Present continuous and present simple 1 (I am doing and I do)

Learn and practise the present continuous tense and the present simple tense in English.

A Compare:

present continuous (I am doing)

We use the continuous for things happening at or around the time of speaking. The action is not complete.

present continuous

present simple (I do)

We use the simple for things in general or things that happen repeatedly.

present continuous

  • The water is boiling. Be careful.
  • Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?
  • Let’s go out. It isn’t raining now.
  • ‘I’m busy.’ ‘What are you doing?’
  • I’m getting hungry. Let’s go and eat.
  • Kate wants to work in Italy, so she’s learning Italian.
  • The population of the world is increasing very fast.
  • Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  • Excuse me, do you speak English?
  • It doesn’t rain very much in summer.
  • What do you usually do at weekends?
  • I always get hungry in the afternoon.
  • Most people learn to swim when they are children.
  • Every day the population of the world increases by about 200,000 people.
We use the continuous for temporary situations
(things that continue for a short time):		 We use the simple for permanent situations
(things that continue for a long time):
  • I’m living with some friends until I find a place of my own.
  • You’re working hard today. – Yes, I have a lot to do.
  • My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives.
  • Joe isn’t lazy. He works hard most of the time.
B I always do and I’m always doing

I always do something = I do it every time:

  • I always go to work by car. (not I’m always going)

I’m always doing something = I do it too often or more often than normal.
For example:
present continuous

  • Paul is never satisfied. He’s always complaining. (= he complains too much)
  • You’re always looking at your phone. Don’t you have anything else to do?