Simple vs Progressive Exercises

Simple vs Progressive

Present Simple vs Present Continuous

Choose the correct form of the verb.

Grammar Explanation

Present Simple is used for routines, facts, habits, general situations, and state verbs.

Present Continuous is used for actions happening now, temporary situations, and things happening around now.

  • Simple: always, usually, often, every day, normally
  • Progressive: now, right now, at the moment, currently, this week

Example: I work every day. / I am working now.

[Ich arbeite jeden Tag. / Ich arbeite gerade.]

Score: 0 / 25
1. I usually ______ at 7 a.m. (routine / habit)
a) work b) am working
[Ich arbeite normalerweise um 7 Uhr.]
2. I ______ right now. (happening now)
a) work b) am working
[Ich arbeite gerade.]
3. She always ______ coffee in the morning. (routine / habit)
a) drinks b) is drinking
[Sie trinkt morgens immer Kaffee.]
4. She ______ coffee now. (happening now)
a) drinks b) is drinking
[Sie trinkt gerade Kaffee.]
5. They often ______ football after work. (repeated action)
a) play b) are playing
[Sie spielen nach der Arbeit oft Fußball.]
6. They ______ football at the moment. (happening now)
a) play b) are playing
[Sie spielen im Moment Fußball.]
7. He ______ in Berlin. (permanent situation)
a) lives b) is living
[Er wohnt in Berlin.]
8. He ______ in Berlin this month. (temporary situation)
a) lives b) is living
[Er wohnt diesen Monat in Berlin.]
9. I always ______ the bus to work. (routine / habit)
a) take b) am taking
[Ich nehme immer den Bus zur Arbeit.]
10. I ______ the bus today. (temporary situation)
a) take b) am taking
[Ich nehme heute den Bus.]
11. We usually ______ lunch at 12:30. (routine / habit)
a) eat b) are eating
[Wir essen normalerweise um 12:30 Uhr zu Mittag.]
12. We ______ lunch right now. (happening now)
a) eat b) are eating
[Wir essen gerade zu Mittag.]
13. My brother ______ to work every day. (routine / habit)
a) drives b) is driving
[Mein Bruder fährt jeden Tag zur Arbeit.]
14. My brother ______ to work at the moment. (happening now)
a) drives b) is driving
[Mein Bruder fährt im Moment zur Arbeit.]
15. She often ______ novels in the evening. (repeated action)
a) reads b) is reading
[Sie liest abends oft Romane.]
16. She ______ a novel at the moment. (happening now)
a) reads b) is reading
[Sie liest im Moment einen Roman.]
17. They ______ TV every evening. (routine / habit)
a) watch b) are watching
[Sie sehen jeden Abend fern.]
18. They ______ TV right now. (happening now)
a) watch b) are watching
[Sie sehen gerade fern.]
19. I ______ this book. (state verb / opinion)
a) like b) am liking
[Ich mag dieses Buch.]
20. I ______ the answer. (state verb / knowledge)
a) am knowing b) know
[Ich kenne die Antwort.]
21. We normally ______ English on Mondays. (routine / schedule)
a) study b) are studying
[Wir lernen normalerweise montags Englisch.]
22. We ______ English this week for an exam. (temporary situation)
a) study b) are studying
[Wir lernen diese Woche Englisch für eine Prüfung.]
23. He usually ______ to the gym after work. (routine / habit)
a) goes b) is going
[Er geht normalerweise nach der Arbeit ins Fitnessstudio.]
24. He ______ to the gym now. (happening now)
a) goes b) is going
[Er geht gerade ins Fitnessstudio.]
25. We ______ dinner right now. (happening now)
a) eat b) are eating
[Wir essen gerade zu Abend.]
Current Score: 0 / 25
Simple vs Progressive Exercises

Simple vs Progressive

Present Simple vs Present Continuous

Choose the correct form of the verb.

Explanation

Present Simple → facts, routines, general situations

Present Continuous → actions happening now or around now

Examples:

I work every day. / I am working now.
[Ich arbeite jeden Tag. / Ich arbeite gerade.]

Signal Words

  • Simple: always, usually, often, every day
  • Progressive: now, at the moment, currently
[Simple = Gewohnheiten / Progressive = gerade jetzt]

Verb List Used

Simple (Routines)

  • work
  • live
  • eat
  • drive
  • play
  • read
  • watch
  • study
  • go
  • like
  • know
  • need

Progressive (Now)

  • working
  • living
  • eating
  • driving
  • playing
  • reading
  • watching
  • studying
  • going
Score: 0 / 25
1. I usually ______ at 7 a.m.
a) work b) am working
[Ich arbeite normalerweise um 7 Uhr.]
2. I ______ right now.
a) work b) am working
[Ich arbeite gerade.]
3. She always ______ coffee.
a) drinks b) is drinking
[Sie trinkt immer Kaffee.]
4. She ______ coffee now.
a) drinks b) is drinking
[Sie trinkt gerade Kaffee.]
5. They often ______ football.
a) play b) are playing
6. They ______ football at the moment.
a) play b) are playing
7. He ______ in Berlin.
a) lives b) is living
8. He ______ in Berlin this month.
a) lives b) is living
9. I always ______ the bus.
a) take b) am taking
10. I ______ the bus today.
a) take b) am taking
25. We ______ dinner right now.
a) eat b) are eating