The Present Simple:

General Rule
Things that are generally true, but not necessarily happening in this moment:-

Routines – I clean my teeth every night.	Habits – I collect computer games.
Timetables – My maths class starts at 11:00.	Natural Laws – The sun rises in the east.

Present states

A state verb is a verb that cannot be used with ‘ing’ * and is either true or not and fit the following categories.

Emotions	I love my family.
Likes / Dislikes.	I like chocolate but I don’t like chocolate ice cream.
Our Senses	This tea tastes sweet.
Thought / Belief	I understand my homework, but I don’t know the answer to Question 5.

* BE CAREFUL:  Sometimes a verb can be both a state verb and a normal one, but its meaning changes:

• It tastes horrible – it has a bad taste (state verb)
• I am tasting the soup to see if it is nice – I am testing the soup (non-state verb)

The Present Continuous

• Things that are happening now, they are temporary (they started at some time and will finish at sometime) or interrupted (not doing it right now).
  • I am listening to music (right now).
  • I am reading an interesting book about computers (not now I am in a lesson).
• Habits that are annoying for us.
  • He is always singing when I am trying to sleep.
• We also use it to describe future plans and intentions, but this is discussed in a different lesson.

Now complete the practice exercise below.

Practice