Present
Simple
and
Present
Continuous
SWOOSH
Cidália Sousa Cláudia Regina Abreu Vanessa
Reis Esteves
Present
Simple
USE
We use the Present Simple to talk
about habits/routines.
e.g. He always shaves his face in the morning.
Present
Simple
USE
We use the Present Simple to talk
about general truths.
e.g. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Present
Simple
TIME EXPRESSIONS
To refer to the Present Simple we use
time expressions such as:
• always
• every day / week / month / year
• often
• usually
• never
e.g. I always play rugby on Saturdays.
Present
Simple
FORM
Affirmative
* I, you, we, they – same form
e.g. I go to the gym every night.
* add – s/es to the 3rd person singular
e.g. Susan goes to the gym every night.
Spelling rules
verbs ending in ss, sh, ch, x, o + es e.g. brushes
verbs ending in a consonant + y y + ies e.g. studies
verbs ending in a vowel + y + s e.g. plays
Present
Simple
INFINITIVE PRESENT SIMPLE
3RD PERSON
to be is
to play plays
?
to go goes
?
to read reads
?
to study ?
studies
to buy buys
?
to see sees
?
to watch watches
?
Present
Simple
FORM
Negative
don’t + bare infinitive (without ‘to’)
e.g. I don’t go to Paris every year.
doesn’t + bare infinitive 3rd person singular
(without ‘to’)
e.g. She doesn’t study Maths every day.
Present
Simple
FORM
Interrogative
Do / Don’t + subject + infinitive (without ‘to’)
e.g. Do you play basketball?
Don’t you like her? She is so nice!
Does / Doesn’t + subject + infinitive (without ‘to’)
e.g. Does Carl go to school by bus?
– No, he doesn’t. His father takes him by car.
Present
Continuous
Present
Continuous
USE
We use the Present Continuous
to talk about actions happening at
the moment of speaking.
e.g. Peter is studying in his room now.
Present
Continuous
USE
We use the Present Continuous to talk about
temporary situations.
e.g. Tom isn’t having lunch in the canteen today.
He is feeling sick.
Action in progress
Now
Present Present Future
Simple Continuous
(habit,
routine)
Present
Continuous
USE
We use the Present Continuous to talk about
planned future arrangements that have been
decided and planned.
e.g. Tom is going to the hospital this afternoon.
Fixed arrangements
Specific time / date
Present Present
Simple Continuous
(habit,
routine)
Present
Continuous
TIME EXPRESSIONS
• now
• at the moment
• at present
• tonight, this afternoon…
e.g. My mother is watching her favourite comedy tonight.
Present
Continuous
FORM
Affirmative
Present Simple of to be + verb-ing
e.g. At the moment she is buying the tickets.
Spelling rules
Most verbs infinitive + ing e.g. is working
Verbs ending in -e e + ing e.g. are making
Verbs ending in consonant + vowel + consonant double
the last consonant + ing e.g. beginning
Present Simple
or Present
Continuous?
Let’s do some exercises…
Present Simple
or Present
Continuous?
Write sentences with the following cues.
Patrick / write / a story / for / the local newspaper / now.
Patrick is writing a story for the local newspaper now.
Present Simple
or Present
Continuous?
Write sentences with the following cues.
I / go / to the cinema at least once a week.
I go to the cinema at least once a week.
Present Simple
or Present
Continuous?
Complete the sentences.
is living
1. Sarah ____________ (live) in Paris at present.
gets up
2. My father always ___________ (get up) before 7 o’clock.
is
3. Susan __________ is having
(be) on holiday and she ___________
(have) a great time at the moment.
4. Smells good! What _____ cooking
are you _________ (cook) for dinner?
is
5. Sam _______ (be) isn’t playing
sick, so he ____________ (not play) football
tonight.
am watching
6. Please be quiet! I _____________ (watch) a very interesting
documentary.
is staring
7. Everyone ___________ (stare) at her because she
is crying (cry) out loud.
___________
Now open your book
on pages 12 and 13.