The document discusses the present tense in English, including the present continuous and present simple tenses. The present continuous is used to describe actions happening at or around the time of speaking, such as "I'm studying" or "She's having a bath." The present simple is used for permanent or repeated actions like "I come from Spain" or "I get up at 6am every day." Some verbs like "know" and "believe" are generally not used in the continuous tense, but exceptions exist like "I'm seeing Mary tomorrow." The document provides examples to illustrate the differences between these two tenses.

1. THE PRESENT TENSE
A) THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS
* We use the present continuous when we talk about something which is happening at the time
of speaking.
e.g. - Please don't make so much noise, I'm studying.
- 'Where's Margaret?' 'She's having a bath.'
* We also use the present continuous when we talk about an action which is happening around
the time of speaking, but not necessarily exactly at the time of speaking.
e.g. - Tom and Ann are talking and drinking in a café.
- Tom says: I'm reading an interesting book at the moment. (Tom is not reading the
book at the time of speaking. He means that he has begun the book and hasn't finished it yet. He is in
the middle of reading it).
- Have you heard about Tom? He is building his own house. (But it doesn't necessarily
mean that Tom is doing it at the moment of speaking.)
* We often use the present continuous when we talk about a period around the present. For
example: today, this season, etc...
e.g. - 'You're working hard today.' 'Yes, I have a lot to do.'
- Tom isn't playing football this season.
* We use the present continuous when we talk about changing situations:
e.g. - The population of the world is rising very fast.
- Is your English getting better?.
B) THE PRESENT SIMPLE
* For something which is permanently true:
e.g. - I come from Spain. We live in Salamanca.
- Where do you come from?
- The earth goes round the sun.
* For repeated actions or habits:
e.g. - I get up at six o'clock every day.
- What time do you usually get up?
- How often do you go to the cinema?
* When you make a suggestion, you can say: 'Why don't you.....?'
e.g. - 'I'm tired.? 'Why don't you go to bed early?'

2. C) NOTE:
* Some verbs are used only in simple tenses. For example, you cannot say 'I am knowing'. You
can only say 'I know'. Here is a list of verbs which are not normally used in continuous tenses. But there
are exceptions, and if they become an activity, they can be used in the continuous tense. For example:
I'm seeing Mary tomorrow night; In this case 'seeing' = 'meeting'.
want like belong know suppose remember
need love see realise mean forget
prefer hate hear believe understand seem
have (when the meaning is 'possess')
think (when the meaning is 'believe')
* Note the difference between these verbs:
listen hear
look see
watch see
'Listen, look, watch' are deliberate activities, and can use the continuous forms.
e.g. I'm listening to the radio.
'Hear, see' are not deliberate activities, and do not usually use the continuous forms.
* Study this explanation and compare the examples:
Present continuous (I am doing) Present Simple (I do)
Use the present continuous to Use the present simple
talk about something which is to talk about things in
happening at or around the general or things which
time of speaking: happen repeatedly:
- The kettle is boiling. Can you - Water boils at 100 º C.
turn it off, please?
- Listen to those people. What - Excuse me, do you speak English?
language are you speaking?
- Silvia is in Britain for three months - Most people learn to swim when they're children.
She's learning English
- I'm living with some friends - My parents live in London: They have been
until I can find a flat there for 20 years.
- That machine isn't working. - That machine doesn't work.. It hasn't worked
It broke down this morning for years.