Present Simple Vs Cont

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BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ENGLISH GRAMMAR · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
PRESENT
SIMPLE VS.
CONTINUOUS
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1 Simple vs. continuous
Present simple
We use the present simple to talk about repeated actions or permanent situations in the present:
I always commute by car.
I live in Madrid.
I sometimes work at weekends.
Present continuous
We use the present continuous to talk about actions happening now or around the present time:
I’m learning English at the moment.
Pamela is working on an important project this week.
Only verbs of action can be used in the continuous form, e.g. I’m working, she’s writing, etc. Some
verbs such as believe, know, love are states, not actions. State verbs can normally only be used in the
simple form (I love, not I’m loving).
State verbs: want, like, love, hate, prefer, know, realise, understand, believe, remember, seem, suppose,
mean...
Some verbs can be action or state verbs, with a change in meaning:
STATES
I think you need to take some time off work. (= I believe, in my opinion)
I see that you are very stressed these days. (= my observation)
She is very fair with her employees. (= her general character)
ACTIONS
What are you thinking about? (think = ‘use your brain’)
‘Where is the boss?’ ‘I’m seeing her right now.’ (= ‘I’m meeting her’)
She is being unfair. (= ‘she is behaving in this way right now’)
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INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
PRESENT SIMPLE VS. CONTINUOUS
DIALOGUE A: What do you do?

B: I’m a sales manager. I live and work in Rome.
A: Interesting. So, what are you doing here in London?
B: I’m just visiting. I love this city.
2 Practice 1
Put the verbs in brackets in the present simple or present continuous:
1. I often (go) to work by bus.

2. Where (you/live)?
3. The boss isn’t here. She (have) lunch with a client.
4. The photocopy machine is free. I (not/use) it.
5. Tom (work) as an architect for a large firm in London. This month, his company
(design) a new office building for one of its main clients.
6. I usually (leave) the office at 5pm, but this week I (stay) late because
of the new project.
7. Pablo is a journalist - he (write) articles for a well-known newspaper. Right now,
he (write) about the economic situation in his country.
8. Owen (talk) on the phone at the moment. He (not/usually/make)
calls in his work.
3 Practice 2
Look at the pictures below. On the next page, answer the questions about each picture using the
phrases below, like in the example.
buy and sell shares buy supplies design buildings develop websites
draft agreements drink wine have lunch kick a photocopier
make a deal repair cars run a corporation go to a client
sell insurance text people work late write a note
salesman architects CEO purchasing managers
business lawyers stock brokers IT programmer mechanic
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1. What does he do? He sells insurance.

What is he doing? He’s going to a client.
2. What do they do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What are they doing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. What does he do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is he doing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. What do they do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. What do they do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. What do they do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. What does he do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is he doing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. What does he do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is he doing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Now answer the questions about you:
1. What do you do?

2. What are you doing?
4 Practice 3 - State vs. Action verbs

Put the verbs in brackets in the present simple or present continuous:
1. We (need) to wait. I (not/know) how long.

2. I (not/like) this design. I (prefer) that one.
3. I (not/understand) what you (try) to say. Can you explain it another
way?
4. Jenny (be) on maternity leave. She (not/work) at the moment.
5. The managers (think) of relocating the company headquarters.
6. Right now, I (not/see) a problem. I (think) everything is fine.
7. (have/you) a minute? I (want) to talk to you about something.
8. I (see) that you (not/do) anything at the moment.
9. The internet (seem) to be down at the moment. (you/understand)?
10. I (not/have) time to talk right now. I (see) the manager.

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5 Practice 4
Complete the questions below using the present simple or present continuous. Then give true answers.
1. You / often / wear / jeans at work?

