Present Simple vs Present Continuous - Interactive Worksheet

Present Simple vs Present Continuous

Age: 10-14Level: ElementaryLanguage: English (en)Country: SpainSchool subject: ESLCreated by: El-Arbi Ameur

Grammar Rules

Present Simple

We use the present simple tense for:

• Permanent situations or states: I live in Madrid.
• Regular habits or routines: She goes to school every day.
• Facts or general truths: Water boils at 100°C.
• Timetables and schedules: The train leaves at 6 pm.

Subject	Positive	Negative	Question
I/You/We/They	work	don't work	Do I work?
He/She/It	works	doesn't work	Does she work?

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the correct option

1. Look! The boys _____ football in the park.

playplaysare playing

Exercise 2: Complete the sentences with the correct form

2. She usually _____ (watch) TV in the evening.

 

Exercise 3: True or False

3. We use present continuous for permanent situations.

TrueFalse

Exercise 4: Match the sentences to their uses

Match each sentence to whether it describes a habit (H), an action happening now (N), or a fact (F).

a) The sun rises in the east.	Select                                 H                                 N                                 F
b) I'm doing my homework right now.	Select                                 H                                 N                                 F
c) She visits her grandmother every Sunday.	Select                                 H                                 N                                 F

Exercise 5: Choose the correct tense

5. Water _____ at 100 degrees Celsius.

boilsis boiling

Exercise 6: Correct the mistakes

6. They are usually having dinner at 7 pm.

 

Exercise 7: Fill in the blanks

7. Right now, I _____ (study) for my English test while my brother _____ (play) video games.

  

Exercise 8: Multiple choice

8. Which sentence describes a temporary situation?

I work as a teacher.I'm working at a different school this month.The Earth revolves around the Sun.

Exercise 9: Negative forms

9. Write the negative form: "She is watching TV right now."

 

Exercise 10: Mixed tenses

10. Complete the text with the correct forms:

Every morning, I _____ (wake up) at 7 am. Right now, I _____ (have) breakfast. My brother usually _____ (eat) cereal, but today he _____ (try) some toast.

    

Quick Summary

• Present Simple: habits, routines, facts, permanent situations
• Present Continuous: actions now, temporary situations, changing situations, future arrangements
• Signal words:
  • Simple: usually, often, always, never, every day
  • Continuous: now, at the moment, today, this week

Common Mistakes

• Using continuous with state verbs (know, like, want)
• Using simple for actions happening now
• Forgetting the -s in 3rd person singular (he/she/it)
• Using continuous for permanent situations

Example Sentences

Present Simple:

• I speak Spanish.
• She works in an office.
• We eat lunch at 1 pm.

Present Continuous:

• I'm learning English.
• He's watching TV now.
• They're visiting Paris this week.