Present continuous and present simple
It’s time for 6 Minute Grammar. This week Sophie and Neil explain the present simple and present continuous tenses. Don’t forget that you can subscribe to the podcast version.
Sophie
Hello. Welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Sophie.
Neil
And me, Neil. Hello.
Sophie
Today we’re talking about the present simple tense…
Neil
…and the present continuous tense. Coming up in today’s programme:
Sophie
We’ll take a look at positives, negatives, and question forms…
Neil
We’ll find out when to use each tense…
Sophie
We’ll hear some short forms…
Neil
And we’ll have a quiz to test what we’ve learnt.
Sophie
But first: the present simple tense. We use it to talk about things that happen regularly. Here’s Finn with an example:
Finn
John checks his email every morning.
Sophie
Thanks Finn. So the verb to check is in the present simple – John checks – because he checks his email regularly – every morning.
Neil
We make the present simple with a subject plus a base verb – I check, you go, we live, they wear.
Sophie
For he, she and it, add an s to the verb. Can you demonstrate please Finn?
Finn
I always wear a coat in the winter. My brother wears a jacket.
Neil
Now we also use the present simple to talk about facts and permanent situations. So we can say…
Finn
I work in the fashion industry. My sister lives in China.
Sophie
To make the present simple negative, use don’t or doesn’t. And there’s no s on the end of the verb. Finn?
Finn
I don’t work in the modelling industry. My brother doesn’t like fashion.
Neil
For questions, use do or does.
Finn
Do your friends live in London? Does John check his email in the morning?
STING
Neil
So that’s present simple. Now: let’s look at the present continuous tense. [SFX: phone rings] Ooh just a minute, let me get that… [to caller] Hello? Sorry, I’m working at the moment. Can I call you back? Sorry about that everyone…
Sophie
[bemused] No problem…
Neil
So: I just said I’m working at the moment.
Sophie
Aha! A clever demonstration!
Neil
That’s right – I said I’m working at the moment, because it’s an activity that’s happening now. I can say I work at the BBC in the present simple because my job is a permanent situation. But right now at this moment I’m doing the activity of working, so I use present continuous to say I’m working at the moment.
Sophie
Right. As well as activities, we use the present continuous tense for temporary situations like this:
Finn
My parents are staying with me this week. I’m sleeping on the sofa.
Sophie
Ok. To make the present continuous, use am, is or are plus an i-n-g verb.
Finn
I’m checking my email at the moment. Emily’s wearing a pink hat today. They’re eating dinner now.
Neil
And did you hear those short forms? The words I am are shortened to I’m…
Sophie
Emily is sounds like Emily’s.
Neil
And they are sounds like they’re. We’ll have short forms in just a moment.
IDENT
You’re listening to BBC Learning English.
Neil
And today we’re talking about the present simple tense…
Sophie
… and the present continuous.
Neil
Let’s look at present continuous negatives. We make them with the little word not.
Finn
I’m not wearing a raincoat because it isn’t raining.
Sophie
And here are those short forms again:
Neil
I am not becomes…
Sophie
… I’m not.
Neil
Is not…
Sophie
… isn’t
Neil
And for are not we get…
Sophie
… aren’t.
Finn
I’m not wearing shoes. He isn’t working today. You aren’t watching television.
[SFX: someone tapping keys on keyboard]
Sophie
Umm Neil, are you sending an email?
Neil
Errr – yes… [slightly bewildered] What are we doing? Are we talking about questions?
Sophie
Yes, we are.
Neil
Ooh, sorry – Back to the programme!
Sophie
Aha! Another clever demonstration! I said: Are you sending an email?
Neil
And I said: Are we talking about questions?
Sophie
And of course, we both asked present continuous yes/no questions.
Neil
And to make them, you just change the word order. Instead of You are sending an email, it’s Are you sending an email?
Sophie
And change We are talking about questions to Are we talking about questions?
Neil
It’s fine to put question words like why or what at the start of the question.
Finn
What are we doing? Why are you sending an email?
Neil
So that’s present continuous questions.
Sophie
So that means: it’s time for a quiz. Join in if you like. I’m going to say a sentence and you need to make it negative. Neil will give the answer. Ready? Number 1. Paolo speaks Chinese.
Neil
Paolo doesn’t speak Chinese.
