Present simple

vs
Present continuous

Kelly （ 8404472 ）

Rooj （ 8459532 ）

Niki （ 8494764 ）
 Content
 1. Introduction

 2.Three genres Fictions

News
Advertisements
 3.Similarities and differences

 4.Grammatical errors
 Introduction to:
Present Simple & Present
Continuous
What is Present Simple?

Verb tense used to talk about facts & express

general routines or habits
Facts
 Sentence eg. 1. The capital city of Nepal is Kathmand
u.

2. Water boils at 100 °C.

●This is a factual information ∴ Simple Presen

t tense is used.

Express general habits & routines

 Sentence eg. I play soccer (everyday, often, etc.)
 look at it in details:

I play soccer

 Main idea is the verb tense because the form of the

verb gives the idea of the time of an action
Time:

Past Present Future

Verb “Play” in
Past Tense: played
Now Tense: am playing
Future Tense: will play
What is Present Continuous?

- Verb tense to show a condition or an action th

at is ongoing at the moment or happening right
now

Ongoing action
●Sentence eg. I am playing soccer
 I am playing socce
r

Present Participle

Present tense Continous aspec

t

Verb + [ing]
Play + ing
 Tim
e

Past Present Futur

e

❏Verb “Playing” is the Present Continuous Tense

Something that will happen in the future
●Sentence eg. I’m meeting my sister for lunch tomor
row.
Fiction
"I am glad you think I have been useful to her; but
Harriet only wanted drawing out, and receiving a few,
very few hints. She had all the natural grace of
sweetness of temper and artlessness in herself. I have
done very little."  "If it were admissible to contradict a
lady," said the gallant
Mr. Elton--  "I have perhaps given her a little more de
cision of character, have taught her to think on points
which had not fallen in her way before."  "Exactly so; t
hat is what principally strikes me. So much superadded
decision of character!
Skilful
has been the hand!"  "Great has been the pleasure, I a
m sure. I never met with a
disposition more truly amiable
."  "I have no doubt of it." And it was spoken with a sor
t of sighing
animation
, which had a vast deal of the lover. She was not less p
leased another day with the manner in which he secon
ded a sudden wish of hers, to have Harriet's picture.  "
Did you ever have your
likeness
taken, Harriet?" said she: "did you ever sit for your pic
ture?"  Harriet was on the point of leaving the room, a
Relative clause which is [
the attractions you have added are
infinitely
superior to what she received from
nature.
]

The relative pronoun is <what>

(Relative clause)Frequency
distribution:
(3/1500)x100%=0.20%
 Present simple
◆ The earth moves around the sun.

◆ This stain is really stubborn.

◆ Every cloud has a silver lining.

◆ I would like now to seriously indifferent room of

wonderful.

◆ Do you play the guitar?

◆ (Relative clause)Frequency distribution is

◆ (98/1500)x100%=6.5%
 Present continuous
◆ It’s getting warmer and warmer!

◆ He is always causing trouble.

◆ How are you feeling today?

◆ They are leaving for New York tomorrow.

◆ She is constantly worrying about her son’s health.

◆ (Relative clause)Frequency distribution is

◆ (62/1500)x100%=4.2%
News
A feature of news: Timely

Timely:
happening at exactly the right time
 Present simple
8 things you may not know about Start of Winter

2019-11-8

 (present simple)Frequency distribution:

(52/647) x100%
=8.03%
 Present simple

 The main functions of present simple:

 1.To demonstrate the regular actions.

 2.To demonstrate the ability, personality and habit.

 3.To demonstrate the objectivity.

 1 relative clause which is
“Since then, people have learned to make the
food which became known as "dumpling"”
 The relative pronoun is “which”

 (Relative Clause )Frequency distribution:

(2/647) x100%
=0.31%
 Present continuous
FDI flows into China to see steady growth

2019-10-31

 (present continuous )Frequency dist

ribution: (2/552) x100%
=0.36%
Present continuous

 The main function of present continuous:

 1.To demonstrate an action which is in progress

 1 relative clause which is
“Vice-Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said the gov
ernment will constantly enhance policy transparency an
d show consistency in implementing and in creating a f
air and neutral market environment where Chinese and
foreign companies are treated as equals and engage in
fair competition.”
The relative pronoun is “where”

(Relative Clause )Frequency distribution: (4/552) x

100%
=0.72%
Advertisement
 1st Advertisment text

 Occurance of grammatical concept (Present Simple)

= 2 (keeps , supplies)

