Present simple vs present continuous
Usually or now? I work in an office, but today I'm working at home.
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English has two present tenses. The present simple (I work) is for things we do again and again, and for things that are always true. The present continuous (I'm working) is for things that are happening now.
Present simple | Present continuous | |
|---|---|---|
Form | I work, she works | I'm working, she's working |
Use | usually, always, every day | now, at the moment |
Negative | I don't work, she doesn't work | I'm not working, she isn't working |
Question | Do you work? Does she work? | Are you working? Is she working? |
Usually: present simple
Use the present simple for habits and routines: things that happen every day, every week, often or never.
- I walk to work every day.
- Nina plays tennis on Saturdays.
- We don't eat out very often.
- Incorrect: I'm usually taking the bus to work.
- Correct: I usually take the bus to work.Usually shows a habit, so use the present simple.
Now: present continuous
Use the present continuous for something that is happening at the moment of speaking, or only for a short time around now.
- Nina is playing tennis with her brother now.
- It's a nice day, so I'm walking to work today.
- Incorrect: I can't talk now. I cook dinner.
- Correct: I can't talk now. I'm cooking dinner.The cooking is happening now, so use am + -ing.
- Incorrect: Look, it rains.
- Correct: Look, it's raining.
The same verb, two meanings
Compare the two tenses in the same situation. The first sentence is about the person's normal life. The second is about now.
- Pavel works in a bank. Today is Sunday, so he isn't working.
- She usually drinks tea, but this morning she's drinking coffee.
- Do you speak French?
(Can you? In general.)
- Are you speaking French?
(Now. Which language is this?)
- What do you do?
(What is your job?)
- What are you doing?
(What is happening now?)
Time words
Some words usually go with one tense. They help you choose.
Present simple | Present continuous |
|---|---|
every day, every week, every year | now, right now |
always, usually, often, sometimes | at the moment |
never | today, this week |
on Mondays, at weekends, twice a week | after Look and Listen |
- She calls her parents every evening.
- She's calling her parents at the moment.
- We never watch TV in the morning.
- The children are watching a film right now.
Don't mix the forms
The present simple makes negatives and questions with do and does. The present continuous makes them with am, is and are. Don't use both in one sentence.
- Incorrect: Do you working today?
- Correct: Are you working today?
- Incorrect: She doesn't listening.
- Correct: She isn't listening.
- Incorrect: I'm not work on Fridays.
- Correct: I don't work on Fridays.On Fridays is a habit: don't + verb.
- Incorrect: Where are you live?
- Correct: Where do you live?
Like, want, know
Some verbs are about feelings and ideas, not actions: like, love, hate, want, need, know, understand. We normally use them in the present simple, even for now.
- I want a coffee now.
- Do you understand this word?
- Incorrect: I'm knowing the answer.
- Correct: I know the answer.Know is not an action, so it stays in the present simple.