Present continuous (I am doing) or present simple (I do ) ?
Present continuous (I am doing) Use the present continuos to talk about something which is happening at or around the time of speaking: | Present simple (I do) Use the present simple to talk about things in general or things which happen repeatedly: | ||||||
The kettle is boiling. Can you turn it off,please? Listen to those people. What language are they speaking? ‘Where’s Tom?’ ‘He’s playing tennis.’ (you find a stranger in your room) What are you doing here? Silvia is in Britain for three months. She’s learning English. Use the present continuos for a temporary situation: I’m living with some friends until I can find a flat. That machine isn’t working. It broke down this morning. | Water boils at 100 degrees centigrade. Excuse me, do you speak English? Tom plays tennis every Saturday. What do you do? (=What’s your job?)
Most people learn to swim when they are children. Use the present simple for a permanent situation: My parents live in London. They have been there for 20 years. That machine doesn’t work. It hasn’t worked for years. | ||||||
B) Some verbs used only in simple tenses. For example, you cannot say ‘I am knowing’. You can only say I know. Here is a list of verbs which are not normally used in continuous tenses (but there are exceptions):
want | like | belong | know | suppose | remember |
need | love | see | realise | mean | forget |
prefer | hate | hear | believe | understand | seem |
have | (When the meaning is ‘possess’) | ||||
think | (When the meaning is ‘believe’) | ||||
- Do you like London? (not ‘are you liking’)
- He doesn’t understand. (not ‘he isn’t understanding’)
- These shoes belong to me. (not ‘are belonging’)
- What do you think Tom will do? (= What do you believe he will do?)
But:
What are you thinking about? (= What is going on in your mind?) Labels: English Grammar
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