 Frequency distribution: (2/37) x100%

=5.41%
2nd Advertistment text

 Occurance of grammatical concept (Present Continuou

s)= 2 (reviving , putting)
 Frequency distribution = (2/53) x100% = 3.77%

 Only 1 relative clause which is

“The man who cannot get a Double Diamond at his ‘local’
is unlucky indeed.”
 The relative pronoun is “Who”
 Occurance of sub-categorization (Relative
Clause) =1
 % distribution = (1/ 53) x100% = 1.89%
Similarities and differences
 Simple Present Present Progressive
infinitive form of 'be' and verb + ing
(3rd person singular: infinitive + 's')  
I speak I am speaking
you speak you are speaking
he / she / it speaks he / she / it is speaking
we speak we are speaking
they speak they are speaking
Exceptions
•Exceptions when adding 's' : •Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
For can, may, might, must, do not Silent e is dropped. (but: does not
add s. Example: he can, she may, apply for -ee) Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing
it must
•After a short, stressed vowel, the final
•After o, ch, sh or s, add es.
consonant is doubled. Example: sit -
Example: do - he does, wash - she sitting
washes •After a vowel, the final consonant l is
•After a consonant, the final doubled in British English (but not in
consonant y becomes ie. (but: not American English). Example: travel -
after a vowel) Example: worry - he travelling (British English)
worries but: traveling (American English)
but: play - he plays •Final ie becomes y. Example: lie -
lying
In general or right now?
Do you want to express that something happens in
general or that something is happening right now?
Simple Present Present Progressive
in general (regularly, often, never) right now
Colin plays football every Tuesday. Look! Colin is playing football now.
present actions happening one also for several actions happening
after another at the same time
First Colin plays football, then he Colin is playing football and Anne is
watches TV. watching.
Signal words
•always •at the moment
•every ...
•often •at this moment
•normally •today
•usually •now
•sometimes
•seldom •right now
•never •Listen!
•first •Look!
•then
Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present:
be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want
PRESENT SIMPLE VS.PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
DIFFERENCES IN USAGE
 https://youtu.be/1ShOoOd3FAo
There are differences between the simple
present and the present continuous. The
major difference between them is that we
use the present simple tense when we
want to talk about fixed habits or routines
We use the present continuous to talk
about actions which are happening at the
moment.
The present tense is usually used to describe what happens daily, not what is happening at the moment. Generally, the adverbs of degree such as normally, sometimes, and often appear in sentences of the present tense.
 Grammar Rule
 Examples
 I play tennis every Sunday.
I’m playing hockey now.
She eats fruit every day.
She’s eating an apple now.
 Remember!
 We use the present simple to talk about routines – what you do every day or every
week. We use the present continuous to talk about things you are doing now.
I watch cartoons every day.
I’m watching a film now.   
 Be careful!
 For the present simple, add ‘s’ or ‘es’ for he/she/it. Make the negative with ‘don’t’ or
‘doesn’t’. For the present continuous, use the verb ‘to be’ and ‘-ing’. Add ‘not’ to make
the negative.  
My dad makes dinner every evening. He doesn’t make lunch.
We are studying English now. We aren’t studying maths.
 We say... We don’t say...
 I wake up every morning at 7:00. (NOT I am waking up every morning at 7:00.)
She is talking on the phone now. (NOT She talks on the phone now.)
They aren’t reading a book now. (NOT They don’t reading a book now.)
Grammatical errors
 Grammatical errors (present simple)
1. The form of the verb

present simple present simple(3rd ) simple past past participate present participate
Grammatical errors (present simple)
2.The auxiliary verb [do]
Pronoun(1st, 2nd) present simple
I don't like the rainy day.
You don't like the rainy day

Pronoun(3rd) present simple

He doesn't like the rainy day
Grammatical errors (present simple)

3.Hints:

usually, always, sometimes, often, every

day.......
Grammatical errors (present continous)

1. Hints:

now, at the moment, these days, this week, this term ,

this month, Look, Listen.......
Grammatical errors (present continous)
2. present continuous and future

Be + present participate

They are going to school. ≠ present continuous

eg.
come ， go ， leave ， depart ， arrive ， stay ， start
 Conclusion
 1.Functions of present simple and present
continous.
 2.Remember five forms of verb.
 3.Distinguish between present continous
and future.

eg.come ， go ， leave ， depart ， arrive ，

stay ， start
 4.Attach importance to the pronoun.

eg. pronoun(3rd, singular)→verb alterd

 Reference
 <www.enread.com>
 <https://examples.yourdictionary.com/present-contin
uous-tense-examples.html>
 <http://www.adnews.com.au/news/happy-birthday-v
egemite-a-history-of-ads>
 <https://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-double-diam
ond-burton-pale-ale-picture-post.html>
 <https://writingexplained.org/grammar-dictionary/pre
sent-perfect-tense>
 <https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/englis
h-grammar/simple-present-tense/>
 <http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/shandong/shando
ngculture/2019-11/08/content_27293464.htm>
 <https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201910/31/WS5d
ba24afa310cf3e355748c9.html>