Simple Present, Present Progressive and how to use the non-action verbs.

Simple Present

We can use the simple present when I want to describe what regularly happens, I can use it with adverbs of frequency to express how often something happens. The simple present is used most with non-action verbs. The non-action verbs are the emotions, mental states, possesions, senses and perceptions. For example:

I jump in the bed.

Present Progressive

We can use the present progressive when we want to describe something that is happening right now, in the extended present time, even if it’s not happening at the moment of speaking. For example:

I am jumping in the bed.

Non-Action Verbs

When you use the simple present with the non-action verbs you don’t use the present progressive, even when the verb describes a situation that exists at the moment of speaking. The non-action verbs usually describe states or situations but not actions. They are used to express emotions (for example: hate, like, want feel, fear, trust), describe mental states (know, remember, believe, think, understand), show possession (have, own, posses, belong) and describe senses and perceptions (hear, see, smell, taste, feel, notice, seem, look, be, appear, sound). For example:

• I like the class a lot. (Emotions)
• I know a lot of electro music now. (Mental states)
• Carolina has two dogs. (Possession)
• Ana seems tired. (Senses and perceptions)