PRESENT SIMPLE vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We have studied the present simple and the present continuous separatedly, but what about using them together? Do you really know when to use one and when to use the other? Let's have a look at them.

Present simple

It is used to speak about routines, hobbies, things that are always true.

Present continuous
It is used to speak about what is happening now or around now, temporal things or situations.
REMEMBER: there are some verbs which are not used in the continuous: believe, want, love, hate ...

Watch this video where both the present simple and continuous are explained





And now let's see if you understood. Do the following exercises and check your knowledge!!!

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Exercise 7
Exercise 8
Exercise 9
Exercise 10

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Use the Present Continuous with normal verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

Example: I am watching TV now.
                he is not reading a newspaper now.

To make a statement in the present continuous we need the present of verb to be (AM/IS/ARE) + the -ing form of the verb we want to use

          I AM READING a book
          She IS DRIVING a red car
          They ARE HAVING a shower

To make negative sentences we just add NOT after verb to be.

          I am not reading a book
          She is not driving a red car
          They are not having a shower

To make questions we just place the verb to be before the subject.

          Are you reading a book?
          Why is she driving a red car?
          Are they having a shower?


With this video you can practise negative and questions in the present continuous




Let's see if you have understood, let's practise with these exercises
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5 Watch the video and make full sentences, You can check the answers if you have a look at the comments to this post.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ... (Present tense)

This is a video from MadridTeacher.com. Victoria Fontana tells us about a typical day in her life. There are two parts. During the first part of the video just listen to it and try to understand as much as you can, in the second part you can read the subtitles. Does she live in an Okinawa way? What do you think?

TIME AND DAILY ROUTINES

This book will help you practise the times and daily routines. With audio too!! If you want to open it in a new bigger window, click here
NOTE: Be careful when you write, watch your spelling and don't use contractions, if you use contractions or the spelling is wrong (for example, not using capital letters at the beginning of a sentence) you will get it wrong.

PRESENT SIMPLE (daily activities)

This is a video to review vocabulary about daily activities. How many of them do you do?

DAILY ROUTINES (Present Simple)

This is a presentation for you to see how we can use the present simple for daily routines, what we usually do every day. More examples and exercises still to come!!!

PRESENT SIMPLE (+) (-) (?)

How do we form a sentence in the present simple? When do we use it? Watch the video and do the activities below.


exercise 1  Complete the sentence with one word.
exercise 2 Click on the words in the right order.
exercise 3
exercise 4
exercise 5 Is there a mistake in the sentence?
exercise 6 Choose the correct answer.
exercise 7 Word order in questions.
exercise 8 Put the words in the correct order.

PRESENT SIMPLE (+) (-)

Let's practise present simple affirmative and negative sentences. How good are you?

Exercise 1 
Exercise 2
Exercise 3  
Exercise 4 
Exercise 5  
Exercise 6

WHAT ARE THEY DOING?

These are the Green, it's a beautiful summer day and they are in the garden, but what are they doing? Write sentences and send them to your teacher.

Or if you prefer you can record yourself, remember that it is good practice!!!

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO ...

In a few hours the Oscars Awards Ceremony will take place in Hollywood. Actors, actresses, producers, scriptwriters, choreographers, people from the film industry in general, cinema lovers, journalists, photographers and, of course, some nosy, busybody people will not miss the event. Two films are the favourites, Avatar,directed by James Cameron and The Hurt Locker, known in Spain as 'En Tierra Hostil', directed by Kathryn Bigelow. 

I will tell you about these films:

AVATAR

It's the year 2154 in Pandora. The human people are in conflit with the na'vi, the humanoide people that live in Pandora, because they have a mineral the Earth needs, the unobtainium. Jake Sully, a marine, participates in the programme Avatar. This programme transports the mind of the scitentists to an artificial na'vi body to have better relationships. Jake goes to Pandora. But colonel Quaritch wants the war if it is necessary. Jake follows his orders but then he falls in love with a humanoide, Neytiri, and he forgets about his mission. The war is imminent and Jake has to decide if he wants to fight with the humans or with the humanoides. In the end the soldiers have to leave Pandora but Jake's mind is traspassed to the Tree of Souls.

THE HURT LOCKER
Iraq. 2004. William James, a veteran, becomes a team leader in a unit specializing in explosives. He has two workmates, Sanborn and Owen. When James goes to disarm the bombs they communicate with him via radio and proctect him with their riffles. He has very unorthodox methods and there is a lot of tession between them. One day James can't disarm a bomb that an Iraqi has in his chest because he doesn't have time and the bomb explodes. Sanborn tells him that he is going to leave Iraq and wants to start a family. James leaves Iraq too and returns to his wife and son.One night he speaks to his son, and tells him that there is only "one thing" that he knows that he loves. In the end he goes to Iraq again.

NOTE: The title is slang for being injured in an explosion.

..............................................................................................................................................................

Do you have a favourite film? Which is your favourite film? Titanic? Star Trek? Harry Potter? Precious? Up in the air? Nine? Tell us what it is about!!!!

..................................................................................................................................................................

PRESENT SIMPLE (3rd person singular)

Let's practise the 3rd person singular of the verbs with this game. Fernando will show you a verb, you have to type the he/she form before he leaves! There are 20 words. Click on the picture to go to the game. Good luck!