Ingles

Simple Present – Present Progressive

Form
Simple Present | Present Progressive |
infinitive
(3rd person singular: infinitive + 's')I speak
you speak
he / she / it speaks
we speak
theyspeak | form of 'be' and verb + ing
 I am speaking
you are speaking
he / she / it is speaking
we are speaking
they are speaking |
Exceptions |
Exceptions when adding 's' : * For can, may,might, must, do not add s.Example: he can, she may, it must * After o, ch, sh or s, add es.Example: do - he does, wash - she washes * After a consonant, the final consonant ybecomes ie. (but: notafter a vowel)Example: worry - he worries
but: play - he plays | Exceptions when adding 'ing' : * Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing *After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled.Example: sit - sitting * After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English).Example: travel -travelling (British English)
but: traveling (American English) * Final ie becomes y.Example: lie - lying |
See also explanations on Simple Present and Present Progressive
Use
In general orright now?
Do you want to express that something happens in general or that something is happening right now?
Simple Present | Present Progressive |
in general (regularly, often, never)Colin playsfootball every Tuesday.present actions happening one after anotherFirst Colin plays football, then he watches TV. | right nowLook! Colin is playing football now.also for several actions happening at thesame timeColin is playing football and Anne is watching. |
Signal words |
* always * every ... * often * normally * usually * sometimes * seldom * never * first * then | *at the moment * at this moment * today * now * right now * Listen! * Look! |
Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present:
be, have, hear, know, like, love, see,...