Simple Presente

Present Progressive - Introduction 
Language Guide German + Dictionary for iPhone and iPod-Touch
The present progressive puts emphasis on the course or duration of an action.

The present progressive is used for actions going on in the moment of speaking and for actions taking place only for a short period of time. It is also used to express development and actions that are arranged for thenear future.
Present progressive is also known as present continuous.

Present Continuous
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Basic form
Subject + IS/ARE + Verb (continuous form)

* He is sleeping.
* I am visiting grandpa in the afternoon.
* You are always coming late for the meetings!
The Present Continuous is mainly used to express the idea that something is happening at the moment of speaking. ThePresent Continuous also describes activities generally in progress (not at the moment). Another use of the tense is to talk about temporary actions or future plans.
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Use
1. Present actions
2. Temporary actions
3. Longer actions in progress
4. Future (personal) arrangements and plans
5. Tendencies and trends
6. Irritation
Use1: Present Actions
Most often, we use the Present Continuous tense to talk about actions happening at the moment of speaking.
* He is eating a dinner.
* Mary is talking with her friends.
* They are swimming in the pool.
Stative (State) Verbs
There is a certain group of verbs that usually does not appear in the Continuous form. They are calledStative (State) Verbs, and if used in theContinuous form, they have a different meaning.
Examples:
* I think you look pretty today. meaning: Opinion
* I'm thinking of moving to San Francisco. meaning: Act of thinking
Read more

[ I 'm having a shower now. ]

Explanation
In this cartoon, you can see a man in the shower who says: "I'm taking a shower now". 
* Why is the Present Continuous tense used in thisexample? Because the Johny is taking shower at this precise moment.
Use 2: Temporary Actions
This tense is also used for activities continuing only for a limited period of time.
* I'm riding a bike to get to work because my car is broken. Temporary Action (His car will soon be repaired)
* They are not talking with each other after the last argument. Temporary Action (They will soon make up)
*Mary is working at McDonald's. Temporary Action (She is working there only during the summer holidays)
Use 3: Longer Actions in Progress
We also use the Present Continuous when we are in the middle of doing something time-consuming (i.e. something that takes time to complete). An example of such an activity is writing a book, saving money or studying for an exam.
* They are working hard to earnmoney.
* I am training to become a professional footballer.
* Mike is studying hard to become a doctor.
* Elizabeth is currently writing a children's book titled I am the World.

To understand this use better, watch this interactive animation:

I'm writing an adventure book.

Explanation
In this cartoon, you can a man who says: "I'm writing an adventure book".
* Why is thePresent Continuous tense used in this example? Click on the buttons located on the Timeline to see the other scenes. You will find out that Alex (the writer) was writing the book a month ago, two months ago and four months ago. Clearly, it's a longer action in progress.
Use 4: Future (Personal) Arrangements and Plans
Sometimes we use the Present Continuous to show that something is planned andwill be done in the near future.
* I'm meeting Katie in the evening.
* He's flying to Rome in September.
* We're not going anywhere tomorrow.
Use 5: Tendencies and Trends
This tense is also used for expressing tendencies or trends.
* Our country is getting richer.
* The Internet is becoming less of a novelty.
* The Universe is expanding.
Use 6: Irritation or Anger
And...