Present simple or present continuous?

Rules

• Rule 1: Habits and facts → present simple

  For things we do always, often or never we use the base form of the verb. With he / she / it we add -s. Time clues: every day, usually, always, often, sometimes, never, on Mondays.

  Pattern: I / you / we / they + verb · he / she / it + verb-s

  Example: My mom drinks coffee every morning.

  Example: We often play chess after dinner.

• Rule 2: Happening now → present continuous

  For things happening as we speak we use am / is / are + verb-ing. Time clues: now, right now, at the moment, today, this week, Look!, Listen!

  Pattern: I am / he, she, it is / you, we, they are + verb-ing

  Example: Look! The dog is eating my sandwich!

  Example: We are watching a movie right now.

• Rule 3: Some verbs don't take -ing

  Verbs about feelings and thoughts are usually not used in the continuous: like, love, hate, want, know, need, understand. We say I understand you, not ~~I am understanding you~~.

  Example: I want an ice cream now.

  Example: She knows the answer.

Common mistakes

• I am go to school every day. → I go to school every day.

  A habit → present simple, so no am. (With am the verb needs -ing: I am going.)

• Look! He play football. → Look! He is playing football.

  Look! shows what is happening now → is + -ing.

• I am liking pizza. → I like pizza.

  Feeling verbs like like usually don't take -ing.