LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1

Present Simple & Present Continuous - INPUT

* Present Simple Tense

A. Introduction

Weather forecast
Weather forecasts help ordinary people plan their daily life, but accurate forecasts are more important for
farmers and sailors. Farmers can decide when to collect their crops and sailors can plan for storms. Most
weather data comes from small weather stations on land which measure wind speed, air pressure,
temperature and rainfall. Scientists also use weather balloons to collect the same information from high in the
atmosphere. Nowadays, satellites provide useful measurements and images. This information helps us
understand how weather works and this means we can make better forecasts with fewer mistakes. Scientists
use the data from weather stations and satellites to make forecasts. They also use it to create different models
of the atmosphere. However, they still can't predict the weather more than five days in advance.

B. Grammar presentation
Form

Positive
play basketball / go to the gym / study French.
I/ We/ You/ They
He/ She/ It plays basketball / goes to the gym / studies French.

Negative
I/ we/ you/ they do not (don’t) play basketball / go to the gym / study French.

he/ she/ it does not (doesn’t) play basketball / go to the gym / study French.

Question
Do I/ we/ you/ they play basketball / go to the gym / know French?
Does he/ she/ it play basketball / go to the gym / know French?
LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1

Present Simple & Present Continuous - INPUT

Use
The Present simple is used to express
1) repeated actions or habits.
I go for a run before breakfast.
He smokes too much.
Do you play chess?
He doesn’t get up early.

2) facts that are always true

My son has blue eyes.
Summer follows spring.
The human body contains 206 bones.

3) things that are generally true and permanent at the present time
My parents live in a small village.
My father works in a bank.
I love my job.

4) Future reference (for timetables, etc.)

The concert begins at 7.30 next Friday evening.
The school term starts next week.

5) to give instructions or directions

So what you do is … you read the questions first and then you write down your answers in the box.
You don’t write on the question paper

 Used with certain adverbs: e.g. typically, frequently, generally, usually, never, on Mondays, sometimes, twice a
week, first, then, next, etc.
LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1

Present Simple & Present Continuous - INPUT

* Present Continuous Tense

A. Introduction

A holiday job with a difference!

I am studying English at Exeter University. I'm on holiday at the moment and I’m working in a public library.
I'm lucky to have this job. I don't have to get up early. The library opens at 10 and closes at 7. It's interesting
work because people are always coming in and asking me to help them, so I am learning a lot about different
subjects. People use the strangest things as bookmarks. I have found a rasher of bacon (uncooked!).
Matchsticks are common and so are bus tickets. My colleagues are always finding things too - even a £10
note, but I haven't been so lucky! I often think of the photo of a beautiful woman which I found. On the back
were the words: 'I love you. I miss you and I'll never forget you.'

B. Grammar presentation
Form

Positive

I am playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?

We/ you/ they are playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?
He/ she/ it is playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?

Negative

I am playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?

We/ you/ they are not (aren’t) playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?

He/ she/ it is not (isn’t) playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?

Question
Are we/ you/ they playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?
Is he/ she/ it playing basketball / going to the gym / studying French?
LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1

Present Simple & Present Continuous - INPUT

Use:
The Present Continuous is used to
1) express to an activity happening now.
She can’t talk now because she’s sleeping.
The children are playing in the garden.

2) express to an activity happening around now, but perhaps not at the moment of speaking.
She is studying maths at the university.
I’m reading a book by Henry James.

3) A planned future arrangement.

I’m meeting Jane at 10.00 tomorrow.
What are you doing this evening?

4) Repeated actions with adverbs like always, forever. (to express dissatisfaction)
She's always helping people.
You’re always looking at your phone.

5) Phrases like now, at the moment, right now, today, this week/ term/ year etc. are often used with the
present continuous
We’re studying French this term.

Non-Continuous/Non-action (Stative) Verbs

Stative verbs describe states and conditions. Generally they do not describe actions. This means they only take the
present simple, they do not take the continuous form. They can be categorized as follows:
 Description: appear, exist, be, look, seem, sound
 Measurement: cost, weight
 Knowledge and perception: believe, forget, think, remember, know, notice, see, understand, realise
 Emotions: feel, hate, like, love, prefer
 Possession/Relationship: belong, contain, have, relate, have, need, own, want
 Senses: hear, see, smell, taste
o This cake tastes delicious.
o This cake is tasting delicious.
 Others: include, matter, cost, mean
o This jacket costs a lot of money.
o This jacket is costing a lot of money.
LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1

Present Simple & Present Continuous - INPUT

However, some stative verbs have action meaning:

 I think first impressions are always true. (think=believe)
o I am thinking about buying a house (think=use the mind to come to a decision)
 Doe you have an explanation? (have=own)
o Are you having any difficulty with this task? (have=experiencing)
 She is the new owner of the company? (be=description)
o He is being funny (be=act)
 I don’t see well, I should go to the doctor (see=view with eyes)
o I am seeing the doctor this afternoon (see=meet)

 THE PRESENT SIMPLE vs. THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1) The present simple is used for repeated actions, the present continuous is used for actions happening
now.
It always rains at the weekend. It's raining at the moment.
I watch television most weekends. I'm watching this programme.
He's a photographer. He takes lots of photos. Look. That man is taking a photo of you.

2) We use the present simple for a routine or situation that we see as permanent, we use the present
continuous for a routine or situation that we see as temporary (for a short period).
I work at a sports shop. It's a permanent job. I'm working at a sports shop for six weeks.
They live in a very nice flat. At the moment they're living in a small flat.
I usually get up quite early. I'm very busy, so I'm getting up early this week.

3) We use the present simple for repeated actions, things that happen again and again, we use the
present continuous for an action now, something we are in the middle of.
Tom never wears smart clothes. Claire is wearing a safari suit.
We usually get lunch at about one We're getting lunch now.

4) A number of verbs (state verbs) describe states rather than actions. They are rarely found in
continuous forms. These include believe, forget, know, like, love, hate, fell, hear, smell, be, belong,
have etc.
I know what you mean. I’m knowing what you mean.
She loves her baby more than anything. She is loving her baby more than anything.

5) Some verbs can describe both states and actions, but there is a change of meaning.
State: He is very friendly. (= this is his character).
Action: He is being very friendly. (he is behaving this way he is not usually like this)
LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1

Present Simple & Present Continuous - INPUT

State: They have an apartment near the town centre. (= possess)

Action: They are having a coffee. (= taking)

State: I think you’re absolutely right. (= this is my opinion)

Action: I’m thinking about what you said. (= considering)

State: I see what you mean. (= understand)

Action: Are you seeing Nigel tomorrow? (= meeting)