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Present Simple, Past Simple & Present Continuous
Master the differences between Present Simple, Past Simple, and Present Continuous.
Comparing Three Tenses
1. PRESENT SIMPLE
Use for habits, routines, and permanent facts.
- Signal words: usually, always, every day, sometimes, never
- I drink coffee every morning.
- She doesn't live in London.
2. PAST SIMPLE
Use for finished actions in the past.
- Signal words: yesterday, last week, two days ago, in 2010
- I drank coffee yesterday.
- She didn't live in London last year.
3. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Use for actions happening right now or temporary situations.
- Signal words: now, right now, at the moment, look!, today
- I am drinking coffee right now.
- She isn't living in London this month.
Structure Comparison
| Tense | ✅ Positive | ❌ Negative | ❓ Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | I play / He plays | I don't play / He doesn't play | Do you play? / Does he play? |
| Past Simple | I played / He went | I didn't play / He didn't go | Did you play? / Did he go? |
| Present Continuous | I am playing / He is playing | I am not playing / He isn't playing | Are you playing? / Is he playing? |
