The document provides information on the simple present and present progressive tenses in English. It explains how to form each tense and lists rules for irregular verbs. It also gives examples of when to use each tense, such as using the simple present for habitual actions and the present progressive for actions happening now. Exercises are included for students to practice forming and using the simple present and present progressive correctly.

1. Simple Present
or
Present Progressive?

2. Simple Present –
how to build it
I
you
he/she/it
we
you
they
speak
speaks
speak
speak
speak
speak
verb: to speak

3. Particularities
 Modal verbs like can, may and must don‘t need a “s“
 (e.g. You may go to dance class.)
 After sounds like ch, sh or s there has to be a “es“
 (e.g. He watches a movie at night.)
 If the last consonant is a “y“ it changes to a “ie“
 (e.g. She flies to the United States.)
→ however, this rule does not apply if the letter
before the „y“ is a vowel (e.g. She plays a video game.)

4. Present
Progressive –
how to build it
I
you
he/she/it
we
you
they
are speaking
are speaking
is speaking
are speaking
are speaking
am speaking

5. Particularities
 If the verb is ending in “e“ it disappears
(e.g. to come: She is coming to see him.)
→ however, this rule does not apply if the verb ends in ”ee”
(e.g. to agree: I’m agreeing with her opinion.)
 After a short and stressed vowel, the last consonant needs to be doubled
(e.g. to sit: He is sitting next to her.)
(e.g. to travel: She is travelling to Spain.)
 If the verb is ending in a “ie” it changes to “y”
(e.g. to lie: The student is lying to its teacher.)

6. What do you
think?
 When do we use the Simple
Present and when do we use the
Present Progressive?

7. Usage of the Simple Present
 If you want to express something that happens in general
 e.g. Bauti plays soccer every Tuesday.
 Signal words:
 always (100%)
 usually (90%)
 regularly (80%)
 normally (80%)
 generally (80%)
 often/frequently (70%)
 sometimes (50%)
 occasionally (30%)
 seldom (10%)
 rarely/hardly ever (5%)
 never (0%)
 every …
 every other …
 Sequential actions:
 e.g. First, Alicia plays soccer, then he watches TV.
 Signal words:
 first
 next
 then
 after that
 finally

8. Usage of the Present Progressive
 If an action happens right now
 e.g. Look! Alicia is playing soccer now.
 If there are several actions happening at the same time
 e.g. Alicia is playing soccer and Talita is watching.
 Signal words:
 at the moment
 at this moment
 right now
 now
 today
 Listen!
 Look!

9. Simple Present: Exercises
Past Present Future
1. Lucas ______ (like) to play basketball.
2. Sindame ______ (to meet) her friend Carmen every Sunday.
3. Usually Rafael ______ (to read) a book before going to sleep.
4. Daniel often ______ (to go) to visit his family in Colombia.
5. Anastasija never ______ (to walk) from the school to her house.
6. Pablo and Mauro usually ______ (to practice) their instruments on the weekends.
7. You ______ (to take) the bus early in the morning to go to school.
8. Nicolas ______ (to swim) three times a week after school.
9. After school Gonzalo ______ (to go) home, ______ (to pack) his bag, ______ (to put) on his jersey and
then he ______ (to go) to soccer training.
10. Usually the train ______ (to leave) at 4 pm.
Simple Present

10. Present Progressive: Exercises
Past Moment of speaking Future
1. Sophia ___________ (to brush) her teeth.
2. Nicolas and Sebastian ___________ (to read) a book together.
3. The kids ___________ (to run) home from school.
4. The English teacher ___________ (to come) late to class.
5. Nicolas ___________ (to get) a new hair cut.
6. Liam and his best friend ___________ (to chat) with each other right now.
7. Kassi ___________ (to write) a letter to her friend who lives in Ireland.
8. Ruben ___________ (to fall) down a tree.
9. They ___________ (to go) to see a movie in the center of the city.
10. The cat ___________ (to chase) the mouse.
Present Progressive

11. Simple Present or Present Progressive?
1. Look! Lucas ___________ (to leave) the house.
2. Quiet please! I ___________ (to write) a test.
3. She usually ___________ (to walk) to school.
4. But look! Today she ___________ (to go) by bike.
5. Every Sunday we ___________ (to go) to see my grandparents.
6. He often ___________ (to go) to the cinema.
7. We ___________ (to play) Monopoly at the moment.
8. The children seldom ___________ (to cry)
9. I ___________ (not to do) anything at the moment.
10. He ___________ (to watch) the news regularly.