English — Present simple vs present continuous

Use the present simple for habits and facts, and the present continuous for what is happening now or around now. Compare I work in an office with I am working from home this week.

How it works

✓ Rule

The present simple states permanent situations, routines and general truths: She works at a bank; Water boils at 100 degrees. The present continuous (am/is/are + -ing) describes an action in progress or a temporary situation: She is working late tonight; It is raining.

Examples

Same verb, two tenses
Present simple (habit / fact)	Present continuous (now / temporary)
I work in an office.	I am working from home today.
She usually drinks tea.	She is drinking coffee right now.
They live in Rome.	They are living in Rome for a year.
Water boils at 100 degrees.	The water is boiling — turn it off!
He plays football on Sundays.	He is playing football at the moment.
It often rains in spring.	Look — it is raining now.

Good to know

⚠ Note

Stative verbs — know, want, like, need, believe, understand — normally stay in the simple form even when you mean now. Say I know the answer and I want tea, not I am knowing or I am wanting.