present simple vs present continuous unit 1

7/28/2019 Present Simple vs Present Continuous Unit 1

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PRESENT SIMPLE vs PRESENT

CONTINUOUS

The main use of the Present Simple is to express the concept of an action

that is repeated (ornot at all) on a regular basis.

Look at the following examples:

We use Present Simple for:

- Facts and permanent statesE.g. Robertplays football for a small team in Birmingham

- General truths and laws of natureWaterboils at 100 C

- Habits and routines (with always, usually, etc.)My fatherdrives to work

- The future in timetablesThe match starts at 5:30 next Saturday

- The future in time clausesIll tell Carrie when Isee her

- Sporting commentaries, reviews and narrations Roberttakes the ball,passes it to Ben andscores

- Feelings and emotionsThe fans love him. He is a very good player

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FORM:

The Present Simple takes the same form as the infinitive (except in one case -the verb to be)

InThe Present Simple In other words:

TO WORK

I WORK

YOU WORK

WE WORK

YOU WORK

THEY WORK

Now, here you will perhaps notice two things which contradict the above

statement

about the The Present Simple taking the same form as the infinitive.

The first is that we do not say I TO WORK, YOU TO WORK.

In other words, it's the infinitive withoutTO

(Some grammar books call it the bare infinitive).

So it's I WORK, YOU WORK

And the second thing, which I'm sure you've noticed,

is that the third person singular has been omitted from the list:

That is because the Third Person Singular is

with S at the end - he workS, she playS, it runS

So we have now established that the Present Simple


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takes S in the 3rd person singularhe, she, it:

EXAMPLES

Affirmative sentences:

I buyexpensive clothes

My brotherbuys expensive clothes

We singrock songs

She sings rock songs

Iplaythe piano

Negative sentences:

You cannot negate the verb itself in English. You need an auxiliary for that.

And the auxiliary you use is DO combined with the negative adverb NOT.

I like the English but I do not like the English weather

However, in spoken English we always always use the contration of DO NOTwhich is DON'T

I like English but I don't like England.

And in Third Person Singular we use DOES or DOES NOT:

My friend likes French wine but he doesn't like Chilean wine

However, in spoken English we always always use the

contraction of DOES NOT which is DOESN'T

Questions:

Use the auxiliary do.


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Do youplaybasketball?Does heplaybasketball?

The time expressions we use with the present simple are:

usually -always - every day/week/month/year

in the morning/afternoon/evening - at night/the weekend

on Fridays - in July -in the Summer, etc.

When we want to emphasise an action or situation in the present,

particularly to emphasise that it actually happens,

or that its different from what someone else thinks,

we can use the emphatic Present Simple, with do ordoes.

E.g. I know you dontlikepeanut butter

No, youre wrong, IDO likepeanut butter

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FORM

We use a form of TO BE (am, are oris), the infinitive of the verb and the ending

ing.

To be (am, are, is) + infinitive + -ing

EXAMPLES

Affirmative sentences


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I amplaying volleyballHe/she isplaying volleyball

We/you/they areplaying volleyball

NOTE: Use am with I- is with he, she, it- and with all other pronouns are.

We often use short forms in affirmative sentences in the Present Continuous.

Negative sentences

I am not playing volleyballHe/she/it is not playing volleyball

We/you/they are not playing volleyball

NOTE We often use short forms in negative sentences in the PresentContinuous

Questions

In the Present Continuous we put the auxiliary verb (am, are oris) before thesubject.

Am Iplaying volleyball?

Is he/she/itplaying volleyball?Are we/you/theyplaying volleyball?

USES

Generally speaking, we use the PRESENT CONTINUOUS


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to express actions that take place (or do not take place)

at the moment of speaking:

I am drinkingtea, you are workingin the garden, she is shoppingin a big

store.

However, English grammar permits us to use the Present Continuous

to cover other time periods:

We also use the Present Continuous:

- For actions taking place at or around the moment of speakingE.g.Arthuris learninghow to ski this week

- For temporary situationsE.g. We are stayingat an expensive hotel at the moment

- For fixed arrangements in the near futureE.g. Our friends are visiting us tomorrow

- For currently changing and developing situationsE.g. The team is playing better and better all the time

- With adverbs such as always to express anger or irritation at a repeatedaction

E.g. Theyare always talkingin class

The time expressions we use in the present continuous are:

now - at the moment - at present - these days

nowadays - still - today - tonight, etc.

Some people use the termpresent progressive instead ofpresent continuous.

They mean the same thing.

present simple vs present continuous unit 1

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