PRESENT TENSES
Contrasting use


PRESENT CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE
 Used for things happening at or around the time of speaking:
          The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?
 The action is not complete.

 We use present progressive for temporary situations:
  He’s living with some friends, until he finds a new job.

PRESENT SIMPLE
 Used for things in general or things that happen repeatedly:
  Water boils at 100 degrees Celcius.


 We use present simple for permanent situations:
  My parents live in London.

I ALWAYS DO VS I’M ALWAYS DOING
 I always go to work by tram. (=I do it every time)


 He’s always going to work by car. (=he goes too often and I don’t like it)

 Other examples:
 He’s always complaining. = He complains too much.
 She’s always borrowing my mobile phone. = too often, and I don’t like it.

PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
 Some verbs never use present progressive form (state verbs):

 Like, want, need, prefer
  I don’t need your help.
 Know, realise, suppose, mean, understand, believe, remember
  He doesn’t know what to do.
 Belong, fit, contain, consist, seem, appear
  They seem to be very angry.

THINK
 PRESENT SIMPLE
 I think he’s right. (= I believe, this is my opinion)


 PRESENT CONTINUOUS
 I’m thinking about what happened. (=that’s what I’m doing now)
 She’s thinking of leaving the States. (=she’s considering this)

SEE, SMELL, HEAR, TASTE
 We usually use PRESENT SIMPLE
  The soup tastes good!
  I hear some strange noise.
  The roses smell wonderful!

 But:
  The cook is tasting the soup (=that’s what he’s doing now)
  His girlfriend is smelling the roses. (=that’s what she’s doing now)

LOOK, FEEL
 Both tenses are OK

  You look well today. = You’re looking well today.
  How do you feel now? = How are you feeling now?

ONE LAST DIFFERENCE
 He’s selfish. = all the time, always, that’s the way he is


 He’s being selfish. = he’s acting, he’s behaving in a selfish way at the moment.
  Normally, he is not selfish.