Present Simple vs Present Progressive (Continuous)
Truths, routines, actions in progress, future plans... Present Simple and Present Progressive. Learn to master both and make your English dynamic and precise!
Table of Contents
1.Now vs Usually
1.1In Progress vs Repetition and Routine
Present Progressive for things happening at or around the time of speaking.The action is not complete.
Present Simple for things in general or things that happen repeatedly.
| Present Progressive | Present Simple |
|---|---|
| The water is boiling. Be careful. | Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. |
| Listen to those people. What language are they speaking? | Excuse me, do you speak English? |
| Let’s go out. It isn’t raining now. | It doesn’t rain very much in summer. |
| I’m getting hungry. Let’s have lunch. | I always get hungry in the afternoon. |
| Jane wants to work in France, so she’s learning French. | Most people learn to swim when they are children. |
| The population of the world is increasing very fast. | Every day the population of the world increases by about 200,000 people. |
Practice Examples
I (drink) _____ coffee every morning before work.
My brother (play) _____ football on Saturdays with his friends.
The sun (rise) _____ in the east and (set) _____ in the west.
2.For Now vs Always
2.1Temporary vs Permanent
Present Progressive for temporary situations (things that continue for a short time).
Present Simple for permanent situations (things that continue for a long time).
| Present Progressive | Present Simple |
|---|---|
| I’m living with some friends until I find a place of my own. | My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives. |
| You’re working hard today. Yes,Ihave a lot to do. | You aren’t lazy. You work hard most of the time. |
Practice Examples
I (work) _____ at the bank as a financial advisor.
I (work) _____ at the bank this summer as an intern while I'm on break from university.
She (live) _____ in New York with her family.
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