Present Simple or Continuous — Test Questions
Seven questions contrasting present simple and continuous: habits vs today's exception, facts vs temporary situations, and stative verbs. Part of the Present Tenses Test.
-
I usually drink tea, but today I ___ coffee.
Show answer
'm drinking
Present continuous for a one-off action that contrasts with the usual habit — 'today I'm drinking'.
-
Listen! Someone ___ at the door.
Show answer
is knocking
Present continuous for an action happening right now — 'Listen!' signals it.
-
The Earth ___ around the Sun.
Show answer
goes
Present simple for a permanent scientific fact — 'the Earth goes'.
-
She ___ with friends for the next two weeks.
Show answer
is staying
Present continuous for a temporary situation — 'for the next two weeks'.
-
I ___ what you mean.
Show answer
know
'Know' is a stative verb — it's not used in the continuous form. Use present simple.
-
Be quiet — we ___ a film right now!
Show answer
are watching
Present continuous for an action happening at the moment of speaking.
-
She ___ to work by bus every day.
Show answer
goes
Present simple for a daily habit — 'every day' confirms it.
Present Simple or Continuous?
This final block puts the present simple and present continuous side by side in the same sentence types, requiring learners to judge whether a situation is a routine/fact (present simple) or a temporary/in-progress situation (present continuous) — and to recognise stative verbs, which stay in the present simple no matter what. Because both tenses are already familiar in isolation by this point in the test, the real challenge is reading the time expression or context clue in each sentence — 'today', 'every day', 'right now', 'for the next two weeks' — and matching it to the correct form rather than defaulting to whichever tense feels more natural to translate from the learner's first language.
Habit vs Today's Exception
She goes to work by bus every day. (daily habit → simple)
Permanent Fact vs Temporary Situation
She is staying with friends for the next two weeks. (temporary)
Happening Now vs Stative Verbs
Be quiet — we're watching a film right now!
I know what you mean. ('know' is stative — never continuous)
Common Mistakes
✗ The Earth is going around the Sun. → ✓ The Earth goes around the Sun.
✗ I'm knowing what you mean. → ✓ I know what you mean.
Last updated: · Satori Editorial