Present Simple or Present Continuous?

1. The simple present tense

Habits Actions which happen regularly (for example, every day or every week)

States Things which do not often change (for example, opinions and conditions)

Habit or State?

Young-Mi goes to class every day. “Every day” is a habit.

Jerry spends Christmas with his parents. This implies that he spends Christmas with his parents every year. So, it’s a habit.

Anna believes in God.Beliefs and opinions are states. They don't often change.

Santos always talks about his family. “Always” means this is a habit. Bianca lives in Florida. This is a state, because it doesn't change.

He's spending Christmas with his family right now, this year. (Maybe next year he won't.)

1. The Continuous Present

TemporarySituations

Actions which happen at the moment of speaking and are not intended to last.

John is winning the game. Right now, John is winning, but the game isn't finished yet.

It is raining outside. It's raining right now (but it may stop soon).

John and Paul are working in the library.

They are working there right now.

Jane is spending Christmas with his family.

are staying

are they doing

are they taking

is lookingIs she working

am studying

are you taking

am starting

are

doing

am standing

is moving

are

enjoying

are having

Is spending

is buying

Once a week, I ________ to an art class at the college.

Choose the Right Option

go am going

go

Look! Jenny ___________ into the water.

jumps is jumping

is jumping

Marie isn't a Canadian. I ___________ she comes from France.

believe am believing

believe

Choose the Right Option

Don’t give the kids any cheese. They ________ it.

hate are hating

hate

It ______________ really hard. We cannot go outside..

snows is snowing

is snowing

My boyfriend ________ a Mercedes. He is quite rich!

drives is driving

drives

Choose the Right Option

I___________ you are crazy!

think am thinking

think

The teacher___________ lunch in the cafeteria everyday.

eatsis eating

eats

Sorry, John is not here. He___________ at the library.

studies is studying

is studying

She is visiting

She has

They workthey are visiting

They live

They are staying

wants He is studying

She goes She likes

Hi ! The gang and I ____________(spend) the weekend in the woods.

I ____________(organize) the food, because I _________(like) it.

Dave __________(have) a big car with a trailer.

He __________ (check) the brakes right now.

Sam _________(set) the tent — he _________(go) camping every

year, so he_________ (have) a great tent and lots of other equipment.

My wife ___________(think) we're crazy.

She __________(like) holidays in comfortable hotels, so she

__________(visit) her mother in Paris.

Over the Telephone

are spending

am organizing like

has

is checking

is setting goes

has

thinks

likes

is visiting

A nice present for all my fellow Teachers

Feel free to use it in your classes and you don’t have to give me credit for it.

Anyway, my name is Caty and I teach English in Queretaro.

All images are taken from a wonderful book called Interchange from Jack C. Richards, Cambridge University Press