 |
ESL | I GO versus |
|---|---|---|
| Blues | I AM GOING |
The following table shows when you should use the present simple and the present progressive verb forms.
- Bob's late. He is coming here straight from work. He is probably stuck in traffic.
- It is an action in progress. It is happening right now.
- Bob is American. He comes from Texas.
- This is a basic fact that does not change. It is not an action in progress. Compare the following, which are facts of nature:
- In winter the sun sets in the late afternoon and it gets very cold.
- This is a basic fact that does not change. It is not an action in progress. Compare the following, which are facts of nature:
- Look at her! She is smoking. This is a no-smoking area.
- It is an action in progress. It is happening right now.
- She smokes too much. She smokes two packs a day.
- This is a repeated or habitual action, not an action in progress. The present simple indicates that it happens repeatedly.
- I am changing jobs. I'm quite excited.
- It is an action in progress. It is happening these days.
- I change jobs every two or three years.
- This is a repeated or habitual action, not an action in progress. The present simple indicates that it happens repeatedly.
- We are staying home this weekend. We're too tired to go out.
- This is not an action in progress, but it is a planned activity for the near future. It is more definite than the following statement using 'going to:'
- We are going to stay home this weekend.
- This is not an action in progress, but it is a planned activity for the near future. It is more definite than the following statement using 'going to:'
- You fly from Montreal on Iberian Airlines on January 25 at 6:45 p.m. and you arrive the next morning at Barcelona at 7:10.
- The present simple is rarely used to express planned future events. However, it is often used for itineraries.
- Bob: Wow! Look at the movements. These people really know how to dance. I like to see good dancers.
Linda: Yes, I think this is the best dance troupe in North America.- We use the present simple to say that we understand and know something. We rarely use the present continuous with these verbs.
We also use this form when we express our opinion with the verbs 'feel' and 'think.' We rarely use the present continuous with these verbs.
But note the following use of 'feel' and 'think.'
- We use the present simple to say that we understand and know something. We rarely use the present continuous with these verbs.
- Bob:How are you feeling?
Linda: Sad!. I am thinking about my family. I often think about them.- Here 'think' and 'feel' do not express an opinion, so both present tenses are possible.
Top of page Close window when finished.