The Present Simple is used for:
· regular actions or events
He plays tennis most weekends.
· facts
The sun rises in the east.
· facts known about the future
We leave at 8.30 next Monday
· thoughts and feelings about the time of speaking
I don't feel very well.
The Present Continuous is used for:
· the time of speaking ('now')
Shh, I'm trying to hear what they are saying .
· things which are true at the moment but not always
We're looking for a new flat.
· present plans for the future
We're having dinner with them next week .
Look at these examples :
· I don't usually have cereals for breakfast but I'm having some this
morning because there is nothing else.
· I often cycle to work but I'm taking the car this morning because it's raining very hard.
I'm thinking about having my hair cut short but I don't think my
· husband will be very happy about it.
· My parents live in Washington but I'm just visiting.
Note how, in all these examples, we use the present continuous to talk about events which are temporary/limited in time and the present simple to talk about events which are habits/permanent
