Present Continuous vs. Present Simple

Present Continuous	Present Simple
a temporary situation/ action She's living with her relatives until she gets a hostel accommodation.	a permanent situation/ action She lives in Kiev.
an action that happens too often (in a negative sense) He's always coming to work late.	an action that happens regularly (in a positive sense) He always comes to work at 8.30.
a planned future action My mother is coming tomorrow.	a future action (for time tables) The train comes at 7.45 a.m.
with sense verbs to express an action to see (= to meet) I'm seeing him tonight. She is tasting this new ice-cream right now. The cat is smelling the food. The customer is feeling the fur coat.	with sense verbs and other verbs not used in the Continuous Tense She looks great! The water feels cold. The dish smells delicious. This coffee tastes bitter. The idea sounds great! I prefer tea to coffee. He doesn't belong to any political party.

Exercise 11. Complete the sentences with the correct tense of the verbs in brackets to express a permanent or a temporary action.

1. The car isn't here today because Sheila _ (use) it. She generally _ (use) the bus, but the drivers are on strike.

2. I _ (stay) with my parents at the moment, though I _ (have) my own flat.

3. They usually _ (work) at the weekends, but they _ (not work) at the moment.

4. The Moon _ (go) round the Earth.

5. I hear Bob's got a new job. How _ he _ (get) on?

6. Leave me alone! I _ (try) to concentrate.

7. Robert is a vegetarian. He _ (not eat) meat.

Exercise 12. Complete the sentences using always. Put the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous or the Present Simple.

Example: Simon is very untidy. He is always leaving (leave) his clothes lying on the bathroom floor. Lawrence always does (do) the same things every day.

1. My sister really makes me angry. She _ (borrow) my things without asking me.

2. I _ (buy) milk in that shop.

3. My memory is getting very bad these days. I _ (forget) things.

4. Peter _ (catch) the 8.05 train home.

5. Her younger brother _ (lose) the keys.

6. My neighbors are too noisy. They _ (shout) at each other.

Exercise 13. Put the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous or the Present Simple tense to express a future action.

1. The swimming pool _ (close) at 18.30 in the evening.

2. We _ (visit) some friends in Scotland next week.

3. Ann and Pete _ (not go) away for their holidays next month because they haven't got enough money.

4. George _ (get) married next week.

5. Tonight's concert _ (begin) at 7 o'clock and it _ (not end) until 11 o'clock.

6. I _ (meet) John at 3 o'clock.

7. What time _ the tennis tournament _ tomorrow evening? (open)

Exercise 14. Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the ones that are wrong.

Example: I'm thinking this is your key.

wrong - I think ...

I'm feeling hungry. Is there anything to eat? - right

1. The dessert is great. It is tasting really good.

2. Sam, you aren't listening! What do you think about?

3. I think you are tired, aren't you?

4. What is he talking about? I'm not understanding.

5. Do you look for me?

6. What does this mean?

7. I'm looking forward to my holiday.