2. You / wear / jeans / right now?
3. It / often / rain / in your country?
4. It / rain / at the moment?
5. You / ever / work late?
6. You / work late / today?
7. You / sometimes / think / about changing your career?
8. You / think / about changing your career / at the moment?
9. You / work on / an important project / this week?
10. You / often / work on / important projects?
11. You / commute / by train?
12. You / commute / right now?
6 Present continuous with ‘always’
We often use the present continuous with always to talk about something that happens
again and again. The meaning is like the present simple, but it usually describes a habit
that is irritating.
She’s always talking about people behind their backs.
He’s always arriving late.
I’m always losing my keys!
We can also use the present continuous with always to emphasise other repeated actions
and behaviour.
We’re always looking for new employees. (= We often look for new employees)
I’m always reading something. (= I read very often)
Joe is a very generous person. He’s always lending his friends money. (= he lends money
to his friends very often)
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7 Practice 5
Complete the sentences below with a suitable verb and ‘always’, like in the example.
arrive chat criticise drink eat

make misunderstand rain reply forget
1. Peter is always forgetting to do important tasks. It’s a real problem.

2. Anna to her friends on Skype. When does she have time for work?
3. Jeff is a very mean boss. He his employees.
4. You’ll need an umbrella. It in London.
5. Simon to the wrong emails.
6. You what I say. Try to listen more carefully.
7. The marketing manager strong black coffee. By the end of the day, he
becomes very irritable.
8. Joe too much at lunchtime. It’s not surprising that he feels sleepy in the
afternoon.
9. You late! Try to be on time.
10. The secretary the same mistakes! It’s so irritating.
Do you have any bad or irritating habits?

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TEACHER MATERIALS · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
Key
2. Practice 1
1. go 2. do you live 3. ’s having 4. ’m not using

5. works; is designing 6. leave; ’m staying 7. writes; is writing 8. is talking; doesn’t
usually make
3. Practice 2
3. They design buildings. They are having lunch.

4. He runs a corporation. He is kicking a photocopier.
5. They buy supplies. They are making a deal.
6. They draft agreements. They are texting people.
7. They buy and sell shares. They are drinking wine.
8. He develops websites. He is working late.
9. He repairs cars. He is writing a note.
4. Practice 3 - State vs. Action verbs
1. need; don’t know 2. don’t like; prefer 3. don’t understand; are trying
4. is;isn’t working 5. are thinking 6. don’t see; think
7. Do you have; want 8. see; aren’t doing 9. seems; Do you understand
10. don’t have; ’m seeing
5. Practice 4
This exercise can be done in the form of a speaking activity. Students take turns to ask each other questions and
give answers.
1. Do you often wear jeans?
2. Are you wearing jeans right now?
3. Does it often rain in your country?
4. Is it raining at the moment?
5. Do you ever work on Saturdays?
6. Are you working late today?
7. Do you sometimes think about changing your career?
8. Are you thinking about changing your career at the moment?
9. Are you working on an important project this week?
10. Do you often work on important projects?
11. Do you commute by train?
12. Are you commuting right now?
7. Practice 5
2. is always chatting 3. ’s always criticising 4. ’s always raining

5. is always replying 6. are always misunderstanding 7. is always drinking
8. is always eating 9. ’re always arriving 10. is always making
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Present Simple Vs Cont

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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ENGLISH GRAMMAR · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

1 Simple vs. continuous

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/5

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. CONTINUOUS

DIALOGUE A: What do you do?

1. I often (go) to work by bus.

salesman architects CEO purchasing managers

business lawyers stock brokers IT programmer mechanic

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/5

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. CONTINUOUS

1. What does he do? He sells insurance.

Now answer the questions about you:

1. What do you do?

4 Practice 3 - State vs. Action verbs

1. We (need) to wait. I (not/know) how long.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/5

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. CONTINUOUS

1. You / often / wear / jeans at work?

6 Present continuous with ‘always’

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 4/5

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. CONTINUOUS

arrive chat criticise drink eat

1. Peter is always forgetting to do important tasks. It’s a real problem.

Do you have any bad or irritating habits?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 5/5

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. CONTINUOUS

1. go 2. do you live 3. ’s having 4. ’m not using

3. They design buildings. They are having lunch.

4. Practice 3 - State vs. Action verbs

2. is always chatting 3. ’s always criticising 4. ’s always raining

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