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By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

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By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

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1. Identify and use the present simple tense correctly
2. Understand and apply adverbs of frequency
3. Recognize and use the present continuous tense appropriately
4. Distinguish between present simple and present continuous usage

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Grammar: Present Simple, Adverbs of Frequency, Present Continuous

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Students discuss their daily routines in pairs, focusing on using present simple tense.

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Teacher explains the structure of present simple tense and its uses. Students take notes using Padlet's collaborative feature.

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Students complete an online quiz about adverbs of frequency and their position in sentences.

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Online quiz to test your understanding of English adverbs of frequency. This is a free multiple-choice quiz that you can do online or print out. For ESL learners.

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Teacher presents the structure and uses of present continuous tense. Students create example sentences on a shared Padlet board.

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In small groups, students sort given sentences into present simple or present continuous categories, explaining their choices.

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Wordwall - Create better lessons quicker

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Something is happening at the moment of speaking or for a limited time in the present.: I am studying hard for the biology test. , My neighbours are building a swimming pool., What are you doing with that mobile ? , Take the umbrella because it's raining heavily., This week they are taking part in a competition., Right now they are giving a presentation. , Repeated actions, habits and facts: How often do you have your music lessons ?, My parents don't let me watch TV after 11 o'clock., Every summer we travel to the seaside to visit grandma and grandpa. , People all over the world speak English. , Every morning they visit their neighbours to collect unwanted items. , They normally make 5 £ a week.,

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Present Simple vs.Present Continuous Sorting Activity

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Something is happening at the moment of speaking or for a limited time in the present.: I am studying hard for the biology test. , Repeated actions, habits and facts:

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Pairs of students write a short dialogue using both present simple and present continuous tenses. They can use Padlet to collaboratively write and share their dialogues.

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For advanced students: Introduce the concept of stative verbs and how they are usually used in present simple tense.

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Look at these examples to see how stative verbs are used.

I think that's a good idea.
I love this song!
That coffee smells good.
Do you have a pen?

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Stative verbs describe a state rather than an action. They aren't usually used in the present continuous form.

I don't know the answer. I'm not knowing the answer.
She really likes you.She's really liking you.
He seems happy at the moment.He's seeming happy at the moment.

Stative verbs often relate to:

Verbs that are sometimes stative

A number of verbs can refer to states or actions, depending on the context.

I think it's a good idea.
Wait a moment! I'm thinking.

The first sentence expresses an opinion. It is a mental state, so we use present simple. In the second example the speaker is actively processing thoughts about something. It is an action in progress, so we use present continuous.

Some other examples are:

I have an old car. (state - possession)
I'm having a quick break. (action - having a break is an activity)

Do you see any problems with that? (state - opinion)
We're seeing Tadanari tomorrow afternoon. (action - we're meeting him)

He's so interesting! (state - his permanent quality)
He's being very unhelpful. (action - he is temporarily behaving this way)

This coffee tastes delicious. (state - our perception of the coffee)
Look! The chef is tasting the soup. (action - tasting the soup is an activity)

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Language level

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Do you know how to use stative verbs like think, love, smell and have? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

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Throughout the lesson, students identify and correct errors in sample sentences provided by the teacher.

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Students exchange their dialogues with another pair and provide feedback on the correct usage of tenses.

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Students complete a quiz covering present simple, adverbs of frequency, and present continuous tenses.

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Class discussion: When do we use present simple vs. present continuous in real-life situations?

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Students write three sentences: one in present simple, one with an adverb of frequency, and one in present continuous.

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Students complete online exercises focusing on distinguishing between present simple and present continuous.

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Present simple vs present continuous - Form

Present simple - short forms

We normally use short forms in spoken English.

Present continuous - short forms

We normally use short forms in spoken English.

Present simple vs present continuous - Use

Present simple use

Habits or situations that happen regularly

We use the present simple to talk about actions that we do (o we don't do) regularly:

Permanent situations or things that are usually or often true

Adverbs of frequency

We often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency ( always, sometimes, etc.) and expressions of frequency ( once every three months, twice a week, every other day, etc.).

Adverbs of frequency go in mid position (before the main verb or after be).

Expressions of frequency go at the end of the sentence

Future events that are timetabled

We use the present simple to talk about future events that are scheduled or timetabled.

Present continuous use

Actions in progress

We use the present continuous to talk about things that are happening now or 'around now' (a time around this moment, such as these days, weeks or months)

I finished the Lord of the Rings and now I'm reading a new book.

Temporary actions

The present continuous is used to talk about temporary actions:

With expressions meaning 'now' or 'around now'.

The present continuous often appears next to expressions such as now, these days, this week/month, or at the moment.

Situations that are changing or developing

Future arrangements

We use the present continuous to talk or ask about future actions that are already planned or decided.

Stative verbs

Non-action verbs (or stative verbs) cannot be used in present continuous. They must be used in present simple. The most frequent are the verbs of the senses (hear, see, smell, look, seem, sound), verbs of opinion (believe, consider, like, love, hate, prefer, think, etc.) verbs of possession (have, own, belong, etc.). Other common non-action verbs are: agree, be, depend, need, mean, remember, realise, recognise, seem, want, etc.

Some verbs have an action and a non-action meaning; for example, have or think:

The verb see also has a dynamic and a stative meaning.

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Present simple or present continuous - Test-English

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Present simple or present continuous English grammar exercises. Intermediate grammar exercises. Present simple and progressive. Dynamic and static verbs.

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Students write a short paragraph describing their typical day (present simple) and what they are doing this week that's different (present continuous).

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Students conjugate a list of verbs in both present simple and present continuous tenses.