Present Simple vs Present Continuous Practice Tests with A1 Grammar Rules & Examples

Present Simple vs Present Continuous

In English, we use two important tenses to talk about the present: the present simple and the present continuous. They look similar, but we use them for different reasons.

Let's meet two friends: Tom and Anna.

"Tom works in a school. Right now, he is eating lunch."

The first sentence uses the present simple. The second sentence uses the present continuous. In this lesson, you will learn when to use each one and how to make them.

What Is the Present Simple?

We use the present simple to talk about:

• Things that are always true (facts)
• Things we do every day or regularly (habits and routines)

Think of the present simple as a timetable of your life — things you do again and again.

Present Simple Examples

Anna lives in London. (This is always true. It is a fact.)
She drinks coffee every morning. (She does this every day. It is a habit.)
Tom works in a school. (This is his job. It is always true.)
They eat dinner at 7 o'clock. (This happens every day. It is a routine.)

How to Make the Present Simple

For most subjects (I, you, we, they), just use the base verb:

Subject + base verb
I eat breakfast.
You work at home.
We live in Madrid.
They like cats.

For he, she, it, add -s or -es to the verb:

He / She / It + verb + -s/-es
He eats breakfast.
She works at home.
It rains a lot here.

Note: A subject is the person or thing doing the action. A verb is the action word (eat, work, live).

Present Simple: Positive, Negative, and Question

Form	I / You / We / They	He / She / It
Positive	I work.	She works.
Negative	I don't work.	She doesn't work.
Question	Do you work?	Does she work?

Note: Don't is short for do not. Doesn't is short for does not. These short forms are called contractions.

Common Time Words for Present Simple

These words often appear with the present simple:

• every day – I walk to school every day.
• always – She always drinks tea.
• usually – We usually eat at home.
• often – He often reads books.
• sometimes – They sometimes watch TV.
• never – I never eat meat.
• on Mondays / at 8 o'clock – She works on Mondays.

What Is the Present Continuous?

We use the present continuous to talk about:

• Things that are happening right now, at this moment
• Things that are happening today or around this time (but not always)

Think of the present continuous like a photograph — it shows exactly what is happening at one specific moment.

Present Continuous Examples

Tom is eating lunch. (He is eating lunch right now, at this moment.)
Anna is talking on the phone. (She is talking right now.)
It is raining outside. (It is raining at this moment.)
We are studying English. (We are doing this right now.)

How to Make the Present Continuous

Use the verb to be (am / is / are) + the main verb with -ing:

Subject + am / is / are + verb + -ing

I am eating.
You are working.
He is sleeping.
She is reading.
It is raining.
We are studying.
They are playing.

Note: The -ing form is sometimes called the present participle. We add -ing to the end of the base verb: eat → eating, work → working, play → playing.

Present Continuous: Positive, Negative, and Question

Form	Example
Positive	She is watching TV.
Negative	She is not watching TV. / She isn't watching TV.
Question	Is she watching TV?

Note: Isn't is short for is not. Aren't is short for are not.

Common Time Words for Present Continuous

These words often appear with the present continuous:

• now – I am eating now.
• right now – She is sleeping right now.
• at the moment – He is working at the moment.
• today – We are studying today.
• this morning / this afternoon / this week – They are travelling this week.
• Look! / Listen! – Look! The dog is running!

Present Simple vs Present Continuous: Side by Side

Let's look at both tenses together so you can see the difference clearly.

Present Simple	Present Continuous
Habits and routines	Actions happening right now
Facts and things always true	Things happening around this time
Subject + base verb (+ s/es for he/she/it)	Subject + am/is/are + verb + -ing
Anna drinks coffee every morning.	Anna is drinking coffee right now.
Tom works in a school.	Tom is working at the moment.
It rains a lot in winter.	It is raining outside now.
The children play football.	The children are playing football.
Time words: always, every day, usually, often, never	Time words: now, right now, at the moment, today

How to Form the -ing Ending

For most verbs, simply add -ing to the base verb:

eat → eating
read → reading
play → playing
work → working
sleep → sleeping

If the verb ends in a single -e, remove the -e and add -ing:

make → making
have → having
write → writing
come → coming

If the verb is short and ends in consonant + vowel + consonant, double the last letter and add -ing:

(A consonant is a letter that is not a, e, i, o, or u. A vowel is a, e, i, o, or u.)

run → running
sit → sitting
swim → swimming
get → getting

The Verb "To Be" in the Present Continuous

To make the present continuous, you always need the correct form of to be. Here is a quick table:

Subject	To Be	Contraction	Example
I	am	I'm	I'm eating.
You	are	You're	You're working.
He	is	He's	He's sleeping.
She	is	She's	She's reading.
It	is	It's	It's raining.
We	are	We're	We're studying.
They	are	They're	They're playing.

Important Differences: Present Simple vs Present Continuous

Same Verb, Different Meaning

Look at how the same verb changes meaning depending on which tense we use:

She reads every night. → This is her habit. She does it regularly.
She is reading right now. → She has a book in her hands at this moment.

I walk to work. → This is what I do every day.
I am walking to work. → I am on my way to work right now.

The baby cries a lot. → This happens often.
The baby is crying. → The baby is crying right now.

Facts vs Actions Happening Now

Use the present simple for facts about people and things:

Tom is a teacher. (fact — this is always true)
Water is cold. (fact — always true)
Dogs eat meat. (general fact)

Use the present continuous for actions at this specific moment:

Tom is teaching his class. (happening right now)
The dog is eating its food. (happening right now)

Common Mistakes

❌ She is drink coffee every morning.
✅ Present simple for habits: She drinks coffee every morning.

❌ He work right now.
✅ Use am/is/are + -ing for right now: He is working right now.

❌ I am always eat breakfast at 8.
✅ Use present simple with "always": I always eat breakfast at 8.

❌ They are play football every Saturday.
✅ Present simple for regular activities: They play football every Saturday.

❌ She is work in a hospital.
✅ Use present simple for jobs (always true): She works in a hospital.

❌ Look! The children play in the garden!
✅ Use present continuous for actions happening right now: Look! The children are playing in the garden!

❌ He eating lunch at the moment.
✅ Don't forget "to be": He is eating lunch at the moment.

❌ Does she working today?
✅ Use "is" for present continuous questions: Is she working today?

Contractions in Present Simple and Present Continuous

In everyday English, we often use contractions — short forms of two words joined together.

Present Simple Contractions (Negative)

Full Form	Contraction	Example
do not	don't	I don't eat meat.
does not	doesn't	She doesn't like cats.

Present Continuous Contractions

Full Form	Contraction	Example
I am working	I'm working	I'm working at the moment.
She is not working	She isn't working	She isn't working today.
They are not sleeping	They aren't sleeping	They aren't sleeping now.

Present Simple vs Present Continuous: Quick Summary

Here are the key things to remember:

• Use the present simple for habits, routines, and facts — things that are always true or happen regularly.
• Use the present continuous for actions happening right now or around this time.
• Present simple: Subject + base verb (add -s/-es for he/she/it).
• Present continuous: Subject + am/is/are + verb + -ing.
• Look for time words: every day, always, usually, never → present simple. Now, right now, at the moment, today → present continuous.
• Always use the correct form of to be (am, is, are) in the present continuous.
• For negatives in the present simple, use don't or doesn't. For the present continuous, use isn't or aren't.

Now practise present simple vs present continuous in the exercises below.