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Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

By the end of this exercise, you can choose between the present simple (for habits and facts) and the present continuous (for actions happening now) and use both in a short email.

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Ex A – ReadingRead a short message from a kitchen and answer 6 verb-form questions
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Ex B – Present simple9 gap-fill items: -s endings, do/does, negatives and never
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Ex C – Simple or continuous?8 gap-fill items: habits vs. right now, and verbs we don't use in the continuous
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Ex D – Free writingWrite an email to a pen friend about your weekend and right now
Enter your details to begin

Auf einen Blick / At a glance

Free present simple vs present continuous exercise: habits, facts and actions happening now. Reading, gap-fill and writing. No sign-up.

Für / For
ESL Grammar
Grammatik / Grammar
Present tenses
Fertigkeiten / Skills
Grammatik / Grammar
Aufgaben / Tasks
4 — A Message from My Grandmother's Kitchen · The present simple · Simple or continuous? · Write to a pen friend
Kosten / Cost
kostenlos, ohne Anmeldung / free, no sign-up

Zum Aufwärmen / Warm-up

Nächste Herausforderung / Next challenge

Grammatik nachlesen / Review the grammar: Present Tenses / Present tenses

Exercise A

A Message from My Grandmother's Kitchen

Read the text, then choose the correct verb form for each gap.

Before you read — optional, not marked
One sentence each is enough.
Read and complete

Hi Maya! I am writing to you from my grandmother's kitchen. On Saturdays I usually work in a bakery, but today I my family.

My grandmother soup right now, and it smells wonderful. She soup every Saturday, and the whole family to her house for lunch.

My brother never in the kitchen. Right now he football in the garden with our cousins. See you on Monday!

Exercise B

The present simple

Choose the correct form for each gap.

Complete the sentences
1. My sister in a hospital.
2. They TV in the morning.
3. you like pizza?
4. Tom to school by bike.
5. she speak French?
6. Water at 100 degrees Celsius.
7. It much in Cairo.
8. My uncle is engineer.
9. My parents coffee in the evening.
Exercise C

Simple or continuous?

Choose the correct form for each gap.

Complete the sentences
1. Be quiet! The baby .
2. I cereal for breakfast every day.
3. Look! It outside.
4. She the answer.
5. Sorry, I can't talk. We dinner at the moment.
6. He usually jeans, but today he a suit.
7. I this song. It's great!
Exercise D

Write to a pen friend

Your new pen friend Alex asks: "What do you usually do on weekends, and what are you doing right now?" Write an email of 6–8 sentences (about 60 words) to answer. Use the present simple for your routines at least three times and the present continuous for right now at least twice.

Useful phrases
You can use these: I usually … on Saturdays. My friends and I often … I never … on Sundays. Right now I am … At the moment my family is …
Your email
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All exercises complete!

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