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GENERAL ENGLISH · GRAMMAR PRACTICE · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

PRESENT SIMPLE
VS. PRESENT
CONTINUOUS

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1 Simple vs. continuous

Study the following rules and examples.

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INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Dialogue

A: What do you do?

B: I’m a salesman. I live and work in Rome.

A: Interesting. So, what are you doing here in London?

B: I’m just visiting. I love this city.

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PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

2 Practice 1

Put the verbs in brackets in the present simple or present continuous.

1. I often (go) to work by bus.

2. Where (you/live)?

3. Be quiet! Paulina (study) for her exam.

4. Don’t turn off the radio. I (listen) to it.

5. Tom (work) as an architect for a large firm in London. This month, his
company (design) a new office building for one of its main clients.

6. I usually (play) golf on Saturdays, but today I

(play) tennis.

7. Pablo is a journalist - he (write) articles for a well-known newspaper.

Right now, he (write) about the economic situation in his country.

8. Look! Sarah (drink) a glass of wine. She

(not/usually/drink) alcohol at this time of day.

3 Practice 2

Watch the video. Answer the questions about each clip.

1. What do they do? They go to school. What are they doing? They are taking notes.

2. What does she do? What is she doing?

3. What does he do? What is he doing?

4. What does he do? What is he doing?

5. What do they do? What are they doing?

6. What does he do? What is he doing?

Now answer the questions about you:

1. What do you do?

2. What are you doing?

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PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

4 Practice 3: State verbs

Put the verbs in brackets in the present simple or present continuous.

1. We (need) to wait. I (not/know)

how long.

2. I (not/like) this dress. I (prefer)

that one.

3. I (not/understand) what that (mean).

Can you explain it?

4. Janet (be) single. She (not/see)

anyone at the moment.

5. Tom (think) of emigrating to Australia.

6. Right now, I (not/see) a problem. I

(think) everything is fine.

7. Why (she/be) here? I (not/remember)

inviting her.

8. I (see) that you (be) very busy at

the moment. I’ll come back later.

9. Don’t use this tool. It (seem) to be broken.

10. (you/realise) what that (mean)?

11. You (be) normally a very polite person. Why

(you/be) so rude right now?

12. Josh (love) Alice. Unfortunately, Alice

(not/think) much of him.

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INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

5 Practice 4
Complete the questions below using the present simple or present continuous. Then give true answers.

1. You / often / wear / jeans?

2. You / wear / jeans / right now?

3. It / often / rain / in your country?

4. It / rain / at the moment?

5. You / ever / work / on Saturdays?

6. You / work / today?

7. You / sometimes / think / about moving to another country?

8. You / think / about moving to another country / at the moment?

9. You / see / the dentist / this week?

10. You / sometimes / play / tennis?

11. You / play / tennis now?

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INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

6 Present continuous with ‘always’

Read the following rules of using present continuous with ‘always’.

We often use the present continuous with always to talk about something that happens
again and again. The meaning is like the present simple, but it usually describes a habit
that is irritating.

She’s always talking about people behind their backs.

He’s always arriving late.

I’m always losing my keys!

We can also use the present continuous with always to emphasise other repeated
actions and behaviour.

We’re always looking for new employees. (= We often look for new employees)

I’m always reading something. (= I read very often)

Joe is a very generous person. He’s always lending his friends money. (= he lends money to
his friends very often)

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PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

7 Practice 5

Complete the sentences below with a suitable verb and ‘always’, like in the example.

browse buy eat look for make

misunderstand rain smile forget talk

1. Peter is always forgetting his keys. It’s a real problem.

2. Anna on the phone. Her phone bill must be very expensive!

3. Jeff is a very cheerful person. He .

4. You’ll need an umbrella. It in London.

5. Simon the Internet. He needs to get out of his room.

6. You what I say. Try to listen more carefully.

7. The company have too many customers, so they for new staff.

8. Joe a chocolate bar. He really enjoys food!

9. You the wrong milk! I don’t drink full-fat milk.

10. I the same mistakes! It’s so irritating.

Do you have any habits that are irritating?

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TEACHER MATERIALS · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Key

1. Simple vs. continuous

5 mins.
Go over the grammar rules and examples of present simple vs. continuous with the group.

2. Practice 1

5 mins.
Students complete the sentences with the correct forms of verbs.

1. go 2. do you live
3. is studying 4. am listening
5. works ≀ is designing 6. play ≀ am playing
7. writes ≀ is writing 8. is drinking ≀ doesn’t usually drink

3. Practice 2

10 mins.
Have the students play the video. To scan the QR code, the students will need a QR code reader app installed
on their mobile devices and an Internet connection. Alternatively, play the downloaded file. Students can work
individually and check in pairs if done in the classroom.

1. They go to school. ≀ They are taking notes.

2. She gives classes. ≀ She is writing on the board.
3. He works as a chef. ≀ He is making an omelette.
4. He works as a printer. ≀ He is examining a brochure.
5. They protect the public. ≀ They are walking down the street.
6. He drives kids to school. ≀ He is looking and turning.

4. Practice 3: State verbs

5 mins.
Students complete the sentences with the correct verb forms.

1. need ≀ don’t know 2. don’t like ≀ prefer

3. don’t understand ≀ means 4. is ≀ isn’t seeing
5. is thinking 6. don’t see ≀ think
7. is she ≀ don’t remember 8. see ≀ are
9. seems 10. Do you realise ≀ means
11. are ≀ are you being 12. loves ≀ doesn’t think

5. Practice 4

5 mins.
This exercise can be done in the form of a speaking activity. Students take turns to ask each other questions and
give answers.

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TEACHER MATERIALS · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1. Do you often wear jeans?

2. Are you wearing jeans right now?
3. Does it often rain in your country?
4. Is it raining at the moment?
5. Do you ever work on Saturdays?
6. Are you working today?
7. Do you sometimes think about moving to another country?
8. Are you thinking about moving to another country at the moment?
9. Are you seeing the dentist this week?
10. Do you sometimes play tennis?
11. Are you playing tennis now?

6. Present continuous with ‘always’

5 mins.
Go over the rules with the whole class. Drill any points that are difficult for the group.

7. Practice 5

5 mins.
Students complete the gaps with the provided verbs in present continuous, using the grammar rules from the
previous section. Monitor and help as needed.

1. is always forgetting 2. is always talking

3. ’s always smiling 4. ’s always raining
5. is always browsing 6. are always misunderstanding
7. are always looking 8. is always eating
9. ’re always buying 10. ’m always making

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