Present Simple vs. Present Continuous – English Grammar Exercises for A1
You are sitting at your favorite local cafe. You notice that many things are different today compared to usual. You are texting your friend to tell them about it.
Read the sentences carefully and choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to fill in the blank.
1 I normally ______ here every Sunday morning.
(a) am coming
(b) leave
(c) come
(d) comes
2 Right now, I ______ at our favorite table near the window.
(a) sit
(b) am sitting
(c) am sit
(d) am sleeping
3 The barista usually ______ the best coffee in town.
(a) is making
(b) make
(c) drinks
(d) makes
4 But today, he ______ behind the counter. He is on holiday.
(a) isn’t working
(b) isn’t playing
(c) doesn’t work
(d) not working
5 I ______ a hot chocolate at the moment instead of my usual espresso.
(a) am drink
(b) drink
(c) am drinking
(d) am eating
6 They normally ______ relaxing jazz music in the background.
(a) play
(b) are playing
(c) plays
(d) sing
7 Listen! They ______ loud rock music today. It’s so strange!
(a) play
(b) is playing
(c) are screaming
(d) are playing
8 The cafe usually ______ busy before 10 AM.
(a) doesn’t close
(b) doesn’t get
(c) don’t get
(d) isn’t getting
9 However, today a lot of people ______ in line to order.
(a) are waiting
(b) wait
(c) are cooking
(d) is waiting
10 What ______ right now? Can you come here?
(a) you are doing
(b) do you do
(c) are you doing
(d) are you making
11 I know you always ______ at the library on Sundays.
(a) sleep
(b) studies
(c) are studying
(d) study
12 Look! The manager ______ to a famous singer near the door!
(a) talks
(b) is talking
(c) is shouting
(d) talk
13 My favorite muffin usually ______ $3
(a) costs
(b) pays
(c) is costing
(d) cost
14 Today, they ______ a free cookie with every drink!
(a) offer
(b) are stealing
(c) are offering
(d) offering
15 I ______ to order a slice of carrot cake, but they are sold out.
(a) am cooking
(b) want
(c) am wanting
(d) wants
16 The new waiter ______ very confused by the computer system today.
(a) seem
(b) is seeming
(c) looks at
(d) seems
17 I usually ______ their sandwiches, but this one is not good.
(a) like
(b) throw
(c) likes
(d) am liking
18 ______ why it is so crowded in here today?
(a) You understand
(b) Are you understanding
(c) Do you understand
(d) Are you seeing
19 Normally, the Wi-Fi ______ perfectly in this corner.
(a) is working
(b) works
(c) work
(d) breaks
20 But right now, my laptop ______ to the internet at all.
(a) isn’t reading
(b) not connecting
(c) doesn’t connect
(d) isn’t connecting
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (c) come
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Normally” indicates a routine or habit, requiring the Present Simple tense.
- Why others are wrong: (a) am coming is a Common Mistake (using continuous for a routine); (d) comes is a Structural Error (wrong verb form for “I”); (b) leave is a Meaning Trap (illogical in the context of arriving at a regular spot).
2 (b) am sitting
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Right now” signals an action happening exactly at the moment of speaking (Present Continuous).
- Why others are wrong: (a) sit is a Common Mistake; (c) am sit is a Structural Error (missing “-ing”); (d) am sleeping is a Meaning Trap (illogical for sitting at a cafe table writing a message).
3 (d) makes
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Usually” denotes a regular fact/habit (Present Simple). “The barista” is he/she, so we add “-s”.
- Why others are wrong: (a) is making is a Common Mistake; (b) make is a Structural Error (missing “-s”); (c) drinks is a Meaning Trap (a barista makes coffee for others, they don’t drink it as their job).
4 (a) isn’t working
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Today” shows a temporary situation different from the usual routine (Present Continuous).
- Why others are wrong: (c) doesn’t work is a Common Mistake (wrong tense for a temporary change); (d) not working is a Structural Error (missing the “is” verb); (b) isn’t playing is a Meaning Trap.
5 (c) am drinking
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “At the moment” requires the Present Continuous.
- Why others are wrong: (b) drink is a Common Mistake; (a) am drink is a Structural Error; (d) am eating is a Meaning Trap (you drink hot chocolate, you don’t eat it).
6 (a) play
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Normally” implies a permanent state or routine of the cafe (Present Simple).
- Why others are wrong: (b) are playing is a Common Mistake; (c) plays is a Structural Error (wrong agreement for “They”); (d) sing is a Meaning Trap (cafes play background music, they don’t sing it).
7 (d) are playing
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Listen!” and “today” draw attention to an action happening right now (Present Continuous).
- Why others are wrong: (a) play is a Common Mistake; (b) is playing is a Structural Error (wrong agreement for “They”); (c) are screaming is a Meaning Trap.
