Form

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

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 after another also for several actions happening at the same time

First Colin plays football, then he watches TV. Colin is playing football and Anne is watching.

Signal words

 always  at the moment

 every ...  at this moment
 often  today
 normally  now
 usually  right now
 sometimes  Listen!
 seldom  Look!
 never
 first
 then

Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present:

be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want
Exercises:
write an affirmative sentence, negative sentence and a yes/no question in
simple present and continouos where is possible for each verb. Don´t forget the
time expressions.
GO TAKE WRITE NEED WORK COOK LOVE PLAY WANT VISIT.

SIMPLE PRESENT

1. GO
 I usually go to the school in the morning.
 She doesn’t go to the beach on her vacation.
 Does the doctor go to sleep early often?

2. TAKE
 He takes his pills in the morning.
 They sometimes don’t take notes of their math’s class.
 Does he take the bus to work every day?

3. WRITE
 She often writes examples to practice her gramar.
 The children rarely don´t write with pencil to do their homeworks.
 Do you normally write poems with many words?

4. NEED
 All people need to drink too water in the summer
 I don’t need to go to the supermarket every day
 Does she need to change the water from her flowers once a
month?

5. WORK
 They work in their home every week.
 My computer doesn’t work often.
 Does he work on Christmas Day?

6. COOK
 I never cook without my apron.
 My kitchen doesn’t cook well in the winter.
 Do you cook your favorite food every Saturday?

7. LOVE
 The girls always love the gentlemen
 The puppies love to play with other all time
 Do we/YOU regulary love to sing in our bathroom?
 8. PLAY
 He never plays the guitar at noon.
 Kind people don’t play with the hearts of other
 Do I play soccer very hard at nights?

9. WANT
 First I want to arrive at home, then I want to dinner.
 She doesn’t want to work at midnights
 Do we usually want to wash the dishes after lunch?

10. VISIT
 My parents normally visit me in their vacation.
 She doesn’t visit us often
 Do we visit our grandma every weekend?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1. GO
 I am going to sleep at this moment.
 He isn’t going out with anyone.
 Are they going to the cinema today?

2. TAKE
 My counsins are taking an French course now.
 Julia and Nick aren’t taking a plane at the moment
 Is my boss taking the initiative in business today?

3. WRITE
 I am writing all my álbum rigth now
 She isn’t writing a book these days.
 Are we/YOU writing a composition at this moment?

4. WORK
 You are working very hard this week.
 He isn’t working at a clothes shop this spring.
 Is she working on a new project now?

5. COOK
 Look! Sandy is cooking a delicious meal.
 He is not cooking like a real chef at the moment.
 Are they cooking for their classmates this noon.
6. PLAY
 He is playing in the park still.
 They are not playing chess now.
 Is Robert playing the violin tonight?

7. VISIT
 Carlos is visiting all Pucallpa this month.
 I am not visiting my sister in the hospital these days.
 Are they visiting you next summer?