Form and Use of Simple Present and Present Continuous

1. SIMPLE PRESENT
VS.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS

2. Simple Present Tense
SIMPLE PRESENT
FORM
VERB BE IN STATEMENTS
Affirmative Statements Negative Statements
Full form
(formal)
Contracted
form (informal)
Full form
(formal)
Contracted form
(informal)
I am I’m I am not I’m not
he
she
it
is
he’s
she’s
it’s
he
she
it
is not
he’s not or he isn’t
she’s not or she isn’t
it’s not or it isn’t
we
you
they
are
we’re
you’re
they’re
we
you
they
are not
we’re not or we aren’t
you’re not or you aren’t
they’re not or they aren’t

3. VERB BE IN QUESTIONS
Yes/No Questions
Affirmative Questions Affirmative
Answers
Negative Answers
Am I early?
Is she/he/it popular?
Are you/we online?
Are they updated?
Yes, you are.
Yes, she/he/it is.
Yes, you/we are.
Yes, they are.
No, you’re not.
No, she’s/he’s/it’s not.
No, you’re/we’re not.
No, they’re not.
No, you aren’t.
No, she/he/it isn’t.
No, you/we aren’t.
No, they aren’t.
Negative Questions Affirmative
Answers
Negative Answers
Aren’t you early?
Isn’t that woman a
blogger?
Aren’t we late?
Aren’t they late?
Yes, I am.
Yes, she is.
Yes, we are.
Yes, they are.
No, I’m not.
No, she’s not.
No, we’re not.
No, they’re not.
̶
No, she isn’t.
No, we aren’t.
No, they aren’t.
Notes: Contractions are not used in affirmative short answers. They are used in
negative short answers.

4. THE SIMPLE PRESENT WITH OTHER VERBS
Affirmative Statements Negative Statements
subject verb + (-s/-es) subject do/does + not verb (base form)
I work. I do not / don’t
work.He/she/it works. He/she/it does not / doesn’t
We/you/they work. We/you/they do not / don’t
Yes/No Questions Short Answers
Do/does
(auxiliary)
subject verb
Affirmative Negative
Yes, subject + auxiliary No, subject + auxiliary + not
Do I
chat? Yes,
I do.
No,
I don’t / do not.
Does he / she / it he/she/it does. he/she/it doesn’t / does
not.
Do we / you / they we/you/they do. we/you/they don’t / do
not.
The Simple Present
Affirmative statements can use do or does but only for emphasis. You’re wrong. I do like her.

5. SPELLING OF VERBS ENDING IN -S AND -ES
1. For most third-person singular verbs and plural nouns, add -s to the base form.
swim – swims live – lives
2. If the base form ends with the letters s, z, sh, ch, or x, add -es.
miss – misses teach – teaches wash – washes
3. If the base form ends with a consonant + y, change y to i and add -es. (Compare vowel + y:
obey – obeys.)
try – tries study – studies
4. If the base form ends with a consonant + o, add -s or -es. Some words take -s, some words
take -es, some take both -s and -es. (Compare vowel + o: radio – radios.)
-s -es Both -s and -es
solo – solos do – does go – goes zero – zeros/zeroes

6. THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS
FORM
Affirmative Statements Negative Statements
subject +be Contracted form verb + -ing subject + (be + not) Contracted form verb + -ing
I am I’m
working.
I am not I’m not
working.
he/she/it is he’s / she’s / it’s he/she/it is not he’s not / he isn’t
we/you/
they
are we’re / you’re /
they’re
we/you/
they
are not we’re not / we
aren’t
Yes/No Questions Short Answers
Be + subject verb + -ing Yes, subject + auxiliary No, subject + auxiliary + not
Am I
typing? Yes,
I am.
No,
I am not / I’m not.
Is he/she/it she/he/it is. he is not / he isn’t.
Are
we/you/they
we/you/they are. we are not / we aren’t.
Present Continuous

7. SPELLING OF VERB FORMS ENDING IN -ING
1. For most verbs, add -ing to the base form of the verb.
sleep – sleeping talk – talking
2. If the base form ends in a single e, drop the e and add -ing. (Exception: be – being).
live – living write – writing
3. If the base form ends in ie, change ie to y and add -ing.
die – dying lie – lying
4. If the base form of a one-syllable verb ends with a single vowel + consonant, double the final
consonant and add -ing. (Compare two vowels + consonant: eat – eating)
hit – hitting stop – stopping
5. If the base form of a verb with two or more syllables ends in a single vowel + consonant, double the
final consonant only if the stress is on the final syllable. Do not double the final consonant if the stress
is not on the final syllable. (Compare: listen – listening, develop – developing)
admit – admitting begin – beginning
6. Do not double the final consonants x, w, and y.
fix – fixing plow – plowing obey – obeying

8. USES
SIMPLE PRESENT
1. The simple present is used to talk about habits, routines, or scheduled events. Adverbs of frequency and
time expressions often occur with the simple present.
Routines: Jamie accesses his Dropbox folder every day.
Scheduled events: The computer lab opens at 8 AM.
2. The simple present can also describe factual information such as general truths or definitions.
General truth: Many teenagers spend half their day on their phones.
Definition: Cutting-edge technology is the latest, most advanced and modern technology.

9. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
1. In contrast to the simple present, the present continuous is used for activities in progress at the exact
moment of speaking. Adverbs and time expressions such as now, right now, and at this moment often
occur with the present continuous.
I’m drinking a cup of coffee right now. It’s 3:00am! Why isn’t the baby sleeping?
2. The present continuous can also express the extended present - an activity in progress over a period of
time that includes the present, such as this week and these days. The activity may be ongoing or may stop
and start repeatedly during the time. The extended present is often used to express changing situations.
Activities in Progress
I am drinking a lot of coffee this week. The baby is sleeping better these days.
Changing Situations
The bus is coming later and later this semester.

10. INFORMATION TAKEN FROM:
PAVLIK,C.(2012).GRAMMARSENSE1(2NDED.). NY:OXFORD.
PAVLIK,C.(2012).GRAMMARSENSE2(2NDED.). NY:OXFORD.
PAVLIK,C.(2012).GRAMMARSENSE3(2NDED.). NY:OXFORD.