Unit 8. I am doing(present continuous) and I do (simple present)

 

 

BASIC GRAMMAR IN USE 

 

Unit 8. I am doing(present continuous)

and I do(simple present)

 

 

Jack is watching television. 
He is not playing the guitar.
But Jack has a guitar.
He plays it a lot, and he plays very well. 

Jack plays the guitar, but he is not playing the guitar now.

Is he playing the guitar?    No, he isn't.(present continuous)
Does he play the guitar?    Yes, he does.(simple present)

 

 

Present continuous(I am doing)

= now, at the time of speaking

 

Please be quiet. I'm working. (not I work)

Tom is taking a shower at the moment. (not Tom takes)

Take an umbrella with you. It's raining.

You can turn off the TV. I'm not watching it.

Why are you under the table? What are you doing?

 

 

Simple present(I do)

= in general, all the time, or sometimes

 

I work every day from 9:00 to 5:30. 
Tom takes a shower every morning. 
It rains a lot there in the winter. 
I don't watch TV very often. 
What do you usually do on weekends?

 

 

(We do not use these verbs in the present continuous(I am -ing))

 

like / want / know / understand / remember / prefer / need / mean / believe / forget

 

I'm tired. I want to go home. (not  I'm wanting)

"Do you know that girl?"    "Yes, but I don't remember her name. 

I don't understand. What do you mean?