The Present Simple versus the Present Continuous

Present Simple	Present Continuous
We use the Present Simple to refer to regular actions (habits), current situations or facts in general. EXAMPLE: David complains a lot about everything because he's an impatient person.	We use the Present Continuous to refer to new habits (or repeated actions) which happen around the time of speaking or writing. EXAMPLE: Andy is complaining a lot about his work lately. He used to be a happier person.
We use the Present Simple to refer to long-lasting or permanent situations. EXAMPLE: Penny works in her father's construction company.	We use the Present Continuous to refer to situations which are temporary (lasting for a short time around the present. EXAMPLE: Terence is running his aunt's shop until she recovers from her illness.
We use the Present Simple to refer to future actions which happen regularly according to a timetable or schedule. EXAMPLE: The show starts in 15 minutes.	We use the Present Continuous to refer to planned future actions. EXAMPLE: Some old friends are visiting us next week.
We use the Present Simple to refer to short actions happening at the time of speaking (e.g. during sports commentaries).We also use this in reviews of plays, films or books. EXAMPLE: The ball goes into the net and it's another point for the Reds in this exciting basketball final!	We use the Present Continuous to refer to actions (especially longer actions) happening at the time of speaking or writing. EXAMPLE: The lecturers are holding a meeting now to discuss the students' progress.

Simple past

FORM

[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Examples:

• You called Debbie.

• We went to the cinema.

The interrogative is formed by means of the Past Simple of the auxiliary verb to do and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to. The negative form is formed by means of the Past Simple of the auxiliary verb to do and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to plus the negative particle not.

• Did you call Debbie?

• Did we go to the cinema?

• You did not call Debbie.

• We did not go to the cinema.

The pronunciation of the ending –ed(-d) depends on the sound preceding it. It is pronounced as:

[t] after voiceless consonants except t: passed, pushed, liked, worked;

[d] after voiced consonants except d and vowels: lived, played, opened;

[Id] after t and d: wanted, landed.

Spelling notes

1. when the verb ends in a single -e, this e is dropped before adding -ed:

argue- argued

love – loved

live - lived

2. when the verb of one syllable has one vowel and ends in a single consonant, this consonant is doubled before adding -ed:

beg – begged

rob – robbed

stop – stopped

3. the verb of two or more syllables whose last syllable contains only one vowel and ends in a single consonant doubles this consonant if the stress falls on the last syllable:

admit- admitted

prefer – preferred

permit - permitted

4. the verbs ending in –l always double it before adding - ed.

travel – travelled

signal – signalled

control - controlled

NOTE: However, with some final consonants, even in cases when the preceding vowel is unstressed, doubling does occur in standard received British English (but is not favoured in American English), so ‘travel’ becomes ‘travelling/travelled’. The same is true for ‘cancel’, ‘counsel’, ‘dial’, ‘model’, ‘parallel’ and ‘signal’.

5. the verbs ending in -y preceded by a consonant change -y into -i and add -ed:

carry - carried

copy - copied

try - tried

6. But verbs ending in -y preceded by a vowel obey the usual rule:

play - played

obey – obeyed

7. Several verbs ending in –c change their spelling adding a letter ‘k’ before –ed

panic – panicked

traffic – trafficked

frolic - frolicked

USE 1 Completed action in the past

We use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.

Examples:

• I saw a movie yesterday.

• I didn't see a play yesterday.

• Last year, I travelled to Japan.

• Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.

• Did you have dinner last night?

• She washed her car.

• He didn't wash his car.