Right Meow!
Sarah / watch / television
"Sarah is watching television"
Present Continuous:
Sarah (subject) + is (be verb) + watching (verb-ing)
He goes to the grocery store on Saturdays.
He usually goes to the grocery store on Saturdays.
Present Simple:
Subject + base verb (add -s for he/she/it)
It normally goes before the main verb:
He usually goes…
He (LIKE) apples and oranges.
He likes apples and oranges.
Present Simple is used for facts, habits, and preferences.
“Likes” is a stative verb.
They / go / class / Mondays and Tuesdays
"They go to class on Mondays and Tuesdays."
Subject + Base Verb (or Verb + s/es for third-person singular subjects
She wake ups at 6:00am every morning.
She wakes up at 6:00am every morning.
For he/she/it in the Present Simple, we add -s to the base verb: wake → wakes.
Also, we don’t separate “wake” and “up” like a two-word verb in this context. The correct phrasal verb is wake up (verb + particle).
The children / smile / at their mother
"The children are smiling at their mother."
Present Continuous:
The children (subject) + are (be verb) + smiling (verb-ing)
She has tea with milk for breakfast.
"She usually has tea with milk for breakfast."
Present Simple:
Subject + base verb (add -s for he/she/it)
It normally goes before the main verb:
She usually has…
She (NEED) a new jacket.
She needs a new jacket.
present simple--the verb NEED
Verbs that describe wants, needs, feelings, thoughts, or opinions are usually not used in the Present Progressive.
She / fix / salad / for family.
She fixes salad for her family.
Describes a regular habit or general truth. The 'es' is added to 'fix' because the subject 'she' is third-person singular.
I leave usually the house at 7:00am.
I usually leave the house at 7:00am
In Present Simple, frequency adverbs like usually, always, often go before the main verb, not after.
Subject + frequency adverb + base verb + object
The car / turn / left
"The car is turning left."
Present Continuous:
The Car (subject) + is (be verb) + turning (verb-ing)
He kisses his children before they go to sleep.
"He usually kisses his children before they go to sleep."
Present Simple:
Subject + base verb (add -s for he/she/it)
It normally goes before the main verb:
He usually kisses…
He (GO) to class Monday through Friday.
He goes to class Monday through Friday
present simple--routine
Present Simple is used for regular actions, habits, and repeated events.
The library book / be / on desk.
The library book is on the desk.
Subject: "The library book"
Verb: "is" (a form of the verb "to be" used in the present tense)
Tense: Simple Present Tense
It is snowing in the spring.
It snows in the spring.
Snow in spring is usually a fact about the season, not happening at this exact moment, so Present Simple is correct.
I / want / a cup of coffee.
"I want a cup of coffee."
Present simple:
I (subject) + want (verb) + a cup of coffee (object)
He is late to class.
"He is usually late to class." (And his teachers always hate that.)
Present Simple:
He (subject) + is (be verb) + late (adjective)
With the verb be, frequency adverbs typically go after the verb be:
He is usually late…
It is 18:00. She (MAKE) dinner for her family.
It is 18:00. She is making dinner for her family.
present progressive. RIGHT NOW.
Present Continuous is used for actions in progress at the moment of speaking.
“She is making dinner” means she is in the middle of cooking at 18:00.
Teacher / talk / to class / right now.
The teacher is talking to the class right now.
Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing + object/prepositional phrase
They are liking peanut butters.
They like peanut butter
“Like” is a stative verb. Stative verbs describing feelings, emotions, or preferences are normally not used in Present Continuous.
Also, “peanut butters” should be uncountable: peanut butter.
The class / love / English grammar.
"The class loves English grammar."
Present Simple:
The class (subject) + loves (verb) + English grammar (object)
She is the first student to finish the test.
"She is usually the first student to finish the test."
Present Simple:
She (subject) + is (be verb) + first (adjective)
With the verb be, frequency adverbs typically go after the verb be:
She is usually the first…
We (READ) the review question on the screen.
We are reading the review question on the screen.
present progressive--right now
We are looking at it right MEOW!
Classroom / be / room 205
Our classroom is in room 205.
Subject + am/is/are + adjective/noun/prepositional phrase
I no study every day.
I don't study every day.
“no study” is incorrect.
In Present Simple, we form negatives with do/does + not + base verb.
Subject + do/does + not + base verb