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Lesson 14 - Present Simple - "I do."
vs.
Present Continuous - "I am doing."

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Remember It

Revise the present continuous (lessons 7, 8 and 9) and the present simple (lessons 11, 12 and 13).

! "What do you do?" = What is your job? vs. "What are you doing?" = What are you actually doing right now?

For example:
Q - What do you do?
A - I'm a teacher.

Q - What are you doing?
A - I'm teaching.


The Present Simple vs. Present Continuous - when do we use them?

Things that are always true. Regular and repeated actions (always, often, sometimes, never). General facts about our lives. Something that is happening now. Temporary situations. To describe change, development, progress.
"Water boils at 100 degrees." "I always boil the kettle before I make the tea." - "The kettle isn't boiling." -
"Is the kettle boiling yet?"
"English is a popular language in business." "I always speak English in my lessons." "I like English." "I am in my lesson, so I'm speaking English." "I am studying English for a year at University."
"My English is improving."
"It never snows in Germany in the summer." "It often snows in the winter." "I enjoy snow." "It isn't snowing, the sun is shining. - -

Let's ask a few questions about Mr Bean.

Teacher Q- "What does Mr Bean do?"
A- "He's a teacher."

Q- "Is he sitting?"
A- "No, he isn't sitting, he's standing.
 English Flag Q- "What does he teach?"
A- "He teaches English."

Q- "What is he doing?"
A- "He's holding a flag."

 College Q- "Where does he work?"
A- "He works at a language school in London."

Q- "Is he working there today?"
A- "No, he isn't working there today, it's shut."
Drive Q- "What is he doing today?.
A- "He's driving to Nottingham."

Q- "Does he often drive to Nottingham."
A- "No, he usually takes the train."
 
Thanks for the correction Dar!

Test It

Test the present simple vs present continuous - choose the correct form for each sentence - Write It!


Practice It

On the Forum - Tell me what you always, often, never do and what you are doing at the moment.

For homework read and do the exercises in Essential Grammar in Use (Unit 8 - Pages 24 and 25 - All the exercises - answers on page 267)


Print Version - Thanks to Ali (aka GSMTG), you can print this lesson out here

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