Talking about the Present 

When something is generally or always true, we use the present simple tense. General facts can refer to scientific facts, or things that cannot be changed easily. Take a look at these examples:

We also use the present simple for a situation that is true at the moment. It means that these situations may change in the future, but they are currently true, such as people's tendencies, jobs, and interests. For example:

State verbs in English are used to describe a state of being, such as emotions, thoughts, possession, senses, or characteristics. These verbs are often used in the present simple tense. In addition, linking verbs can also be used in the simple present tense to describe emotions or mental states. Here are the examples:

However, some of these verbs become progressive to talk about a temporary state; for example, 'live,' 'look' (as a linking verb), 'love,' 'suffer,' 'stand,' 'stay,' 'enjoy,' etc. A temporary state does not remain the same in the long term. Here are some examples:

'Present simple tense' is also used to talk about actions that are performed habitually or regularly in the present time. In this case, adverbs of frequency such as always, usually, often, frequently, sometimes, and never are commonly used for more clarification.

We can use the present continuous tense to talk about something that is happening right now. It means that the action is in progress at the moment and we are talking about it at the same time. Typically, verbs that refer to activities with a specific endpoint are used in the the present continuous tense to talk about ongoing actions. Here are some examples:

In sports commentaries, both present simple and present continuous tenses can be used to describe an action in real time.

When we want to talk about something that we consider to be temporary (something that has a beginning and an end), we can use both present simple and present continuous tenses. The difference is that the present continuous tense focuses on the process, while the present simple focuses on the current state of things.
Check out the example:

We can use the present continuous tense to talk about a process that is ongoing, but there might be a gap in its progress, or it might be performed over a longer period of time. This means that the action started some time ago, is still ongoing, and is expected to continue for some time. For example:

In order to describe a change or development that happens over a period of time, you can use the present continuous tense. Look at the examples:

If a situation or action is happening time after time, we use the present continuous to describe it. Keep in mind that adverbs like 'always' or 'constantly' are commonly used with in sentences to convey this meaning and it shows some level of annoyance at the repetition. For example:

The present simple tense can also be used in this case. For example:

As mentioned earlier, stative verbs are typically only used in the simple tenses. Verbs that are related to emotional states, perception, cognition, and possession cannot be used progressively. Examples of such verbs are 'sound', 'believe', 'hate', 'prefer', 'see', 'seem', 'want', 'like', 'mean', 'agree', 'belong', and 'own.' Here are some examples:

However, there are a few stative verbs that can be used in the continuous tenses to show a temporary state, as mentioned earlier in the lesson. Additionally, there are some stative verbs that can be used progressively in one sense but not the other. For example, 'have' in the sense of 'possessing' cannot be used progressively, while in the sense of 'experiencing' it can be used in the continuous tenses. Look at the examples below: