This document provides information about and examples of the present simple and present continuous tenses in English. It defines auxiliary verbs, explains their uses, and provides the forms and usage of both tenses. For the present simple, it covers the affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms, as well as usage with habitual and general truths. For the present continuous, it similarly outlines the forms and discusses usage for ongoing actions in the present. Both tenses are contrasted through examples.

1. REVISION
Present Simple – Present Continuous

2. PRESENT SIMPLE - FORM
 Simple means that it is NOT a compound tense.
 Simple means that it only needs an auxiliary in the
negative and in the interrogative forms, NOT in the
affirmative. In the negative and in the interrogative forms
THE AUXILIARY IS NEEDED.
 Simple means that the auxiliary to be used is the verb
TO DO.
 The Simple Present is in all persons the same EXCEPT
IN THE 3rd PERSON SINGULAR!!

3. AUXILIARY VERBS
What are auxiliary verbs?
 Auxiliary verbs are verbs that are used to assist the
main verb (I am dancing; You have written).
 Auxiliary verbs can not be used without a main verb.
 Auxiliary verbs can not be used with modal verbs (I am
canning swim; I have musted study).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to make sentences negative (I
don’t dance; You didn’t write).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to ask questions (Do you
dance?; What did he say?).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to build different tenses (I am
dancing; I have written; He has been talking).

4. PRESENT SIMPLE - FORM
 Affirmative form
verbs TO DANCE, TO LEARN and TO STUDY:
 I dance learn study
 You dance learn study
 He/She/It dance s learn s studies
 We dance learn study
 You dance learn study
 They dance learn study

5. PRESENT SIMPLE - FORM
 Affirmative form verb TO DO (Auxiliary):
 I do
 You do
 He/She/It does
 We do
 You do
 They do

6. PRESENT SIMPLE - FORM
 Negative verb TO DANCE:
Subject + aux. (TO DO) + not + INFINITIVE -to
 I don’t (do+not) dance
 You don’t (do+not) dance
 He/She/It doesn’t (does+not) dance
 We don’t (do+not) dance
 You don’t (do+not) dance
 They don’t (do+not) dance

7. PRESENT SIMPLE - FORM
 Interrogative verb TO DANCE:
Yes/no questions: Wh- questions:
•Wh-+
Aux. (TO DO) + Subject + INFINITIVE -to?
•Where
Do I dance ?
•When
Do you dance ?
•Why
Does he/she/it dance ?
•How
Do we dance ?
•When
Do you dance ?
•Where
Do they dance ?

8. PRESENT SIMPLE - FORM
 Short answers to Yes/no questions:
Auxiliary verb: TO DO.
Yes, I do. No, I don’t.
Yes, you do. No, you don’t.
Yes, he/she/it does. No, he/she/it doesn’t.
Yes, we do. No, we don’t.
Yes, you do. No, you don’t.
Yes, they do. No, they don’t.

9. PRESENT SIMPLE - USE
 The Present Simple is used for general truths:
 Water boils at 100ºC.
 Fish don’t walk.
 Does the earth go round the sun?
 The Present Simple is used for repeated or usual
actions:
 I play tennis at the weekend.
 He doesn’t eat pizza every day.
 Do you usually come to school by bus?

10. AUXILIARY VERBS
What are auxiliary verbs? – Let’s see that again
 Auxiliary verbs are verbs that are used to assist the main
verb (I am dancing; You have written).
 Auxiliary verbs can not be used without a main verb.
 Auxiliary verbs can not be used with modal verbs (I am
canning swim; I have musted study).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to make sentences negative (I
don’t dance; You didn’t write).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to ask questions (Do you
dance?; What did he say?).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to build different tenses (I am
dancing; I have written; He has been talking).

11. PRESENT SIMPLE - USE
 Words that are used with the Present Simple:
 Always
 Sometimes
 Every week
 Never
 Mondays
 At the weekend
 Usually
 Etc.
That is to say, frequency adverbs and expressions.

12. PRESENT CONTINUOUS - FORM
 It isn’t called SIMPLE. This means that IT IS a
compound tense. Therefore we will need an auxiliary
and the main verb will be a verbal (non-personal verb).
 Continuous means that the auxiliary needed is the verb
TO BE.
 Continuous means that the main verb is a gerund verbal.
Gerunds are –ing forms.
 Present means that the auxiliary (TO BE) is
conjugated in the present tense.

