Present Simple (Present Indefinite)

The Present Simple may have a special affirmative emphatic form:

§ I 'do insist on it.

§ He 'does insist on it.

The Present Simple is used in the following cases:

1) to express (a) recurrent ac­tions with terminative verbs or (b) permanent actions with durative verbs in the present:

a) recurrent actions repeat a num­ber of times. Time indications may be: often, seldom, sometimes, occa­sionally, always, never, ever, every year (week, month, day), usual­ly, once (twice, three times) a year, daily, on Sundays (Mondays, etc.) and no time indica­tionis also possible.

§ He wakes up at six o'clock and has a cup of coffee.

b) permanent actions indicate continuous, uninterrupted processes; give a general character­istic to the person. Time indica­tions are not obligatory:

§ Her son works near here.

2) to express a succession of single actions tak­ing place at the time of speaking (on radio and TV, sports events, etc.):

§ Now I peel the apples, slice them and put into the dish.

3) to express a single action going on at the moment of speaking (where usually the Present Continuous is used):

a) The use of the Present Simple becomes obligatory with stative verbs:

§ I quite understand what you mean.

§ He wants to see you for a minute.

b) The Present Simple is used for an ac­tion which takes place at the moment of speaking but the speaker just names the action as such.

§ I refuse to listen to you. You talk such nonsense.

4) The Present Simple expresses future ac­tions:

a) in subordinate clauses of time, condition and conces­sion (уступительные) when the action refers to the future (introduced by the conjunctions when, while, till, until, before, after, as soon as, once, if, un­less, on condition (that), provided (providing) and in case):

§ She won't go to bed till you come.

§ I shall have a look at his paper when I get it.

Note: In clauses other than those of time and condition (usually object clauses), the Future Simple is used even if these clauses are introduced by the conjunctions if and when:

§ I wonder if the patient will recover.

Clauses of concession are introduced by the conjunctions even if, even though, no matter how, whenever, whatever, however, etc.

§ Even if he hates me I shall never do him any harm.

b) in object clauses after to see (to), to take care and to make (be) sure:

§ I'll see that the lady is well looked after.

c) in some special questions with reference to the im­mediate future what is structurally dependent:

§ What do we do next? ('Что же нам сейчас делать?')

§ Where do we go now? ('Куда же нам сейчас податься?')

d) to indicate a future ac­tion which is certain to take place according to a timetable, pro­gramme, schedule, command or arrangement worked out for a per­son or persons officially. In this case the sentence usually contains an indication of time.

§ His ship sails tomorrow. (according to the timetable)

§ Our tourist group sleep at the Globo hotel this night.

5) to describe a succession of actions in the past in literary style which is called the historic or dramatic present:

§ She arrives full of life and about an hour later she sits down in a chair.

Present Continuous

The Present Continuous is an analytical form and is usually used with dynamic verbs in the following cases:

1) To express an action going on at the present moment.The indications of time now and at present are not necessary:

§ Oh, mummy! The eggs are burning! The coffee is boiling over!

2) To express an action going on at the present period, the action may or may not be going on at the actual moment of speaking and indications of time are not necessary:

§ "And what are you doing in Paris?" "I'm writing a play."

3) To express actions characterising the person, bringing out typical traits with adverbial modifiers always and constantly:

§ You're always showing off.

§ You're constantly complaining.

4) To express actions which will take place in the near future due to one's previous decision:

§ I am sailing early next month.

Some stative verbs when they change their meaning can be used in Continuous:

§ Are you seeing Clare tonight? (= meet)

Note: to have as part of set phrases: to have a bath, to have a good holiday, to have a party, to have a smoke, to have a walk, to have coffee, to have dinner, to have something done, to have to do something, to have trouble, etc is used in Continuous:

§ He's having a bath.

Some stative verbs may be used in Continuous due to context:

§ I am liking my new life very much.

Some durative verbs, usually verbs of bodily sensa­tion (to ache, to feel, to hurt, to itch, etc.) and such verbs as to wear, to look (= to seem), to shine and some other can be used ei­ther in the Present Simple or in the Present Continuous with little difference in meaning:

Cf. You're looking well, cousin Joan.

You look quite happy today.