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Present simple vs Present Continuous - Elementary Level

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Today's lesson comes from Deborah Jane Cairns, EC Cape Town English language school:

Students struggle with this on a regular basis so it is necessary for them to have a lot of practice.  Present simple is used for habitual action and things that are always true; however, present continuous is used for things that are in progress.
For example:

  1. "The queen lives in England." - This is something that is always true present continuous.
  2. "I brush my teeth every morning." - This is an habitual action.
  3. "I am eating a hamburger." - This is something that I am doing now.

 

Remember the form of the present simple and the present continuous:

  1. Present continuous has the subject+verb+-ing  eg. "I am playing"
  2. Present simple has subject plus verb eg. "I play"
  3. Remember that the third person singular he/she/it takes -s in the present simple eg. "He/she/it plays."

Try this exercise for practice.
The tense in each sentence is incorrect change the verb so that the tense in each sentence will be correct. Write the correct sentence in the space below. Remember to include full-stops (periods).

  1. I am playing soccer every day.
  2. She sings now.
  3. Do you play tennis at the moment?
  4. We are going to school every day.
  5. He eats his lunch now.
  6. They are playing soccer every Wednesday.
  7. Obama is saying a speech once a week.
  8. Mary is singing every Sunday.
  9. My aunt is going to choir every Monday.
  10. My brother is playing soccer three times a week.

 

Show Correct Sentences

 

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