The Rule
| Tense | Use | Signal words |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | Habits, routines, facts, permanent situations | always, usually, often, every day/week, never, on Mondays |
| Present Continuous | Actions happening now, temporary situations, changes | now, at the moment, currently, today, this week/month |
| Present Simple | Present Continuous |
|---|---|
| I work in Madrid. (permanent) | I am working from home today. (temporary) |
| She checks emails every morning. | She is checking emails right now. |
| We have a team meeting on Mondays. | We are having an urgent meeting now. |
State verbs — NEVER use in continuous form:
know · believe · understand · want · need · like · love · hate · prefer · seem · appear · belong · contain · mean
✗ I am knowing the answer. ✓ I know the answer.
✗ She is understanding the problem. ✓ She understands the problem.
know · believe · understand · want · need · like · love · hate · prefer · seem · appear · belong · contain · mean
✗ I am knowing the answer. ✓ I know the answer.
✗ She is understanding the problem. ✓ She understands the problem.
Common Mistakes
I am working in this company since 2019.
I have worked in this company since 2019. / I work in this company.
She is knowing all the clients very well.
She knows all the clients very well.
We are having a meeting every Monday morning.
We have a meeting every Monday morning.
He is not understanding the new process.
He does not understand the new process.
What do you do right now? Can you talk?
What are you doing right now? Can you talk?
Gap Fill — Press Enter to Check
Error Correction
Multiple Choice
Put the Words in the Correct Order
Sentence Transformation — Press Enter to Check
Conversation Practice
1
Describe your typical working day using present simple. Then describe what you are doing this week using present continuous.
2
What temporary projects or changes are happening at your company right now?
3
Use 5 state verbs in sentences about your work: know, understand, believe, prefer, need.
Homework
Write a short paragraph (8 sentences) about your job. Use present simple for your regular routine and present continuous for what is happening this week. Include at least 3 state verbs used correctly.