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PRESENT SIMPLE

VS.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

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REMEMBER We use the

PRESENT SIMPLE to talk about:

Things that happen regularly (habits)

He plays tennis twice a week

Things which arealways true

The sun rises in the east

Facts: Grocers sell vegetables

I don't speak Chinese

Feelings and opinions: She loves basketball

Thoughts: He doesn't understand me

I think he's interesting

Possession: Ihave a lot of food in the fridge

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We use the PRESENTCONTINUOUS to...

Talk about actions and situations in

progress now: The bus is coming

Actions:I'm thinking about your problem

We're having breakfast

Actions and situations in progress around now,

but now exactly at the moment we speak:What are you doing these days? I'm learning French

Describe people's clothes:

The girl is wearing black jeans and a white jacket

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KEY WORDS

PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENTCONTINUOUS

Adverbs of frequency now, at the moment

(always, never, often...) today these days

just/right now

Expressions of frequency this...afternoon(once a week, on ...Fridays...

every...month...)

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So there's a difference...

between what normally happens, repeatedactions or a situation that exists over a long time

He works for an advertising company

The buses leave every hour

and what is happening (around) now or for a

limited period of timeJohn is workingabroad for 6 months

We're paintingthe flat this week

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It OFTENrains in Ireland

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But TODAY it isnt raining

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She plays golf three times a month

But THIS month she is doing

windsurf

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My brother lives in Las Palmas

But he found a summer job in

London and he's livingthere

now

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Mary is a lawyer

But she couldn't find a job, so

she's workingas a shop

assistant.

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I usuallywear jeans

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But Im wearing a dressfor the party tonight

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What do they do?

OR

What are they doing?

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What is she doing?

Shes

taking abath

(now)

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What does she do?

She

takesphotos

(usually)

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Is she taking photos?

Does shetake

photos?

No, she isnt.

Yes, she

does. Shetakes photos

in her studio

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She is a

student

She goesto primaryschool

What does she do?

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She is

playing thepiano

(at the

moment)

What is she doing?

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What does she NORMALLY do?

She is ateacher

She teaches

MathsShe works in

a school

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What is she doing?

She isteachingMaths

She isworking

(now)

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Who is he?

What does he do?He is a

politician

Hes the

president of

the USA

He governs

his country

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What is he doing?

Hes

dancingwith his

wife

(right now)

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What do

they do?

They flyplanes

Were pilots

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What are they

doing?They arent

flying, theyare fishing

Were pilots

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And what do YOU do?

What are YOU doing (now)?

By Pili A.M. (2011)