Present Simple vs Present Progressive
Interactive Grammar Exercises (1–25)
Use present simple for routines, habits, and general truths.
Use present progressive for actions happening now or around now.
Common signal words for present simple:
usually, always, every Monday, often, rarely.
Common signal words for present progressive:
now, right now, at the moment, these days, tonight.
Quick Explanation
Present Simple = routine / habit / fact
[Simple Present = Routine / Gewohnheit / Tatsache]
Present Progressive = happening now / temporary situation
[Present Progressive = gerade jetzt / vorübergehende Situation]
Example: She works in a bank. / She is working from home today.
[Sie arbeitet in einer Bank. / Sie arbeitet heute von zu Hause.]
1. Shhh! The baby ______ right now.
is sleeping
a) sleeps
b) is sleeping
[Shhh! Das Baby schläft gerade.]
2. I usually ______ tea for breakfast.
drink
a) drink
b) am drinking
[Normalerweise trinke ich Tee zum Frühstück.]
3. Look! It ______ outside.
is snowing
a) is snowing
b) snows
[Schau mal! Es schneit draußen.]
4. Water ______ at 100 degrees Celsius.
boils
a) is boiling
b) boils
[Wasser kocht bei 100 Grad Celsius.]
5. My brother ______ for a new job these days.
is looking
a) looks
b) is looking
[Mein Bruder sucht heutzutage nach einem neuen Job.]
6. They ______ to the gym every Monday.
go
a) are going
b) go
[Sie gehen jeden Montag ins Fitnessstudio.]
7. I can't talk now; I ______ dinner.
am cooking
a) am cooking
b) cook
[Ich kann jetzt nicht reden; ich koche gerade das Abendessen.]
8. My father ______ in a bank.
works
a) works
b) is working
[Mein Vater arbeitet in einer Bank.]
9. Why ______ you crying? Is something wrong?
are
a) do
b) are
[Warum weinst du? Ist etwas nicht in Ordnung?]
10. Cats ______ mice.
hate
a) hate
b) are hating
[Katzen hassen Mäuse.]
11. Listen! The neighbors ______ again.
are arguing
a) argue
b) are arguing
[Hör mal! Die Nachbarn streiten sich schon wieder.]
12. I ______ French this semester.
am learning
a) learn
b) am learning
[In diesem Semester lerne ich Französisch.]
13. Does he ______ coffee?
like
a) liking
b) like
[Mag er Kaffee?]
14. Stop that! You ______ too much noise.
are making
a) make
b) are making
[Hör auf damit! Du machst zu viel Lärm.]
15. The train ______ at 8:00 every morning.
leaves
a) is leaving
b) leaves
[Der Zug fährt jeden Morgen um 8:00 Uhr ab.]
16. We ______ a party next Saturday.
are having
a) are having
b) have
[Nächsten Samstag feiern wir eine Party.]
17. How often ______ you go to the dentist?
do
a) are
b) do
[Wie oft gehst du zum Zahnarzt?]
18. I ______ what you mean.
understand
a) understand
b) am understanding
[Ich verstehe, was du meinst.]
19. She ______ on the phone at the moment.
is talking
a) talks
b) is talking
[Sie telefoniert im Moment gerade.]
20. The sun ______ in the east.
rises
a) rises
b) is rising
[Die Sonne geht im Osten auf.]
21. My friend ______ me tonight.
is visiting
a) is visiting
b) visits
[Mein Freund besucht mich heute Abend.]
22. Scientists ______ for a cure for cancer.
are searching
a) search
b) are searching
[Wissenschaftler suchen nach einem Heilmittel gegen Krebs.]
23. It rarely ______ in the desert.
rains
a) is raining
b) rains
[In der Wüste regnet es selten.]
24. Where ______ you live?
do
a) do
b) are
[Wo wohnst du?]
25. I ______ a very interesting book at the moment.
am reading
a) read
b) am reading
[Ich lese im Moment ein sehr interessantes Buch.]
Verb Tense Masterclass
Present Simple vs. Present Progressive
Understand the difference between general truths/habits and actions happening right now.
Interactive Practice Exercises
Select the correct verb form for each scenario below.
Verb Tense Masterclass
Present Simple vs. Present Progressive
Understand the difference between general truths/habits and actions happening right now.
Interactive Practice Exercises
Select the correct verb form for each scenario below.