Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

Present simple vs. Present continuous Uses Present Continuous Present Simple Clue words Uses Forms Clue words We use the present simple tense when we want to talk about fixed habits or routines things that don’t change:
- general truth: A week has seven days.
-daily routine: Bob works in a restaurant.
-repeated action: Tina plays tennis every Sunday.
-timetable: The train leaves at 5 pm. Forms Infinitive
(3rd person singular: infinitive + 's'): Dan speaks French.
Exceptions: when adding 's' :
For can, may, might, must, do not add s.
Example: he can, she may, it must

After o, ch, sh or s, add es.
Example: do - he does, wash - she washes

After a consonant, the final consonant y becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel)
Example: worry - he worries
but: play - he plays With the present simple we use these
frequency adverbs(notice that the adverb
comes before the main verb in the sentence):
always, usually, never, sometimes, seldom,
often etc.
Example: I always brush my teeth before I go
to bed.
Mary never goes to school by bus. We use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening at the present moment, but will soon finish:
-action happening at the moment of speaking: I am writing a text.
-plans for the near future: I'm going to Dubai in the winter holiday.
-temporary state: Ann is working as a teacher for ten weeks.
-annoying habits: She's always biting her nails.
-Unfolding process: Life is getting harder every day. Form of 'be' and verb+ ing
Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
Example: come - coming
but: agree - agreeing
After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled.
Example: sit - sitting
After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English).
Example: travel - travelling (British English)
but: traveling (American English)
Final ie becomes y.
Example: lie - lying With the present continuous we use these
time expressions:
at the moment, now, these days, nowadays etc.
Example: I'm eating a cheeseburger at the moment.
Now Sheila is playing the guitar.