5 Present continuous or simple?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS PRESENT SIMPLE

We use the present continuous for something We use the present simple for repeated actions. /
happening now. / am speaking to you live means often speak live to the camera means that she does
that Kitty is in the middle of a live broadcast. it again and again.
Here are some more examples.
It's raining at the moment. It always rains at the weekend.
I'm watching this programme. I watch television most weekends.
Look. That man is taking a photo of you. He's a photographer. He takes lots of photos.

B Thoughts, feelings and states

We normally use the present simple to talk about thoughts and feelings.
/ think it's a good programme. Kitty likes her job. We also use it
to talk about states (see Unit 7) and permanent facts.
Reporting means a lot to her. Paper burns easily. We also use
the present simple in I promise, I agree, I refuse, etc.
I promise I'll write to you. It's all right. I forgive you.

C Temporary or permanent?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS PRESENT SIMPLE

We use the present continuous for a routine or We use the present simple for a routine or
situation that we see as temporary (for a short situation that we see as permanent.
period).
I'm working at a sports shop for six weeks. / work at a sports shop. It's a permanent job.
At the moment they're living in a very small flat. They live in a very nice flat.

D Always
PRESENT CONTINUOUS PRESENT SIMPLE

We can use always with the present continuous to Always with the present simple means 'every
mean 'very often', usually with the added meaning time'.
of too often'.
Tom is always inviting friends here. Tom always invites us to stay at Christmas.
(= He invites them very often.) (= He invites us every Christmas.) / always
I'm always making silly mistakes. make silly mistakes in exams. (= I make
(= I make silly mistakes too often.) mistakes in every exam.)
 5 Exercises

1 Present continuous or simple? (A-B)

At work Mark is talking to Alan in the corridor. Complete their conversation.
Put in the present continuous or simple of the verbs.
Mark: (►) Are you looking (you / look) for someone?
Alan: Yes, (►) / need (I / need) to speak to Neil. He isn't in his office.
Mark: (1)……………………………. (he / talk) to the boss at the moment.
(2)…………………………….. (I / think) (3)…………………………… (they / discuss) money.
Alan: Oh, right. And what about you? (4)…………………………….. (you / look) for someone too?
Mark: Yes, Linda. (5) ......................................... (you / know) where she is?
Alan: Oh, she isn't here today. She only (6) (work) four days a week.
(7) ................ (she / not / work) on Fridays. She'll be here on Monday.
Mark: Thank you. (8) .......................................... (you / know) a lot about Linda.
Alan: Well, most days (9) ....................................... (I / give) her a lift,
or(10) ............... (she / give) me one. (11) ……………………..(she / live)
quite close to me. (12) .......................................(it / save) petrol.
Mark: Yes, of course. Good idea. Yes, (13) ........................................(1/ agree).
Well, (14) ........... ............... (I / waste) my time here then. I'll get back to my computer.

2 Present continuous or simple? (A-C)

Complete the sentences. Put in the present continuous or simple of the verbs.
► I'm writing (I / write) to my parents. / write (I / write) to them every weekend.
1 ....... (it / snow) outside. ......................................... (it / come) down quite hard,
look.
2 Normally ....................... (I / start) work at eight o'clock,
but .................. (I / start) at seven this week. We're very busy at the moment.
3 I haven't got a car at the moment, so...........................................(I / go) to work on the bus this week.
Usually .............................. (I / drive) to work.
4 The sun ....................... (rise) in the east, remember. It's behind us so
........ (we / travel) west.
5 I'm afraid I have no time to help just now .......................................... (I / write) a report. But
....................... (I / promise) I'll give you some help later.
6 .................. (I / want) a new car ............................................(I / save) up to buy one.

3 Always (D)
Complete the sentences. Use always and the present continuous or simple.
► Melanie: Tom talks too much, doesn't he?
Rita: Yes, and he's always talking about football.
► Laura: You forget your keys every time.
Trevor: I try to remember them, but / always forget.
1 Claire: Sarah takes the train every day, doesn't she?
Mark: Yes, ..................................................................................................................... the train.
2 Vicky: Rachel misses lectures much too often in my opinion.
Emma: I agree............................................................................................................... lectures.
3 Mike: Every time I drive along here, I go the wrong way.
Harriet: But it's very simple, isn't it? Why......................... the wrong way?
4 David: Trevor and Laura argue much too often, I think.
Melanie: I know ....................................................................................................................................
 7 State verbs and action verbs

A States and actions

STATES ACTIONS

A state means something staying the same. An action means something happening.
The flat is clean. I'm cleaning the flat.
The farmer owns the land. The farmer is buying the land.
The box contained old books. State He put the books in the box. Action verbs
verbs cannot usually be continuous. NOT can be simple or continuous.
The farmer is owning the land. He put I He was putting everything away.

