Unit 1 Present simple and present continuous ‘The present simple is used to describe: # a permanent state or situation: / ve in the town where | was born, # a fact or something which is always true: The earth revolves around the sun. ‘¢ an activity which happens regularly or occasionally: He _gets up at six oclock every day. ‘The present continuous is used to describe: ‘¢ a temporary situation: I'm living with my uncle while the builders finish decorating my house, ‘¢ an activity happening at the present moment: lm sorry ‘you can't talk to her at the moment. She's having a ‘shower. ‘¢ an activity in progress but not exactly at the present moment: I’m studying three foreign languages, so! quite busy nowadays. ‘* a situation which is changing or developing: Lots of people are coming to lve here, so the town is growing quickly. ‘© things the speaker finds strange or irritating, with always. This is a way of complaining: Youve atways using the telephone. Our phone bill will be enormous! ‘© something which happens frequently, with ahvays: My itiriend is always cooking me special meals! State verbs Verbs which describe states, not actions, are not usually used in the continuous. These verbs describe: thoughts: believe, know, remember, think (meaning believe), feo! (meaning beliove), suppose, et. feelings: love, like, hate, want, prefer, etc. senses: smell, hear, taste, see possession: have, belong, own, etc. the verb t0 be. Present perfect simple and present perfect, continuous Both the present perfect simple and present perfect continuous talk about something which started in the past and: «either has a result in the present: He's fost his job (i.e. he's unemployed now). /'ve been partying all weekend, so 1'm feeling pretty ted now. ‘© oris still happening now: We've been building an extension to our house (and we haven't finished ye. Often they are interchangeable. However: © emphasises the result: | © emphasises the activity: ve been phoning my friends (that’s why Thaven’t done my homework). Tve phoned all my friends and they're ‘coming to the party. © sayshow much you | * says how long you've have done: I've cooked | been doing something: three pizzas. ve been cooking all afternoon. ‘© may give the idea that |» may give the idea | something is more that something is permanent (and may be | temporary (and may accompanied by atime | be accompanied by a expression which shows | time expression which this): He's worked in shows this): I've been this shop all tis life. 've | working here for the always lived here. last two months until 1 0 t0 university, We've been eating dinner in the garden while the weather has been so warm. * is used when we want | © when we want to to say how many times | emphasise the process something has been of change over a repeated: I've invited period of time and that her two or three times | these changes are not but she always says she’s | finished: Your English ‘nsy. has been improving | tremendously since you started doing your homework’ Remember: state verbs are not normally used in the continuous (see left). Grammar reference @