Sophie
Now make this sentence into a yes/no question: The children are playing a game.
Neil
Are the children playing a game?
Sophie
And one more: this time, make a present continuous question starting with why. Simon is learning Japanese.
Neil
Why is Simon learning Japanese?
Sophie
And that’s the end of the quiz – well done if you got them all right.
Neil
And that’s also the end of the programme – but there’s more about these tenses on our website at bbclearningenglish.com.
Sophie
Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.
All
Bye.
Grammar Reference
Present Simple and Present Continuous
Present simple and present continuous
Meaning and use
We use the present simple for:
things that we do regularly
facts and truths
habits
permanent situations
We often use adverbs of frequency and time expressions like every day, once a week, on Fridays.
I check my email every day. (regular activity)
Sheryl works at the bank. (permanent situation)
We use the present continuous for:
things that are happening now – at the time we are speaking,
temporary situations
activities that are in progress
We often use time expressions like at the moment, today, this week.
Just a minute. I’m checking my email. (now)
She usually works in London, but she’s working from home this week. (temporary situation)
I’m studying Economics (activity in progress)
Form – Positive
The present simple has the same form as the infinitive without ‘to’’ for I, you, we and they. For he, she and it, we add -s or -es to the infinitive.
They live in Rome.
Julian starts work at nine o’clock and finishes at five.
The present continuous for I is subject + am + verb-ing For you, we and they: subject + are + -verb-ing. For he, she, it: subject + is + verb-ing. We usually use contractions (I’m, he’s, they’re, etc.) when we are speaking.
Can I call you back later? We’re having dinner right now.
Form – Negative
The negative present simple is subject + don’t (do not) + infinitive without ‘to’ for I, you, we and they, and subject + doesn’t (does not) + infinitive without ‘to’ for he, she and it.
I don’t eat meat.
It doesn’t usually snow in October.
The negative present continuous for I is I’m not + verb-ing. For you, we and they: subject + aren’t + verb-ing. For he, she, it: subject + isn’t + verb-ing.
He isn’t answering his mobile at the moment.
Form – questions
The present simple question form is do/does + subject + infinitive without ‘to’.
Do you read the news online every day?
Does the supermarket sell stamps?
The present continuous question form is am/is/are+ subject + verb-ing.
What are you doing?
Is it raining?
Take note: spelling changes
In the present simple, regular verbs end in -s or -es, but -y changes to -i.
marry – marries study – studies
In the present continuous, all verbs end in -ing, but sometimes the spelling changes.
make – making sit – sitting die – dying
Take note: spelling
In the present simple, regular verbs end in -s or -es, but -y changes to -i.
marry – marries
study – studies
In the present continuous, all main verbs end in -ing, but sometimes the spelling changes.
make – making
sit – sitting
die – dying
Take note: verbs we don’t use in the present continuous
There are some verbs that we don’t usually use in the continuous form. They are often verbs linked to the senses and thinking, for example: hear, see, smell, hate, know, understand, believe, want, need.
Wrong: Could you explain that again? I’m not understanding.
Correct: Could you explain that again? I don’t understand.
Practice
Match questions 1-8 with answers a-h.
- Does it snow in the UK? a. My home’s in Brazil.
- Is it snowing in the UK? b. Yes, I’m the managing director.
- Do you work here? c. No, I’ve got a day off.
- Are you working today? d. Just coke, usually.
- Where do you live? e. It’s water.
- Where are you living? f. In a friend’s flat in London.
- What do you drink? g. Not right now.
- What are you drinking? h. Only in winter.
Answers
- Does it snow in the UK? (h) Only in winter.
[Use the present simple for truths and facts.]
- Is it snowing in the UK? (g) Not right now.
[Use the present continuous for things that are/aren’t happening now.]
- Do you work here? (b) Yes, I’m the managing director.
[Use the present simple for permanent situations.]
- Are you working today? (c) No, I’ve got a day off.
[Use the present continuous for temporary situations.]
- Where do you live? (a) My home’s in Brazil.
[Use the present simple for permanent situations.]
- Where are you living? (f) In a friend’s flat in London.
[Use the present continuous for temporary situations.]
- What do you drink? (d) Usually just coke.
[Use the present simple for habits.]
- What are you drinking? (e) It’s water.