Present Simple Or Continuous

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Present simple or continuous

  • regular actions or events

He plays tennis most weekends.

• facts

The sun rises in the east.

  • facts known about the future
  • We leave at 8.30 next Monday
  • thoughts and feelings about the time of speaking
  • I don’t feel very well.The Present Continuous is used for:
    • the time of speaking (‘now’)

    Shh, I’m trying to hear what they are saying .

    • things which are true at the moment but not always We’re looking for a new flat.
    • present plans for the future

    We’re having dinner with them next week .

    Look at these examples :

  • I don’t usually have cereals for breakfast but I’m having some this morning because there is nothing else.
  • I often cycle to work but I’m taking the car this morning because it’s raining very hard.
  • I’m thinking about having my hair cut short but I don’t think my husband will be very happy about it.
  • My parents live in Washington but I’m just visiting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Note how, in all these examples, we use the present continuous to talk about events which are   temporary/limited in time and the present simple to talk about events which are   habits/permanent.