UNIT 3 - Pressent Continuous (I am doing) or Present Simple (I do)

a) Study this explanation and compare the examples:

• Present Continuous (I am doing)
  

     Use the present continuous tot talk about something which is happening at or around the time of speaking.

     ~ The kettle is boiling. can you turn it off, please?

     ~ Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?

     ~ 'Where's Tom?'   'He's playing tennis.'

     ~ (you find a stranger in your romm) What are you doing here?

     ~ Silvia is in Britain for three months. She's learning English.

Use the present continuous for a temporary situation:

   - I'm living with  some friends until I can find a flat.

   - that machine isn't working. It broke down this morning.

• Present Simple (I do)

 

     Use the present simple to talk about things in general or things which happen repeatedly

     ~ Water boils at 100 degrees Celcius.

     ~ Excus me, do you speak English?

     ~ Tom plays tennis every Saturday.

     ~ What do you usually do at weekends?

     ~ What do you do? (= What's your job?)

     ~ Most people learn to swim when they are children.

Use the present simple for a permanent situation:

   - My parents live in London. They have been there for 20 years.

   - That machine doesn't work. It hasn't worked for years.

b) Some verbs are used only in simple tenses. For example, you cannot say ' I am knowing '. you can only say I know. here is a list of verbs which are not normally used in continuous tenses (but there are exceptions):

want        like       belong          know        suppose            remember

need        love      see               realise      mean                forget

prefer     hate      hear              believe     understand       seem

have (when the meaning is 'possess')

think (when the meaning is 'believe')

     ~ Do you like London? (not 'are you liking?')

     ~ He doesn't understand. (not 'he isn't understanding')

     ~ These shoes belong to me. (not 'are belonging')

     ~ What do you think Tom will do? (= What do you believe he will do?)

     but: What are you thinking about? (= What is going on in your mind?)

  Thanks to Cambridge University Press, "English Grammar in Use"

UNIT 2 - Present Simple (I do)

a) We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We are not thinking only about the present. We use it to say that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general. It is not important whether the action at the time of speaking:

     ~ The earth goes round the sun

     ~ Nurses look  after patients in hospitals.

     ~ In Britain most of the shops close at 5.30 p.m.

Remember that we say he/she/it   -s. Don't forget the s:

     ~ I work in a bank. Barry works in a shop.

b) We use do/does to make questions and negative sentences:

    *Questions form

      do      I/we/you/they   V 1 + ?

      does  he/she/it           V 1 + ?

    *Negatives form

      I/we/you/they   don't      V 1

      he/she/it           doesn't   V 1

     ~ Excuse me, do you speak English?

     ~ 'Would you like a cigarette?'   'No, thanks. I don't smoke.'

     ~ What does this word mean? (not 'What means this word?')

     ~ Rice doesn't grow in Britain.

c) We use the present simple when we say how often we do things:

     ~ I get up at 8 o'clock every morning. (not 'am getting')

     ~ How often do you go to the dentist?

     ~ Ann doesn't often drink tea.

     ~ In summer Tom usually plays tennis twice a week.

d) Note that we say 'Where do you come from?' (= Where are you from?)

     ~ Where do you come from? (not 'Where are you coming from?)

     ~ He comes from Japan. (not 'He is coming from Japan.')

e) When  you make a suggestion, you can say Why don't you ...?

     ~ ' I'm tired.'   'Why don't you go to bed early?'

Thanks to Cambridge University Press, "English Grammar in Use"

UNIT 1 - Present Continuous (I am doing)

a) We use the present continuous when we talk about which is happening at the time of speaking:

   ~ Please don't make so much noise. I'm studying. (not 'I study')

   ~ 'Where is Margaret?'   'She's having a bath.' (not she has')

   ~ Let's go out ow. It isn't raining any more.

   ~ (at the party) Hello, Ann. Are you enjoying the party? (not 'do you enjoy')

b) We also use the present continuous when we talk about something which is happening around the time of speaking, but not necessarily exactly at the time of speaking. Study this example situation:

   ~ Tom and Ann are talking and drinking in a cafe. Tom says: ' I'm reading an interesting book at the moment. I'll lend it to you when I've finished it.'

Tom is not reading the book at the time of speaking. He means that he has begun the book and hasn't finished it yet. He is in the middle of reading it. Here are some more examples:

   ~ Silvia is learning English at the moment. (not 'learns')

   ~ Have you heard about Tom? He is building his own house. (not 'build')

But perhaps Silvia and Tom are not doing these things exactly at the time of speaking.

c) We often use the present continuous when we talk about a period the present. For example: today, this season, etc.:

   ~ ' You're working hard today.'  'Yes, I have a lot to do'

   ~ Tom isn't playing football this season. He wants to concentrate on his studies.

d) We use the present continuous when we talk about changing situations:

   ~ The population of the world is rising very fast. (not 'rises')

   ~ Is your English getting better? (not 'does ... get')

Thank's to Cambridge University Press, "English Grammar in Use"