Differences between Simple present and

Present continuous.

Present continuous: Simple present:

Is used for actions that are
happening right now, at the
moment of speaking about
them.
Is used when someone is doing
something right now, or
something is happening right
now.
Examples:
*I am teaching an English lesson
*You are listening an English
class
*You are learning Present
continuous now.
Is used for regular habits or
repeated actions. These are
often daily routines and they
happen always, often,
generally, every week, etc.
Examples:
*I teach English at UT
*You listen music often
*You take different classes at
UT from Monday to Friday.
I speak English in my job.

I am speaking English. More examples:

*I brush my hair every day
Sometimes we use the Present
continuous to talk about *He goes to the gym after work.
something that is not
*He walks to his job every day
necessarily happening at that
exact moment. *We sleep at nights
Common time expressions used
Examples:
with the simple present tense
*I am Reading a great book
(It does not necessarily mean
that I am Reading the book at
this moment. It refers to this
moment of my life. I’ve started
reading this book and I haven’t
finished it yet).
*They are staying at a local
hotel because the roof of their
house was damaged during the
storm.
(It doesn’t necessarily mean
that they are at the hotel right
at this moment. Maybe they
are working now or somewhere
else. This situation is
temporary.
Common time expressions with
the Present coninuous are:
Now, right now, still, at the
moment.
More examples in
Present continuous:
Jack is learning Italian.
(It does not necessarily mean
that he is learning right now at don’t plan to change soon. It is
the desk with all of his language more or less permanent.
books. It refers to this moment Example:
of his life).
I am living in London at the
moment.
are:
Always, often, generally,
sometimes, never, normally.
Every day, every wek, every
year.
Note: That the time words in
the singular form: day not days.
Once a day, twice a week, three
times a month.
Then the rest are: four times,
five times.
In the morning , in the
afternoon, in the evening, at
night.
On Mondays, on Fridays,
When the day is in plural, it
refers to all Mondays, all
Fridays.
We use the simple present for
things that do not change for a
long time: I plan to live in
England for a long time and I
I live in England.
(This situation is temporary. We use the Simple present in
Next month I plan to live in a the next example because this
different city). is a fact or generally true:

It is raining right now. It rains a lot in Winter.

(We are talking about an action
that is happening right now.
It is in progress. It will not
continue forever, it is I eat cereal every day.
temporary. Tomorow it might This is my habit, routine.
be sunny.
Negative sentences in
I am eating cereal right now.
Simple present:
Affirmative sentences
Subject+ V. Be + V. ing I do not eat cereal every day
Am, Is, Are (Sometimes I have pancakes for
breakfast)

We use do not or does not to

Negative sentences in
make negative sentences in
Present continuous:
Simple Present or the
I am not eating cereal right contraction: don’t or doesn’t.
now. I am eating broccoli.

We add not between the verb

to be and the verb in gerund
Questions in Simple present:
(ing) to make negative
Routines.
sentences in Present
continuous. Yes/ no questions
They start with an auxiliary
We are not dancing at the
verb.
party.
He is not sleeping. They have to be answered with
She is not eating pizza. yes or no.
Syntac for negative sentence:
Subj + V Be + not + V ing
Yes/ no Questions in
Present Continuous.
Yes /no questions
*They start with an auxiliary
verb to be.
*They have to be answered
with an affirmative or negative
answer.
Verb be + Subject + V (ing)+ (c)?
Are you eating cereal right
now? Yes, I am. / No, I am not.
(Is this what you are doing right
now?
Are we dancing? No we are not.
Are we taking an English class?
Yes, we are.
Are you working? No, I am not
working, because I am taking
am English class.
Is Julián listening the class? No,
he is not, because he is
working.
Is Daniela putting atention?
Yes, Daniela is.
Are you putting attention?
Yes, I am putting attention.
Are they swimming in the
Example:
Do you eat cereal? Yes, I do.
No, I don’t.
(It means that we want to
know if you eat cereal very
often?
Syntax:
Aux verb + Sub + Main verb
(base form)
+ (complement)
Does she work in Nemak?
Does he work in Nemak?
Do you work in Nemak?
Do they work in Nemak?
Wh questions are used to
get information.
Syntax:
Whq + Aux. verb + sub +
Main Verb + (complement)
Where do you live?
I live in Santa Catarina
pool? Yes they are swimming in
the pool. Why does José study
Am I working with the English?
students? José studies English because
Yes, I am. he needs it for his job.
Yes, I am working with them.

We use this syntax:

For Yes/no questions in
Present continuous:
Verb to be (am, is, are) +
subject + V. Gerund (ing)
+ (complement)?
Short affirmative answers:
Yes + Subject + auxiliry verb.
NO CONTRACTIONS in the short
affirmative answers.

Short negative answers:

No + Subject + auxiliry verb +
not. What do you do?
We can use contractions in the (It means what is your job or
short negative answers. occupation)
What do you read?
No, he’s not.// No he isn’t //
(what type of books do you like
No he is not.
to read?

Wh questions
Are used to get information.

What, who, where, when, why,

which, whose, how.
Places --- where (dónde)
Time--- when (cuándo)
Things ----what (qué)
Reasons--- why (porqué)
Possesion---whose. (De quién)
Choices ---which (cuál/ cuáles)
Persons —who (quién, quiénes)
How ---- (cómo)

How are you?

How Deep?
How long?
How far?
How many?

Syntax:
Whq + to be +subject + v
gerund (ing)

What are you doing?

(It means what action are you
doing right now?
(What thing are you doing right
now?
I am explaining the lesson.
I am working with the students
I am interacting with them.
I am talking with them.
Where are you living in this
moment?
I am living in Santa Catarina.

Why are you learning English?

Because I like it.
Because I need it in my job.

Who is living with you?

My father is living with me
now.

Which TV program are you

watching now?