English grammar quiz
Quiz: Present Simple vs Present Continuous
I work or I’m working? Check whether you can tell a habit from something happening right now. 12 questions, with an explanation after each answer.
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Quiz: Present Simple vs Present Continuous
Choose the right option — you’ll instantly see if you got it and why. Your score comes after the last question.
Question 1.
Listen! The baby (blank).
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Listen! and Look! show the action is happening right now, so the Present Continuous: is crying.
Question 2.
My dad (blank) in a bank. It’s his job.
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A job, a habit or a permanent fact takes the Present Simple. With he / she / it add -s: works.
Question 3.
Water (blank) at 100 degrees Celsius.
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Scientific facts and general truths always take the Present Simple. Water is it, so boils.
Question 4.
“Where’s Anna?” — “She (blank) a shower right now.”
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Right now is a Present Continuous marker. Have meaning “take, eat, enjoy” can be continuous: is having a shower.
Question 5.
I (blank) to the gym three times a week.
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Three times a week, every day, usually, often show how often something happens — a routine, so the Present Simple: I go.
Question 6.
Be quiet, please! I (blank) to the news.
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I am listening at this moment — the action is in progress, so the Present Continuous: am listening.
Question 7.
(blank) you usually have breakfast at home?
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Usually means a habit, so the Present Simple. Questions with you use Do: Do you usually have…? Does is for he / she / it.
Question 8.
I (blank) what you mean.
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Understand, know, like, want, need and believe are state verbs. They are usually not used in the continuous, even about now.
Question 9.
This soup (blank) delicious!
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Taste meaning “have a flavour” is a state verb, so the Present Simple: it tastes. (Taste meaning “try” can be continuous: I’m tasting the soup.)
Question 10.
We (blank) with my grandma this week, until our flat is ready.
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This week and until… show a temporary situation. Temporary situations take the Present Continuous: we are staying.
Question 11.
She (blank) coffee — she prefers tea.
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Like is a state verb, so the Present Simple. The negative with she is doesn’t + base verb: doesn’t like.
Question 12.
I (blank) my friends tonight — we’ve already booked a table.
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The Present Continuous is also used for the future when something is already arranged (the table is booked): I am meeting my friends tonight.
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Take the level testPresent Simple vs Present Continuous: the rule
Many languages use one present tense for both a job and this very minute. English has two.
Present Simple: permanent and regular
Habits, timetables, facts about yourself, laws of nature. Form: V1, with he / she / it add -s; questions and negatives use do / does.
I drink coffee every morning.
a habit
She works in a bank.
her job
Present Continuous: right now
The action is happening as we speak or temporarily, “these days”. Form: am / is / are + V-ing.
I’m drinking coffee right now.
at this moment
She’s working from home this week.
temporary
State verbs: no continuous
Know, understand, like, love, want, need, believe, seem and belong are usually not used in the continuous, even about now.
I know the answer.
not I’m knowing
Do you understand me?
not Are you understanding
Present Continuous for the future
When something is already arranged: there’s a time, a place, tickets or a booking.
We’re flying to Rome on Friday.
tickets booked
What are you doing tonight?
asking about plans
Typical mistakes
Things learners of English often say. On the left — what to avoid, on the right — the correct version.
Not this:
I am knowing the answer.This: I know the answer.
Know is a state verb: no continuous.
Not this:
Look! It rains.This: Look! It’s raining.
Look! means now: Present Continuous.
Not this:
She work in a bank.This: She works in a bank.
He / she / it in the Present Simple: add -s.
Not this:
What do you do now?This: What are you doing now?
What do you do? asks about your job.
FAQ
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How do I know which tense to use?
Think about how often it happens. Regularly, always, in general — Present Simple (I work in an office). Right now or temporarily — Present Continuous (I’m working from home this week). Signal words help too: usually, every day — Simple; now, at the moment, Look! — Continuous.
What are state (stative) verbs?
Verbs that describe a state rather than an action: feelings (like, love, hate, want), thoughts (know, understand, believe, remember), possession (have meaning “own”, own, belong) and senses (seem, taste, smell). They usually stay in the Present Simple: I want a coffee, not I’m wanting a coffee.
What about “I’m loving it”?
It’s an advertising slogan that breaks the rule on purpose to sound more emotional. You’ll hear it in conversation, but in tests and exams love, like and know stay in the Present Simple.
Why doesn’t “What do you do?” mean “what are you doing”?
What do you do? (Present Simple) asks about someone’s job. To ask what someone is doing at the moment, use the Present Continuous: What are you doing?
More grammar quizzes
- A1
There is / there are
There is or there are: singular, plural, questions and the past.
- A1–B1
Articles a, an, the
A, an, the or no article: from a / an to countries, rivers and mountains.
- A1–A2
Much, many, a lot of
Much or many, a few or a little: countable and uncountable nouns.
- A1–A2
Prepositions in, on, at
In May, on Monday, at 5 o’clock: prepositions of time and place.
- A1–A2
Comparatives and superlatives
Bigger, the biggest, more interesting: rules and exceptions.
- A1–A2
Question forms
Do / does / did, word order, subject questions and question tags.
- A2–B1
Present Perfect vs Past Simple
I have seen or I saw: experience and results vs the finished past.
- A2–B1
Will vs going to
A decision now or an earlier plan: the future with will and going to.
- A2–B2
Modal verbs
Can, must, should, might: obligation, advice, possibility, deduction.
- A2–B1
Present tenses
All four: Present Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous in one quiz.
- A2–B2
Past tenses
Past Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous: what happened, what was going on, what came first.
- A2–B2
Future tenses
Will, going to, Present Continuous, Future Continuous and Future Perfect: how to talk about the future.
- A2–B2
Passive voice
Be + past participle in every tense: is made, was built, has been sold.
- B1–B2
Gerund or infinitive
Enjoy doing, want to do, stop doing or stop to do.
- B1–B2
Conditionals
Zero, first, second, third and mixed: if I have, if I had, if I had had.
- B1–B2
I wish and if only
I wish I knew, I wish I had known, I wish you would stop.
- B1–B2
Reported speech
She said she was tired: tense changes, said or told, questions.
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