Chapter 2

Simple and Continuous Tenses

Contrast simple and continuous tenses.

Simple vs continuous

  • Simple present: habits/facts — She writes letters.
  • Present continuous: happening now — She is writing a letter.
  • Simple past: She wrote. Past continuous: She was writing.

Key idea

The simple tense shows habits/facts while the continuous (be + verb-ing) shows an action in progress.

Remember

Use the continuous for an action happening at the moment.

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