Simple and Continuous: Usage
Let's start by reviewing how to form the simple present tense and the present continuous tense in Standard English. Next, we will look at when to use each to correctly express our thoughts in a sentence.
Present Tense Usage: Simple and Continuous Aspects
As we mentioned at the beginning of Unit 1, verbs are very important to the meaning of a sentence. Therefore, understanding when to use the present simple and when to use the present continuous is important. Choosing the correct tense will help you share your ideas clearly in English. For this lesson, it is helpful to remember information you learned in ESL001 about word order and adverbs.
Using the Simple Present Tense
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Meaning
In English, speakers and writers use the simple present tense to describe repeated actions and general facts or truths.
|
Action |
Sentence Examples |
|
routine (Something you do every morning, every week, every year). |
I brush my teeth two times a day. You go to the gym three times a week. He makes breakfast for my children every morning. She starts work at 7:00 am. They do laundry every Saturday. |
|
habit (Something you do regularly). |
My husband reads in bed before he goes to sleep. My cat wakes me up on Saturdays because he is hungry. |
|
repeated action (Something you do more than once). |
I shop at Ikea (not every week, but I like to go there). She wears shorts in the summer. |
|
general truth/fact (Something that is always true). |
They live in a small apartment. She has two children. Vegetables are healthy. Water freezes at 0° Celcius. |
The video below reviews the use of simple present tense.
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Signal Words
Signal words help us to understand or show the time of the action used in a sentence. For this reason, signal words are also called time markers. We can look for these signal words, or time markers, when we're reading, and we can use these words when we are writing. We can also hear them when we are listening and use them when we are speaking.
Signal words for the simple present show how often an event or action is repeated. Therefore, adverbs and expressions of frequency are used with the simple present.
Study the chart below to learn the meanings of the following adverbs.
|
Adverb |
Frequency |
|
always |
100% |
|
usually |
70-90% |
|
often |
50-60% |
|
sometimes |
30-40% |
|
seldom/rarely |
10-20% |
|
never |
0% |
Adverbs of Frequency (AoF) with the BE Verb
With the BE verb, the AoFs are added between BE and the rest of the sentence. You will see in the next section that this is different with other verbs.
subject + BE + AoF + rest of sentence
|
Subject |
BE |
AoF |
Rest of Sentence |
|
I |
am |
never |
late. |
|
He She It |
is |
always |
on time. |
|
You We They |
are |
sometimes |
early. |
Adverbs of Frequency with Other Verbs
Instead of adding the AoF after the verb, like we did with the BE verb, we add it before the verb. We do this because we are saying how often the activity of the verb happens.
subject + AoF + verb + rest of sentence
|
Subject |
AoF |
Verb |
Rest of Sentence |
|
I |
always |
eat |
breakfast. |
|
He She It |
usually |
does |
his own laundry. |
|
You We They |
never |
walk |
to school. |
The video below reviews adverbs of frequency.
Other signal words that show frequency are listed below. You can use these words and phrases with the simple present as well to show how often something happens. These time expressions can come at the beginning of a sentence or the end of a sentence.
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daily, weekly, monthly, annually
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every + day/week/month/year
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every + (day of the week/month of the year): example: every Saturday or every March
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on + day of the week+-s: example: on Mondays; on Wednesdays
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in the + time of day+-s: example: in the mornings; in the evenings
Using the Present Continuous Tense
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Meaning
In English, speakers and writers use the present continuous or progressive tense to describe actions and situations that are in progress or happening right now.
|
Action |
Sentence Examples |
|
in progress at time of speaking (Something happening at the moment of speaking). |
You are reading about the present continuous right now. |
|
in progress around time of speaking (Something continuing for a long period around the present time or a temporary action). |
I am taking English classes this semester. I usually drive to school. This week, I am taking the bus. |
The video below reviews the use of present continuous tense.
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Signal Words
Signal words for the present continuous show how the action is happening. These time expressions can come at the beginning of a sentence or the end of a sentence.
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at the/this moment
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now
-
right now
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today
-
this week/term/month
Examples:
- At this moment, I am washing the dishes.
- My husband is watching a football game right now.
Now that we know how to choose between the present simple and continuous to share our thoughts in English, let's put our knowledge into practice.
Source: Adapted from Susan, Jen, and Kit, https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/explorations1/; videos from ITTT International and ESLeschool
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License.