The explanation of present continues and present simple

The present continuous (also called present progressive) is a verb tense which is
used to show that an ongoing action is happening now, either at the moment of
speech or now in a larger sense. The present continuous can also be used to show
that ab action is going to take place in the near future. Read on for detailed
descriptions, examples, and present continuous exercises.

Present Continuous Forms

The present continuous is formed using am/is/are + present participle. Questions

are indicated by inverting the subject and am/is/are. Negatives are made with not.

Statement: You are watching TV.

Question: Are you watching TV?
Negative: You are not watching TV

Forms
Present Continuous Uses
USE 1 Now
present continuous now

Use the present continuous with normal verbs to express the idea that something is
happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is
not happening now.

Examples:

You are learning English now.

You are not swimming now.
Are you sleeping?
I am sitting.
I am not standing.
Is he sitting or standing?
They are reading their books.
They are not watching television.
What are you doing?
Why aren't you doing your homework?
USE 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now
present continuous longer duration

In English, "now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this
century, and so on. Sometimes, we use the present continuous to say that we are in
the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be
doing it at this exact second.

Examples: (All of these sentences can be said while eating dinner in a restaurant.)

I am studying to become a doctor.

I am not studying to become a dentist.
I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.
I am not reading any books right now.
Are you working on any special projects at work?
Aren't you teaching at the university now?
USE 3 Near Future
present continuous near future

Sometimes, speakers use the present continuous to indicate that something will or
will not happen in the near future.
Examples:

I am meeting some friends after work

I am not going to the party tonight.

Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
Isn't he coming with us tonight?
USE 4 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
present continuous always habit

The present continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the
idea that something irritating or shocking often happens. Notice that the meaning
is like simple present, but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words
"always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."

Examples:

She is always coming to class late.

He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.
I don't like them because they are always complaining.

Present Continuous Tips

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any
continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be
used in continuous tenses. Instead of using present continuous with these verbs,
you must use simple present.

Examples:

She is loving this chocolate ice cream. Not Correct

She loves this chocolate ice cream. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You are still watching TV.

Are you still watching TV?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Right now, Tom is writing the letter. Active

Right now, the letter is being written by Tom. Passive
More About Active / Passive Forms

Simple present tense

The simple present tense is one of several forms of present tense in English. It is
used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed
arrangements. The simple present tense is simple to form. Just use the base form of
the verb: (I take, you take, we take, they take) The 3rd person singular takes an -
s at the end. (he takes, she takes)

To express habits, general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations,

emotions and wishes:
I smoke (habit); I work in London (unchanging situation); London is a large city
(general truth)
To give instructions or directions:
You walk for two hundred meters, then you turn left.
To express fixed arrangements, present or future:
Your exam starts at 09.00
To express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as,
until:
He'll give it to you when you come next Saturday.
Be careful! The simple present is not used to express actions happening now.

Examples
For habits
He drinks tea at breakfast.
She only eats fish.
They watch television regularly.
For repeated actions or events
We catch the bus every morning.
It rains every afternoon in the hot season.
They drive to Monaco every summer.
For general truths
Water freezes at zero degrees.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
Her mother is Peruvian.
For instructions or directions
Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
You take the No.6 bus to Watney and then the No.10 to Bedford.
For fixed arrangements
His mother arrives tomorrow.
Our holiday starts on the 26th March
With future constructions
She'll see you before she leaves.
We'll give it to her when she arrives.
Forming the simple present tense: to think
Affirmative Interrogative Negative
I think Do I think? I do not think
You think Do you think? You do not think
He thinks Does he think? He does not think
She thinks Does she think? She does not think
It thinks Does it think? It does not think
We think Do we think? We do not think.
They think Do they think? They do not think.
Notes on the simple present, third person singular
In the third person singular the verb always ends in -s:
he wants, she needs, he gives, she thinks.
Negative and question forms use DOES the third person of the auxiliary 'DO') + the
infinitive of the verb.
He wants ice cream. Does he want strawberry? He does not want vanilla.
Verbs ending in -y : the third person changes the -y to -ies:
fly --> flies, cry --> cries
Exception: if there is a vowel before the -y:
play --> plays, pray --> prays
Add -es to verbs ending in:-ss, -x, -sh, -ch:
he passes, she catches, he fixes, it pushes
Examples
He goes to school every morning.
She understands English.
It mixes the sand and the water.
He tries very hard.
She enjoys playing the piano.
Examples:
1- Right now I (watch) watching a movie. I watch a lot of movies.
2- Rickie (be) is my friend. We (like) like to talk together. Right now we (talk)
are taking about school.
3- The police officer (wear) wears badge and a gun to work every day.
4- Jaime usually (eat) eats cold cereal for breakfast but today he (eat) is eating
oatmeal instead.
5- Alison and I (study) study for the exam We (not, want) don’t want to fail it!
6- Jonas (sing) sings in the band on Saturdays, and Veda (play) plays the guitar.
7- My uncle (live) lives in Tennessee. I (live) live in North Carolina.
8- My mom(cook) is cooking dinner tonight. (You, want) Do you want to eat with us?
9- Tiffany and Mark ( travel) are training to Spain they will stay in Madrid.
10- We (read) the newspaper every morning.

What's the difference between the Present Simple / Present Continuous and how to
use them.

We use the present simple tense when we want to talk about fixed habits or routines
– things that don’t change.

We use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening at the
present moment, but will soon finish.

Compare these two statements:

(present simple) I play tennis.

(present continuous/ progressive) I am playing tennis.
(present simple) ‘I play tennis’ tells us that playing tennis is something the
speaker always does. It is part of a routine or habit. We can call this a permanent
situation.

(present continuous/ progressive) ‘I am playing tennis’ tells us that the speaker

is playing tennis right now. Soon the game will be over. We call this a temporary
situation.

With the present simple we say:

I play tennis
You play tennis
We play tennis
They play tennis
He/she/ it plays tennis.

With the present continuous we say:

I am playing tennis
You are playing tennis
We are playing tennis
He/she/it is playing tennis

Frequency Adverbs we use with the Present Simple

With the present simple we use these frequency adverbs:

(Notice that the adverb comes before the main verb in the sentence.)

Always: ‘I always read before I go to bed.’

Often: ‘Her sister often comes shopping with us.’

Frequently:‘Michael frequently visits his family.’

Sometimes:‘You sometimes go to the gym, don’t you?’

Occasionally:‘It occasionally rains in summer.’

Seldom:‘They seldom ask for help.’

Rarely: ‘He rarely goes out without his backpack.’

Hardly ever:‘I hardly ever eat pizza.’

Never: ‘Japanese people never wear shoes inside.’

Time Expressions we use with the Present Continuous

With the present continuous we use these time expressions:

(Notice that the time expression can come at the start or at the end of the
sentence.)

At the moment: ‘I’m watching TV, at the moment.’

These days: ‘Paul’s living in Cardiff, these days.’

Now: ‘What are you doing, now?’

Nowadays: ‘I think you are smoking too much, nowadays.’

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Complete these sentences below using either the present simple or present
continuous.