Simple or Continuous?
Technically speaking simple and continuous are verb forms rather than verb tenses. However because these two forms are used to create different tenses, they are often referred to as simple and continuous tenses.
Students sometimes confuse simple tenses with continuous tenses. This topic looks at the differences between the two.
We use the continuous tense to talk about things which are happening over a period of time.
The simple tense is used to talk about things which happen and finish; the duration of these events is not important.
Some verbs contain in their meaning an idea of permanency. For example, when we use the verb like, we are talking about a feeling we have which will last for a long time:
For this reason, we do not usually use like in a continuous form.
There are other verbs generally used only in simple form, for example:
verbs of mental activity: know, understand, think
verbs of emotions: like, love, hate, desire
verbs of senses: see, smell, touch, taste, hear
verbs of possession: own, belong, possess, have
verbs of reporting: say, tell, ask, answer
miscellaneous verbs: need, contain, depend, consist, seem
With verbs of perception we can often use can:
N.B. We can use some of the verbs listed above in continuous tenses but their meaning changes when we do.
In general, the simple tense refers to a long-term mental state; it is about a belief. The continuous tense refers to what is happening right now; it is an active effort.
We never use have in a continuous form to mean possession. In the next example, we use have to mean making an active effort.
Simple tenses generally refer to actions which are permanent, while the continuous tenses usually talk about things which are happening for a while only - they will stop sometime.
In the first example, the speaker was probably born in London. London is their home and they have no intention of leaving.
In the second example, the speaker perhaps has just moved to London, or is living there for a short while only before moving somewhere else.
