Present Progressive vs
Simple Present
Present Progressive
• Present Progressive is used to
describe something that is
happening right now (e.g.,
now, at the moment).
Now
Past
X
Examples:
• Tomas is visiting his fiancee.
• He’s speaking English right
now.
He’s speaking
English.
Future
• The present progressive is
often used to show that the
action is temporary.
• I’m staying with friends at the
moment, but I plan to leave
soon.
Simple Present
• Simple Present is used to
describe what regularly
happens (e.g., every day,
usually, always).
Now
Past
Future
X
X
X
X
X
He speaks
Indonesian.
• Simple Present is used to talk
about scientific facts.
Examples
• Tomas talks to his fiancee
every day.
• He usually wears jeans.
• He always speaks Indonesian
at home.
• Stress causes high blood
pressure.
• Water expands as it freezes.
Present Progressive
• Present Progressive is used to
describe something that is
happening in the extended
present time (e.g., nowadays,
these days, this month, this
year), even it it’s not
happening at the moment of
speaking.
Now
Past
X
She’s studying.
Future
Examples
• We’re studying Javanese
customs this month.
• Kimberley’s studying in
Indonesia this year.
• Are you studying hard these
days?
Simple Present
• Simple Present is used with
adverbs of frequency to
express how often something
happens.
always
usually
often
sometimes
rarely/seldom
never
Examples
•
•
•
•
In Spain women always kiss on
both cheeks.
In France women often kiss on
both cheeks.
We rarely stand very close to each
other.
In China children never call adults
by their first names.
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100%
0%
• Be careful! Adverbs of
frequency usually go before
the main verb, but they go after
the verb be.
•
•
They never come late.
They are never late.
Simple Present
• Simple Present is used with
most non-action verbs. Do not
use the present progressive –
even when the verb describes
a situation that exists at the
moment of speaking.
• Non-action verbs usually
describe states or situations
but not actions. They are used
to:
• Express emotions
• Describe mental states
• Show possession
• Describe senses and
perceptions
Examples
• Jane wants to go home now.
• NOT Jane X is wanting X to go
home now.
• hate, like, love, want, feel, fear,
trust
• know, remember, believe,
think(=believe), understand
• have, own, possess, belong
• hear, see, smell, taste, feel,
notice, seem, look (=seem),
be, appear, sound
Non-action verbs
Non-action verbs used to:
A. express emotion
Example:
• We like Susi a lot.
• Riki feels homesick. OR
• Riki is feeling homesick.
Note: Feel is often used in the
progressive form.
B. describe mental states
Example:
• I know a lot of Javanese customs
now.
• Ari remembers your number.
C. show possession
Example:
• Siti has two sisters.
• Some students own cars.
• Describe senses and perceptions
Example:
• I hear the telephone.
• Dina seems tired.
Non-action and action verbs
• BE CAREFUL! Some verbs that describe senses and perceptions
such as taste, smell, feel, and look can have both a non-action and
an action meaning.
Example:
• Non-action
• The soup tastes good. Try some.
• Action
• She’s tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt.