SIMPLE PRESENT versus PRESENT CONTINUOUS

                                                               APPLICATIONS

                     SIMPLE PRESENT

             PRESENT CONTINUOUS

SIMPLE PRESENT is used to express general truths and habitual actions which are in or around the present.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS is used to express temporary actions which are in or around the present.

KEY WORDS

The frequency adverbs:  always, usually, often, some­times, occa­sionally, seldom, rarely, hardly ever, and never.

Every         :  every week,  every day, ...

KEY WORDS

Now, right now, pres­ently, at the moment.

Note: Frequency adverbs can be used with tenses other than simple pres­ent, depending on the meaning.  For example, "John Lennon always wore glasses." is a past habitual action, so it takes past tense.  Key words are helpful, but when in doubt always determine the verb tense by the meaning.

EXCEPTIONS:   Certain verbs are rarely used in the con­tinuous tenses.  These verbs are: be, seem, need, owe,

want, verbs of pos­sess­ion (have, own, possess, belong), verbs which express thoughts (think, remember, forget, know, believe), involuntary sense verbs (see, taste, feel, hear, smell).

Note: There are many examples where an action can be considered both habitual or temporary.  Your choice of tense will depend on what kind of emphasis you want.  For example:

  I am studying at UQAM.

  I study at UQAM.

Both sentences have the same basic meaning, but the first sounds more temporary than the second. 

 

When we talk about where we work and where we live, the two tenses are used interchangeably.  Thus:

 

I live in Montreal. = I am living in Montreal.

He works at Bell.   = He is working at Bell.

 

Note:  i) When the verb HAVE does not signify possession, it can be used in the continuous tenses.  For example: They are having a meeting right now.

       ii) Voluntary sense verbs, such as listen, can be used with continuous tenses.  Ex.: At the moment, she is listening to the news.

 

NoNonsense English
© Copyright 2001
by Eric Squire