present simple/continuous

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Present Simple and Present Continuous

At the end of the lesson, you will know:

-What the present simple and present continuous are.

-What are the differences between the present simple and continuous.

-How to use and make both.

What comes to mind when thinking of the Present Simple?

The Present Simple, what is it?

I sometimes read books.

He drives home for Christmas.

They always give the answers.

Max Verstappen collides with car #44.

She usually does not care about a thing.

How to make/use Present Simple:

something / infinitive 

The turtles       eat         a lot of cabbage.

I never  take  the bus to school.

She texts everyday at eight o'clock exactly.

It saves little time to work smarter.

We use the Present Simple for facts and routines!

What to look out for!

SHIT rule, He She It: gives an -S- behind the infinitive. (He reads, she saves)

For don't in a negative -> doesn't. (she doesn't read, he doesn't shave)

When something is plural: SHIT rule doesn't apply!

Affirmative, negative & questions

The students read the sentence.

The students don't read the sentence.

Do the students read the sentence?

She writes a lot of notes.

She doesn't write a lot of notes.

Doesn't she write a lot of notes?

We never ... (to climb) to the top.
She ... ...(not like) kickboxing.
Zoë normally ... (to study) at school.
.... they usually ... (to make) their homework?
The gang of Al capone ... (to strike) again!

What comes to mind when thinking of the Present Continuous?

Present Continuous, what is it?

He is singing a catchy tune.

We are quitting this job right now.

The player is holding his hands in his hair.

When the teacher is talking, you shall remain silent.

The Christmas holidays are arriving in two weeks.

How to make/use Present Continuous:

something / to be / verb+ing

The dog is barking at the neighbour.

We are preparing for a landing in Puerto Rico.

My mother is driving with her seatbelt off.

We use the present continuous when things are happening at the moment of speaking

What to look out for!

Correct usage of / to be /

I am                                           We are

You are                                     They are

He/she/it/Juliette is

When something is plural: is = are.

(the driver is talking, the drivers are talking)

Affirmative, negative & questions

You are taking the piss.

You aren't taking the piss.

Are you taking the piss?

She is taking a day off.

She isn't taking a week off.

Is she taking a week off?

I ... ... (to be, smile) to the camera.
The teacher ... ... (not to be, listen) to the whispering voices.
... you ... (to be, read) the Diary of a Wimpy Kid?
John Mayer's band ... ... (to be, play) in New York.
Micheal Jackson's songs ... ... (to be, play) the whole night.

What is the difference between Present Simple and Present Continuous?

I ... ... (to be, scream) from the top of my lungs.
We usually ... (not to perform) to big crowds worldwide.
It ... ... (to be, snow) very hard in the north.
... he ... (to be, understand) the exercise?
She usually ... (to dislike) the way they ... (train).

I always ... (get up) late on Saturdays. I usually ... (have) breakfast at lunchtime! But this week my parents ... (change) the windows and they ... (put) in a new kitchen. So today I ... (break) my usual Saturday routine. It's only 9 a.m. but I ... (not lie) in my bed. I'm with my friend Gareth and we ... (walk) up a mountain. The sun ... (shine). Gareth ... (do) this every week.

What did we learn today?

You now know:

• What the present simple and present continuous are.
• What is the difference between the simple and continuous.
• How to use and make them. 

If you want extra practise, take a look at My English Lab: exercises on units 1.2, 1.4, 2.2, 2.4!