General English B1 · Lesson 1A

Grammar Bank

The rules behind this lesson — form, use, model sentences and the mistakes to avoid.

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Grammar focus of this lesson

Present simple vs present continuous

1 structure

Present simple vs present continuous
Permanent vs temporary, routine vs right now.
I've got this
Rules & form
- ›Simple: facts, routines, permanent situations, timetables.
- ›Continuous: now, this period, changing trends, fixed arrangements.
- ›always + continuous = criticism: He's always complaining.
- ›State verbs stay simple; some change meaning: I'm thinking / I think.
Examples
- “I work in HR, but I'm covering recruitment this month.”
- “Prices are rising faster than expected.”
- “The report looks fine. / I'm looking at the report now.”
Watch out · Not every now needs the continuous — timetables stay simple.
Your own example