8 (b) doesn’t get
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Usually” + negative state requires “don’t/doesn’t + base verb”. The cafe (it) takes “doesn’t”.
- Why others are wrong: (d) isn’t getting is a Common Mistake; (c) don’t get is a Structural Error; (a) doesn’t close is a Meaning Trap (illogical to talk about closing before 10 AM).
9 (a) are waiting
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Today” highlights a temporary, ongoing action (Present Continuous).
- Why others are wrong: (b) wait is a Common Mistake; (d) is waiting is a Structural Error (“a lot of people” is plural, needs “are”); (c) are cooking is a Meaning Trap (customers wait, they don’t cook).
10 (c) are you doing
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): Asking about an action happening “right now” requires “Wh-word + be + subject + V-ing”.
- Why others are wrong: (b) do you do is a Common Mistake (asks about a profession/habit); (a) you are doing is a Structural Error (wrong word order for a question); (d) are you making is a Meaning Trap.
11 (d) study
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Always” + “on Sundays” refers to a fixed weekly routine (Present Simple).
- Why others are wrong: (c) are studying is a Common Mistake; (b) studies is a Structural Error (wrong form for “you”); (a) sleep is a Meaning Trap (illogical for the library).
12 (b) is talking
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Look!” indicates the action is visually happening right at this second (Present Continuous).
- Why others are wrong: (a) talks is a Common Mistake; (d) talk is a Structural Error; (c) is shouting is a Meaning Trap (too aggressive for the context).
13 (a) costs
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Usually” indicates a general fact. Prices are facts, so we use Present Simple.
- Why others are wrong: (c) is costing is a Common Mistake (cost is generally a stative verb in this context); (d) cost is a Structural Error (missing “-s” for singular muffin); (b) pays is a Meaning Trap (muffins don’t pay money).
14 (c) are offering
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Today” shows a temporary promotion or action happening right now.
- Why others are wrong: (a) offer is a Common Mistake; (d) offering is a Structural Error (missing “are”); (b) are stealing is a Meaning Trap.
15 (b) want
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Want” is a Stative Verb (verb of feeling/desire). We cannot use it in the continuous form, even if the desire is happening right now!
- Why others are wrong: (c) am wanting is a Common Mistake (violates stative verb rule); (d) wants is a Structural Error (wrong agreement for “I”); (a) am cooking is a Meaning Trap.
16 (d) seems
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Seem” is a Stative Verb. It describes a state or appearance, so it stays in the Present Simple even with the word “today”.
- Why others are wrong: (b) is seeming is a Common Mistake (stative verb rule); (a) seem is a Structural Error; (c) looks at is a Meaning Trap (changes the meaning entirely).
17 (a) like
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Like” is a Stative Verb of emotion. It must be in the Present Simple.
- Why others are wrong: (d) am liking is a Common Mistake (stative verb rule); (c) likes is a Structural Error; (b) throw is a Meaning Trap.
18 (c) Do you understand
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Understand” is a Stative Verb of the mind/thought process. We use Present Simple to ask about it.
- Why others are wrong: (b) Are you understanding is a Common Mistake (stative verb rule); (a) You understand is a Structural Error (not a question format); (d) Are you seeing is a Meaning Trap.
19 (b) works
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Normally” expresses how a machine or system functions on a regular basis (Present Simple).
- Why others are wrong: (a) is working is a Common Mistake; (c) work is a Structural Error (Wi-Fi is singular “it”); (d) breaks is a Meaning Trap.
20 (d) isn’t connecting
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (Key): “Right now” describes a temporary, current problem with the device (Present Continuous).
- Why others are wrong: (c) doesn’t connect is a Common Mistake (wrong tense for a temporary issue); (b) not connecting is a Structural Error; (a) isn’t reading is a Meaning Trap (devices connect to the internet, they don’t read it).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Routines vs. Temporary Actions: – Use Present Simple for things that happen regularly, normally, or as a routine (e.g., I normally come here. The barista makes good coffee.).
- Use Present Continuous for things happening right now or temporarily just for today (e.g., I am sitting at the table. He isn’t working today.).
- Key Signal Words: – Usually, normally, always, every Sunday ➔ Present Simple.
- Right now, at the moment, today, Look!, Listen! ➔ Present Continuous.
- The Stative Verbs Trap (Advanced A1 Rule): Some verbs describe a state (feeling, thinking, appearing) rather than an action. Even if these are happening “right now”, you cannot add “-ing”. You must use Present Simple!
- Examples in this test: Want, Seem, Like, Understand, Cost.
- Correct: I want a cake. (NOT I am wanting a cake).
- Correct: Do you understand? (NOT Are you understanding?).