

are playing

Ann (not to listen)... to music when she's at school.

A

isn't listening

B

don't listen

C

doesn't listens

D

doesn't listen

He (to play)... the sax in a band every Friday.

A

play

B

plays

C

is playing

D

am playing

Jack and Ann(to study)... their lessons at the moment?

A

Are Jack and Ann studing... ?

B

Do Jack and Ann study...?

C

Are Jack and Ann studying...?

D

Does Jack and Ann study...?

We always (to eat) ... chicken on Monday.

A

eat

B

eats

C

are eating

D

is eating

Did you reach your goal? Do you understand the difference between these two present tenses?

A

Yes, I totally understand.

B

Not yet, I need some more practice.

C

Yes, I already understood before I started this 'lessonup', but it was useful and fun.

D

No, this was too difficult for me.