Simple Present vs. Present Continuous

The Present Continuous and Present Simple Tenses

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Permanent (usual) and Temporary (now, around now) actions. We use the Present Continuous tense to speak about things which are happening now or things which are temporary. I am not working now. I am on holiday. Sally is listening to a new CD. Who are you phoning? The Present Simple tense describes usual, repeated and permanent things - for example, always, usually, often, sometimes, never. I work as an accountant. John doesn't know German. How often do you play tennis? Compare how these two tenses are used. Why are you walking to work? Don't you usually go by bus? I live in Kharkiv, but now I am living in Moscow. Usually we have dinner at 7, but today we are having it at 9.

 Present Continuous and Simple - Practice

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Put the verb in brackets in the correct form, either the Present Simple Tense or the Present Continuous Tense.

1. I  --- read am reading  a very interesting book.
   
2. Joanne  --- works is working  eight hours a day.
   
3. Tonight we  --- see are seeing  a play at the thereatre.
   
4. Who  --- do you speak are you speaking  to?
   
5. I  --- don't know am not knowing  him very well.
   
6. What will you do if she  --- comes is coming  late?
   
7. My wife  --- prefers is prefering  coffee for breakfast.
   
8. What  --- do you usually have  are you usually having  for breakfast?
   
9. Your train  --- leaves is leaving  at 17.25 from platform 3.
   
10. What  --- does Josephine do is Josephine doing ? She's a student.