Distinguishing between the time to use the present simple tense and the present continuous tense can be difficult. We can use the present simple tense in the following situations:
1. Habits or actions that occur regularly and repeatedly
- I wash my hair every day.
- I never go to the library.
- Every hour we destroy 6000 acres of rainforests (that’s 4000 football fields).
2. Permanent situations or things that are generally true
- I have two brothers.
- Water boils at 100 degrees.
3. When combined with adverbs or expressions of frequency
- We usually order a pizza on Fridays.
- I go running twice a week.
4. Stative or non-action verbs
Some of these verbs are: be, have (=possess/own), like, love, hate, prefer, need, want, know, seem, etc.
- They have a new car.
- I like chocolate.
- I love my job.
5. Future Events that are timetabled
- The train leaves at 4.
- The shop closes at 6.
References