Some state verbs: be, believe, belong, consist of, contain, depend on, deserve, exist, hate, know, like, love,
matter, mean, own, need, prefer, remember, resemble, seem, understand

B I think/I'm thinking etc

Sometimes we can use a verb either for a state or for an action.
STATES (simple tenses) ACTIONS (simple or continuous)
I think you're right. (= believe) We I'm thinking about the problem.
have three cars. (= own) I come We're having lunch. (— eating)
from Sweden. (= live in) I'm coming from Sweden. (= travelling)
/ usually come on the plane.
I see your problem. (= understand) Mark is seeing his boss. {= meeting)
Do you see that house? (= have in sight) I see Daniel quite often.
This picture looks nice. I'm looking at this picture.
She appears very nervous. (= seems) She appeared/was appearing in a film.
The bag weighed five kilos. They weighed/were weighing my bag.
The coat fits. (= is the right size) I'm fitting a lock to the window.

These examples with the verb be are about how people behave.
PERMANENT QUALITY TEMPORARY BEHAVIOUR

Claire is a very sociable person. Andrew is

That man is an idiot. being very sociable today.
You are being an idiot this morning.
(= You are behaving like an idiot.)

We use am/are/is being only to talk about behaviour, not about other things. I'm
better now, thanks. Are you ready? Is anyone interested?

I like/I'm liking etc

We can use some state verbs in the continuous to talk about a short period of time.

PERMANENT STATE (simple tenses) SHORT PERIOD (continuous)

/ love/enjoy parties. I'm loving/enjoying this party. I'm
I like school. liking school much better now. This
Holidays cost a lot of money. trip is costing me a lot of money.

Sometimes we can use either the simple or the continuous with no difference in meaning.
You look well, OR You're looking well. We feel a bit sad. OR We're feeling a bit sad.
 7 Exercises

1 States and actions (A)

Tom is on the Internet. He's telling people about himself.
Say which verbs express states and which express actions.
► I surf the Net most evenings, action
1 My flat is in the town centre................................
2 I drive a taxi in the daytime .................................
3 I own two cars. .........................
4 I go to lots of parties.
5 I love football. ..........................

2 I think/I'm thinking etc (B)

Complete the conversation. Choose the correct form of the verb.
Emma: Hi, Matthew. What (►) do you look/are you looking at?
Matthew: Oh, hi. These are photos of me when I was a child.
Emma: Oh, look at this one. (1) I think/I'm thinking you look lovely, Matthew.
Matthew: (2) I have/I'm having some more photos here.
Emma: Look at this. Why such a big coat?
Matthew: It was my brother's. That's why (3) it didn't fit/it wasn't fitting properly.
Emma: Oh, (4) I see/I'm seeing. And (5) you have/you're having your tea here. And in this one
(6) you think/you're thinking about something very serious.
Matthew: This is a photo of the village (7) I come/I'm coming from.
Emma: Oh, that's nice.
Matthew: And I caught this fish, look. (8) It weighed/It was weighing about half a kilo.
Emma: What a nice little boy! And what a sentimental old thing you are now!

3 The verb be (B)

Put in the correct form of be.
? Daniel is doing some of the work. He s being very helpful at the moment.
? I 'm tired. I want to go home.
1 The children......................................... very polite today. They don't usually behave so well.
2 I'm afraid Melanie can't come because she .......................................ill.
3 Of course you can understand it. You ...........................................stupid, that's all.
4 We .......................... interested in doing a course here.
5 Vicky ...................................... very lazy at the moment. She's done no work at all today.

4 I like/I'm liking etc (C)

Write a sentence which follows on. Choose from these sentences.
/ think it's going to be perfect for me. And I've still got a chance to win.
I've never wanted to change it. It uses so much petrol.
It's too expensive to buy. I play it every weekend.
► I enjoy the game. 1 play it every weekend.
1 I'm enjoying the game. ...................................................................................................................................
2 The car costs a lot of money. ..........................................................................................
3 The car is costing a lot of money. ........................................................................................................
4 I'm liking my new job ....................................................................................................................
5 I like my job..........................................................................................................................................................