Revision of grammar.

Present Simple versus Present Continuous.

THE PRESENT SIMPLE.

• We use the present simple to talk about:
  • General things.
  • Scientific facts.
  • Permament or long-lasting situations.
  • Regular habits.
  • Timetables and schedules.
• It is one of the most common tenses in English.
• To form the present simple we just put the subject + the verb.
  • Example: "I play football". // "I work in a company".
• Be careful! In the third person singular we need to add -s.
  • Example:"He plays football". // "He works in a company".
• To form the negative we need the subject + don't /doesn't + verb.
  • Example:"I don't work at British Corporation". // "She doesn't live in London".
• To form the interrogative we need:
  • Do/does + subject + verb + ?
    • Do you live in New York?
    • Does she play tennis?
    • Do they travel a lot?
• Look at the following idioms and common sayings:
  • An apple a day KEEPS the doctor away. Más vale prevenir que curar.
  • The early bird CATCHES the worm. A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
  • The apple DOESN'T FALL far from the tree. De tal palo tal astilla.
  • Barking dogs never BITE. Perro ladrador, poco mordedor.
  • A cat in gloves CATCHES no mice. Gato con guantes no caza ratones.
  • A stitch in time SAVES nine. Más vale prevenir que curar.
  • It never RAINS, but it POURS. Las desgracias nunca vienen solas.
  • The shoemaker's son goes always barefoot. En casa del herrero, cuchara de palo.
• General things.
  • The sun SETS in the West.
• Scientific facts.
  • If it RAINS, we get wet.
• Permanet or long-lasting situations.
  • He WORKS as a waiter.
• Regular habits and daily routines.
  • Mary never GETS up before 9.30
• Timetables and schedules.
  • Our train LEAVES at 12.30.

THE PRESENT CONTINOUS.

• We use the present continuous to talk about:
  • Something that is going on right now, at this moment. "He is watching the news."
  • Temporary situations. "I'm staying in this hotel until I rent a flat."
  • Arrangements we've made for the future. "I'm travelling to China next summer.
• To form the present continuous we need: Subject + verb To Be + verb + ING.
  • She is sending an email to her colleague.
  • Peter is having lunch at the canteen.
• However, we should be very careful since there are some verbs which cannot go in the present continuous, these are STATIVE VERBS.

STATIVE VERBS.

• After verbs expressing STATES, POSSESSION, SENSES, FEELINGS, EMOTIONS and MENTAL ACTIVITY. When you love someone, that's a state, a fact or emotion, but not an action (like running for example). Whenever you want to express a state, possession, sense or emotions, use the simple form (not the progressive). The following words all belong to this group:
  • be (state).
  • believe (mental activity).
  • belong (possession).
  • hate (feeling and emotion).
  • hear (senses).
  • like (feeling and emotion).
  • love (feeling and emotion).
  • mean (mental activity).
  • prefer (mental activity).
  • remain (state).
  • realize (mental activity).
  • see (senses).
  • seem (feeling and emotion).
  • smell (senses).
  • think (mental activity).
  • understand (mental activity).
  • want (feeling and emotion).
  • wish (feeling and emotion).

PRESENT SIMPLE VERSUS PRESENT CONTINUOUS:

• PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY SITUATIONS.
  • They LIVE in a small village.
  • She IS LIVING in a hotel until she can find a flat.
• PERMANENT OR LIMITED IN TIME.
  • He WORKS as a fireman.
  • She IS PICKING fruits for the summer.
• IN GENERAL OR RIGHT NOW.
  • He WORKS as a teacher.
  • He IS CLIMBING a mountain right now.
• DAILY ROUTINE or EXCEPTION.
  • Molly usually GETS UP at a quarter past seven.
  • Today she IS GETTING UP at seven o'clock.