Present continuous (I am doing) или simple present (I do)?
Study this explanation and compare the examples:
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Present continuous (I am doing) Use the present continuous to talk about something that is happening at or close to the time of speaking: I am doing
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Simple present (I do) Use the simple present to talk about things in general or things that happen repeatedly: ← I do →
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| past | now | future | past | now | future |
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The water is boiling. Could you turn it off, please? Listen to those people. What language are they speaking? "Where's Tom?" "He's playing tennis." (you find a stranger in your room) What are you doing here? Maria is in Canada for three months. She's learning English. Use the present continuous for a temporary situation: I'm living with some friends until I can find an apartment. Mary usually has a summer job, but she isn't working this summer. |
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Excuse me, do you speak English? Tom plays tennis every Saturday. What do you usually do on the weekend? What do you do? ( = What's your job?) Most people learn to swim when they are children. Use the simple present for a permanent situation: My parents live in Boston. They have been there for 20 years. Jack doesn't work during the summer. He always takes a long vacation. | ||||
Some verbs are used only in simple tenses. For example, you cannot say "I am knowing."
You can only say I know. Here is a list of verbs that are not normally used in continuous tenses (but there are exceptions):
want like belong know suppose remember
need love see realize mean forget
prefer hate hear believe understand seem
have (meaning "possess") think (meaning "believe"/"have an opinion")
- Do you like Rome? (not are you liking)
- He doesn't understand the problem, (not he isn't understanding)
- These shoes belong to me. (not are belonging)
- What do you think Tom will do? ( = What do you believe he will do?)
- Do you have a car? (not are you having)
- What are you thinking about? ( = What is going on in your mind?)
but: