ABA Journal Apprenez l'anglais de manière naturelle
Hey ABA family!
English verbs can sometimes be a bit infuriating when you have to guess which time to choose. Today we will see the differences between the use of this simple and the present continuous in English.
When to use the simple present ?
We use this verbal time when we talk about everyday things or usual actions in general in the present.
Examples:
I live in Spain
I live in Spain
He always goes to the cinema
He always goes to the movies
They never do their homework.
They never do their homework.
What about the present continuous ?
In English, we do not usually use the present continuous to describe general things but rather to describe things we do in a specific time, when an action is in progress.
Examples:
I’m watching television (at this moment)
I’m watching TV (right now)
My friends are playing XBOX (at this moment)
My friends are playing XBOX (right now)
They are traveling to Canada
They are traveling in Canada (right now they are traveling)
It is important to pay attention to the fact that action is going on in these examples and not something that happens regularly.
Can the present continu be used differently?
The present continuous is especially used to express a future action that will take place in the near future.
Examples:
I’m going to visit my cousin this evening
I’m going to visit my cousin tonight
They’re playing football after work
They will play football after work
He’s finishing his project after school
He will finish his project after school
Dans certains cas, les british utilisent le present continuous pour un futur plus lointain au lieu de « will ». Il est important de se souvenir que « will » est le verbe auxiliaire officiel pour former le futur.
Quel est le secret ?
Il faut bien se souvenir de ces différences entre un temps verbal et un autre :
Present simple – Pour parler d’actions générales au temps présent
Present continuous – Pour parler d’actions en cours ou d’actions qui auront lieu dans un futur très proche
If you follow these rules, everything will be fine. For more information on this, look at Unit 38 of the ABA course. Learning English is essential in all aspects of our life. That’s why ABA English has created a natural and easy way to learn English which, in addition to the study of grammar and vocabulary, exposes you naturally and directly to spoken English. What are you waiting for ? Start today to improve your language skills with ABA English!
