Grammar
notes: present tenses
Present
simple
The present simple is used for:
permanent states:
I am English
(and I always will be English).
I work in Valencia (I do now and will do for
the forseeable future).
I teach English.
habits and routines:
I drive to
work every day (it’s part of my daily routine).
I don’t wear white shoes (it’s my
habit not to).
I like going to the cinema at weekends.
permanent truths and facts:
The sun rises in
the east and sets in the west.
Water boils at 100ºC (212ºF in case
you wanted to know).
New technology makes it easier to learn English.
It isn't always easy to see where one
category ends and the next begins, but getting the verb into the
right category isn't the objective here. Just remember that the present
simple is used more than anything for facts and/or habits and/or
things that are permanent. The category doesn't matter.

Present
continuous
The present continuous is used for:
actions happening at the moment of speaking:
I'm sitting in
front of the computer.
The phone’s ringing.
I'm trying to think of another example to put
here.
actions happening around the moment
of speaking:
I’m learning French
(not at this moment, but I’ve got a class tomorrow).
I’m doing a lot of revision for my exams
(but not right now).
I'm seeing a lot of my brother at the moment
(but he's not here now).
descriptions:
People are sitting on
the café terrace.
The traffic is making a lot of noise.
She's wearing a red dress.
temporary situations:
I’m staying with
my grandparents while my parents are away.
My brother is using the metro because his car
is being repaired.
I'm sleeping in the spare room because I'm decorating
my bedroom.
Remember that we use the continuous
form in English more than you use it in Spanish. If something sounds
strange to you, it doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong!

Comparison
of simple and continuous
You should use the present simple to
talk about things you consider to be facts:
Do you get on with
your parents? (generally)
I think my brother is a pain in the neck (always,
not just now).
Use the present continuous if you consider
the action or event to be temporary:
Are you getting
on with your parents now? (you had an argument last week)
My brother’s being really nice at the
moment (and this is not normal).
Both forms can sometimes be used to
talk about the same thing, but there will be a difference in meaning:
My brother lives in
France (because his wife is French and they don't like England).
My brother’s living in France (because
his company has sent him there for six months).
There are some verbs that you don't
usually use in the continuous form, just as in Spanish. Generally
speaking they're verbs that describe states and not actions, such
as these:
verbs describing thought processes
and opinions:
think, believe, remember, know, forget,
agree, disagree…
verbs describing emotions:
want, like, love, hate, adore, detest…
verbs describing the senses:
see, hear, taste, feel, smell…
This doesn't mean that it's impossible
to use these verbs in the continuous. It just means that it's unusual
and would probably be very specific in a particular situation.

Some comparisons
with Spanish
The present simple is more common in
Spanish than it is in English. The best way to avoid making mistakes
is to remember what we use each tense for in English. If you think
of what you want to say in Spanish and then translate literally you'll
find it more difficult to get the right tense. Here are some examples:
Imagine walking into a pub and seeing
a friend you thought was on holiday in Portugal. You would probably
ask ¿Qué haces aquí?,
but in English we would say What are you
doing here? because the question refers to this moment.
If you ask What do you do here?, you're
asking about the work that person does.
When you buy a newspaper, or if the
phone is ringing, you might say Lo cojo yo.
In English we would say I'll get it because
we're offering to do something and therefore have to use 'will'.
If you're talking to a friend about
what they're going to do for their holiday next year, you could
ask ¿Con quién vas?,
but in English it has to be Who are you going
with? because we're talking about a future arrangement (or
intention).

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