Lesson 1.2 · Talking about the present
Present simple or present continuous with charts and changes
The same rule from Lesson 1.1 applies when you describe charts, trends and changes: the present simple for long-term, repeating situations, and the present continuous for what is happening now.
From How to Use English Verb Tenses in Business by David Cox · 200+ diagrams for professional English
Present simple or present continuous with graphs and changes
A repeating pattern is a long-term situation. A trend you can see right now is a temporary one.
Profits usually increase every summer.
Present simple is used for long-term, repeating situations
Profits are increasing.
Present continuous is used to describe the current situation
Present continuous with graphs
When you describe what a chart shows at the moment – and what you are doing about it – both are temporary situations.
Sales are falling rapidly at the moment,
Present continuous to talk about a present temporary situation
so we are holding a lot of crisis meetings.
Present continuous to talk about a present temporary situation
Continuous forms with changes: ‘become’
We also need to use the present continuous with the verb ‘become’, because it talks about a temporary process. This is one verb that English learners often forget to use in the present continuous.
✓She is becoming a good manager.
Present continuous to talk about a present temporary situation
✗She becomes a good manager.
Present simple doesn’t fit a process that is happening now
Even if she will be a good manager forever, the process of becoming a good manager is only temporary.
Other examples: We become are becoming an established company. The situation becomes is becoming very serious.
Continuous forms with changes: ‘get’
We have the same situation with the verb ‘get’. Of course, we still use the present simple for general situations.
The weather is getting very hot.
Present continuous to talk about a present temporary situation
It normally gets really extreme at this time of year.
Present simple to talk about a general, long-term repeating situation
Other examples: I can feel that my English gets is getting better. He gets is getting very frustrated with the current situation.
Practise this lesson
Test yourself on the present simple and present continuous – including trends and changes – with sentences from real meetings, emails and presentations.
Teachers: use these diagrams
You are welcome to use these diagrams in your lessons and materials. Please credit Fluency Space with a link to this page.
Diagram: Fluency Space – fluencyspace.com/grammar/verb-tenses/present-continuous-charts-and-changes/Correct on paper is not the same as natural in the boardroom
One-to-one Business English coaching for C1/C2 executives and founders.
IN-DEPTH PROPOSAL BUILT WITH CARE
A Course Built around you
After your full English audit, we do a deep dive into your company, your role and your real communication goals - We then build a fully tailored program around them and send a proposal within 3 working days.
© Copyright Fluency Space. All Rights Reserved
OptimizePress Popup Overlay
the fluency space acadademy
Be one of the first 50 to join and get a huge discount!
Your advanced English training center. Over 600 pages of PDFs. over 250 diagrams and hundreds of exercises. 32 Vocabulary lessons covering the 400 most important phrases for advanced Business, 2x monthly Adapted Business English texts, 2x monthly YouTube listening lessons, 'How to Use English Verb Tenses in Business' textbook.
All of this and much more for only $5.99 per month. Cancel anytime!
