Simple Present – Present Progressive
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro
Form
Simple Present Present Progressive
infinitive form of 'be' and verb + ing
(3rd person singular: infinitive + 's')
I speak I am speaking
you speak you are speaking
he / she / it speaks he / she / it is speaking
we speak we are speaking
they speak they are speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 's' : Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
For can, may, might, must, do not add s. Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -
Example: he can, she may, it must ee)
Example: come - coming
After o, ch, sh or s, add es.
but: agree - agreeing
Example: do - he does, wash - she
washes After a short, stressed vowel, the final
consonant is doubled.
After a consonant, the final
Example: sit - sitting
consonant ybecomes ie. (but: not after a
vowel) After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled
Example: worry - he worries in British English (but not in American
but: play - he plays English).
Example: travel - travelling (British
English)
but: traveling (American English)
Final ie becomes y.
Example: lie - lying
Use
In general or right now?
Do you want to express that something happens in general or
that something is happening right now?
Simple Present Present Progressive
in general (regularly, often, never) right now
Colin plays football every Tuesday. Look! Colin is playing football now.
present actions happening one after also for several actions happening at the same
another time
First Colin plays football, then he watches Colin is playing football and Anne is watching.
TV.
Signal words
always at the moment
every ... at this moment
often today
normally now
usually right now
sometimes Listen!
seldom Look!
never
first
then
Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present:
be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want
Timetable / Schedule or arrangement?
Do you want to express that something is arranged for the
near future? Or do you refer to a time set by a timetable or
schedule?
Simple Present Present Progressive
action set by a timetable or schedule arrangement for the near future
The film starts at 8 pm. I am going to the cinema tonight.
Daily routine or just for a limited period of time?
Do you want to talk about a daily routine? Or do you want to
emphasis that something is only going on for a limited (rather
short) period of time?
Simple Present Present Progressive
daily routine only for a limited period of time (does not have to
happen directly at the moment of speaking)
Bob works in a restaurant.
Jenny is working in a restaurant this week.
Certain Verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present
(not in the progressive form).
state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
Example: We are on holiday.
possession: belong, have
Example: Sam has a cat.
senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
Example: He feels the cold.
feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
Example: Jane loves pizza.
brain work: believe, know, think, understand
Example: I believe you.
EXERCISES
1. Present Continuous Section.
1.1 Put the verb in brackets in the correct form.
Examples: Please don’t make so much noise. I am studying (study).
Let’s go out now. It isn’t raining (not /rain) now.
Listen to those people. What language are they speaking
(they/speak)?
1. Please be quiet. I (try) to concentrate.
2. Look! It (rain).
3. Why (you/look) at me like that? Don’t you like my
shirt?
4. You (make) a lot of noise. Can you be quiet?
5. Excuse me, I (look) for a phone box. Is there one near
here?
6. (whispering in the cinema) It’s a good film, isn’t it?
(you/enjoy) it?
7. Can you hear the neighbours? They (shout) at each
other again.
8. Why (you/wear) a sweater today? It’s very warm.
9. I (not/work) this week. I’m on holiday:
10. I don’t feel well today. I (not/eat) anything today.
1.2. Read this conversation between Brian and Steve. Put the verbs in the correct
form.
Brian and Steve meet in a restaurant:
Brian: Hello, Steve. I haven’t seen you lately. What are you doing (you/do)
these days?
Steve: I (train) to be a shop assistant.
Brian: Really? (you/enjoy) it?
Steve: Yes, it’s quite interesting. What (you/do)?
Brian: Well, I (not/work) at the moment, but I’m very busy.
I (study) at a drama school. I want to be an actor.
2. Present Simple Section.
2.1. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form.
Examples: Water boils (boil) at 100º C.
George doesn’t go (not/go) to the cinema very often.
How many languages do you speak (you speak)?
1. The swimming pool (open) at 9:00 every day.
2. What time (the banks/close) in Britain?
3. I have a car, but I (not/use) it very often.
4. How many cigarettes (you smoke) a day?
5. What (you/do) on Sunday mornings?
6. Where (your father/come) from?
7. He (come) from Scotland.
8. If you need money, why (you/not/get) a job?
9. I play the piano, but I (not/play) it very well.
10. I don’t understand that word. What (it/mean)?
2.2. Use the sentences to make questions. Begin your questions with the word(s)
in brackets.
Examples: Tom plays tennis. (How often?) How often does Tom play tennis?
I get up in the morning. (What time?) What time do you get up in
the morning?
1. Ann watches television. (How often?)
2. He writes to his parents. (How often?)
3. She has dinner early in the evening. (What time?)
4. Tom works. (Where?)
5. Steve goes to the cinema. (How often?)
3. Present Continuous or Present Simple Section.
Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form, present continuous (I am drinking)
or present simple (I drink).
1. I (not/have) a bicycle.
2. Hurry! The bus (come).
3. The River Nile (flow) into the Mediterranean.
4. The river (flow) very fast today -much faster than usual.
5. (it/snow) in India?
6. Where is Tom? He (play) tennis.
7. George says he is 80 years old but I (not/believe) him.
8. You can use my umbrella. I (not/need) it.
9. She (stay) with her sister at the moment until she finds
somewhere to live.
10. My father is an engineer, but he (not/work) at the
moment.
11. Angie ____________________(like) Coca-Cola very much.
12. My parents are not home now. They ___________________(visit) my aunt and
uncle.
13. Where ____________________(that noise/come) from? I cannot concentrate.
14. ________________________(you/believe) in ghosts?
15. This afternoon we ______________________(go) to the cinema.
16. My mother __________________(never/eat) meat.
17. ________________________(you/get up) early in the morning at weekends?
18. What ______________________(you/do) after class today?
19. She looks sad. She _____________________(not/enjoy) herself.
20. History ___________________(be) my favourite school subject.
21. Something smells terrible! Someone ___________________(cook) cauliflower.
22. You know the old saying, don’t you? “An apple a day ______________(keep) the
doctor away.”
23. How many inches ________________(be) there in a foot?
You can find many more exercises online:
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/alle_grammar.htm
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/grammar-exercises.html
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/simple-present-present-
continuous1.html
