English exercises / A2 / Verbs & tenses
Present simple vs continuous
Routines and facts against what is happening right now.
Twenty questions, instant feedback on every answer, and the full answer key below. No account, no ads.
Present simple vs continuous
Present simple vs continuous: worked examples
Five from the set, with the answer filled in and the rule that decides it. The remaining questions are in the answer key below.
- 01
My brother always gets up at six o'clock.
- 02
Be quiet! The baby is sleeping .
Something happening at this moment → present continuous.
- 03
Look! It is raining again.
- 04
Listen! Somebody is playing the piano upstairs.
- 05
Sara usually does her homework before dinner.
usually, often and every day signal the present simple.
Answer key: all 24 questions
- 01My brother always gets up at six o'clock.
- 02Be quiet! The baby is sleeping .
- 03Look! It is raining again.
- 04Listen! Somebody is playing the piano upstairs.
- 05Sara usually does her homework before dinner.
- 06Tom doesn't drink coffee, he prefers tea.
- 07Where do your parents live?
- 08What are you doing at the moment?: Nothing much, I'm watching TV.
- 09We aren't going to the beach today, it's raining.
- 10Jack usually cycles to work, but this week he is taking the bus.
- 11Put your coat on, it is getting colder.
- 12He's always losing his keys, it drives me mad.
- 13Sorry, I don't know the answer: ask the teacher.
- 14I'm tired. I want to go home now.
- 15Could you say that again? I don't understand this exercise.
- 16That red bike belongs to my neighbour.
- 17What does this word mean?
- 18She seems very tired today.
- 19We have a small flat in the city centre.
- 20Can I call you back? We are having lunch.
- 21Water boils at 100 degrees.
- 22Does your brother live near here?
- 23Don't turn the TV off: I am watching it!
- 24My grandparents never travel abroad, they hate flying.
The rule behind it
- Present simple vs present continuousThe present simple is for things that are generally true: habits, facts, routines.
- The present simpleThe present simple describes what is generally true: habits, routines, facts and permanent situations.
- The present continuousThe present continuous is am, is or are plus a verb ending in -ing.
The free level test places you on the CEFR scale in about ten minutes, and tells you which of these exercises is worth your time.
Find your level