13. PRESENT CONTINUOUS - FORM
- ing form
1. +ing
watch watch +ing watching
see see +ing seeing
walk walk +ing walking
play play +ing playing
read read +ing reading
wear wear +ing wearing
buy buy +ing buying

14. PRESENT CONTINUOUS - FORM
- ing form
2. -e +ing
dance danc -e+ing dancing
type typ -e+ing typing
write writ -e+ing writing
drive driv -e+ing driving
have hav -e+ing having
take tak -e+ing taking
give giv -e+ing giving

15. PRESENT CONTINUOUS - FORM
- ing form
3. CVC +double consonant+ing
a) 1 syllable
run run +n+ing running
swim swim +m+ing swimming
get get +t+ing getting
dig dig +g+ing digging
cut cut +t+ing cutting
stop stop +p+ing stopping
sit sit +t+ing sitting

16. PRESENT CONTINUOUS - FORM
- ing form
3. CVC +double consonant+ing
b) 2 syllables, 2nd syllable stressed
begin begin +n+ing beginning
prefer prefer +r+ing preferring
control control+l+ing controlling

17. PRESENT CONTINUOUS- FORM
 Affirmative form verb TO BE (Auxiliary):
 I am dancing.
 You are dancing.
 He/She/It is dancing.
 We are dancing.
 You are dancing.
 They are dancing.

18. PRESENT CONTINUOUS- FORM
 Negative form verb TO BE (Auxiliary):
 I am not ( ‘m not) dancing.
 You are not (aren’t) dancing.
 He/She/It is not ( isn’t) dancing.
 We are not (aren’t) dancing.
 You are not (aren’t) dancing.
 They are not (aren’t) dancing.

19. PRESENT CONTINUOUS- FORM
 Interrogative form verb TO BE (Auxiliary):
Yes/no questions: Wh- questions:
•Wh-+ (TO DO) + Subject + INFINITIVE -to?
Aux.
Am
•Where I dancing ?
•When
Are you dancing ?
•WhyIs he/she/it dancing ?
•How
Are we dancing ?
•When
Are you dancing ?
•Where
Are they dancing ?

20. PRESENT CONTINUOUS- FORM
 Short answers to Yes/no questions:
Auxiliary verb: TO BE.
Yes, I am. No, I ‘m not.
Yes, you are. No, you aren’t.
Yes, he/she/it is. No, he/she/it isn’t.
Yes, we are. No, we aren’t.
Yes, you are. No, you aren’t.
Yes, they are. No, they aren’t.

21. AUXILIARY VERBS
What are auxiliary verbs? – Let’s see that again
 Auxiliary verbs are verbs that are used to assist the main
verb (I am dancing; You have written).
 Auxiliary verbs can not be used without a main verb.
 Auxiliary verbs can not be used with modal verbs (I am
canning swim; I have musted study).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to make sentences negative (I
don’t dance; You didn’t write).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to ask questions (Do you
dance?; What did he say?).
 Auxiliary verbs are used to build different tenses (I am
dancing; I have written; He has been talking).

22. PRESENT CONTINUOUS - USE
 We use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about
activities happening now.
 Examples
The kids are watching TV.
We are studying the Present Continuous.
I am not learning German, because this is an English class.
Who are you writing to?
 We can also use the Present Continuous Tense to talk
about activities happening around now, and not necessarily
this very moment.
 Examples
Sally is studying really hard for her exams this week.
I am reading a really interesting book now.
How hard are you rehearsing for the “mostra”?
We aren't working hard these days.

23. PRESENT CONTINUOUS - USE
 Words that are used with the Present Continuous:
 Now
 Right now
 Today
 At the moment
 This morning (if it is morning now)
 This afternoon (if it is afternoon now)
 Etc.
That is to say, adverbs and expressions that express
the idea of NOW.

24. PRESENT SIMPLE
AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS - EXAMPLES
 Where are you going?
 I’m going to the library. Wednesdays I always go to
the library.
 Are you sleeping?
 No, I’m not sleeping now. I never sleep until so late.
 What are you doing?
 I’m learning the Present Simple and the Present
Continuous. They’re difficult!

25. PRESENT SIMPLE
AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS - VIDEOS
 Now you’re going to watch two videos. Note as
many verbs as possible from what you hear.
 What’s Bert doing?
 What’s Ernie doing?
 What happens?
 What’s the coyote doing?
 And the road runner?
 What happens always with the coyote?

26. PRESENT SIMPLE
AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS - VIDEOS
 Video 1
 Video 2
 Video 3

27. SIMPLE PRESENT
AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS - EXERCISES
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4

28. IF YOU’VE STILL GOT
QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK!!