Habit and fact, or happening now

Learning outcome

You can separate a habit or a fact from an action that is happening now.

Concepts and reasons

Simple present is for what is regularly true or always true. He walks to work. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. The shop opens at nine. Present continuous is am, is, or are plus the -ing form. Use it for an action in progress now, or for a temporary arrangement. She is walking to work now. They are staying with us this week. A time marker decides the form. Always, every day, and usually take the simple present. Now, at the moment, and this week, when the action is in progress, take the continuous.

Worked examples

1. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. This is a fact, so the simple present is right. Water is boiling would mean the water in front of you is boiling now.
2. She goes to the market every Sunday. every Sunday is a habit, so goes, not is going.
3. Look, the boys are playing in the park. Look and the scene in front of you take the continuous.

Common traps

Do not use the continuous for a permanent fact. The sun rises in the east, not the sun is rising in the east, when you mean the daily fact. Do not use the simple present for an action you can see happening. He plays now is the wrong pair. He is playing now. A timetable can stay in the simple present even though it is about later today: The train leaves at six. That is a schedule, not an action in progress.

Practice questions

1. The earth ___ around the sun.
2. Please wait. She ___ a bath.
3. The train ___ at 6 p.m. every day.

Answers and explanations

1. revolves. This is a permanent fact, so the simple present.
2. is having, or is taking. A bath in progress now takes the continuous. Having a bath here means the action of bathing, not possession.
3. leaves. every day and a timetable take the simple present.

Analogy

Simple present is the printed timetable. Present continuous is what you can see on the platform right now. A fact stays on the timetable. A bath, a game, or a walk you can watch is happening now.

Quick reference

• Habit or fact: simple present. always, every day, usually.
• Happening now: am, is, are + -ing. now, at the moment, look.
• A timetable stays simple present: The train leaves at six.
• Water boils is the fact. The water is boiling is the pot in front of you.