Page 482 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

present tenses (3): simple present (use) 463
463 present tenses (3): simple present (use) 1 general time: It a/ways rains in November
We often use the simple present to talk about permanent situations, or about things that happen regularly, repeatedly or all the time.
What do frogs eat? (NOT What are/fflgs eaHng?) It always rains here in November.
I play tennis every Wednesday.
Alice works for an insurance company.
simple present: permanent situations
Alice works for an insurance company.
simple present: things that happen repeatedly
I play tennis every Wednesday.
2 not used for things happening just around the present
We do not usually use the simple present to talk about temporary situations or actions that are only going on around the present. Compare:
- Water boils at 1000 Celsius.
The kettle's boiling - shall J make tea? (NOT The kettle btJils •..)
- It usually snows in January.
Look - it's snowing! (NOT LBtJie It sntJl:tIs.?
- I play tennis every Wednesday.
Where's Bernard?- He's playing tennis. (NOT ••• He "lays tennis.)
3 non-progressive verbs
However, the simple present is used for this 'around the present' meaning with verbs that do not have progressive forms (see 471).
I like this wine very much. (NOT P,," Eikiltg ...) I believe YOIl. (NOT I'm believing ytJu.)
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