A1 · Principiante Capítulo 5

Describe tu mundo: Rutinas y acciones del momento

4 Reglas totales
47 ejemplos
5 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock the power to describe your daily life and everything happening around you right now.

  • Master the base form of verbs for most people.
  • Understand the special 's' ending for he, she, and it.
  • Distinguish between routine habits and actions happening this very second.
From simple facts to living descriptions.

Lo que aprenderás

¡Qué alegría saludarte! En este capítulo vamos a dar un paso gigante: aprenderás a describir todo lo que pasa a tu alrededor. ¿Alguna vez has querido contarle a alguien qué haces en un día normal o qué está haciendo tu familia en este preciso momento? ¡Aquí es donde ocurre la magia! Primero, dominaremos el 'Present Simple' para hablar de rutinas y hechos. Aprenderás que para sujetos como 'I, You, We, They' el verbo se queda igual, pero que con 'He, She, It' necesitamos ese toque especial: agregar una -s o -es al final. Luego, daremos el salto al 'Present Continuous' para describir acciones en tiempo real usando 'am, is, are' más la famosa terminación '-ing'. No te preocupes por la ortografía, también te enseñaremos los trucos para escribir correctamente palabras como 'running' o 'dancing'. Imagina que estás en una videollamada: podrás decir con claridad 'I usually work at home, but today I am working in a cafe' (Normalmente trabajo en casa, pero hoy estoy trabajando en un café). Al terminar estas lecciones, podrás diferenciar lo que haces siempre de lo que haces justo ahora y describir las acciones de cualquier persona. ¡Es mucho más sencillo de lo que imaginas y te verás genial hablándolo!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: State facts about yourself and groups of people using the present simple.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Correctly apply the third-person 's' to verbs when talking about another person.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Describe what is happening in a photo or in your current environment using the present continuous.

Guía del capítulo

Overview

Imagine yourself trying to share what you do every day, or tell someone what your friend is up to right now. This is where the magic of English grammar comes in! In this chapter, we're going to unlock the secrets of English describing your world and actions for beginners.
You’ll learn how to talk about your daily routines, facts about yourself and others, and even things that are happening right at this moment.
Mastering these basic structures is super important as you learn English A1 grammar. We'll look at how to use action words (verbs) when you talk about yourself (I eat), about groups (we play), and about single people or things (he works, she sings). We'll also dive into how to describe actions that are still in progress, like
I am reading
or
they are laughing.
By the end of this guide, you’ll feel much more confident describing your world clearly and easily, making your conversations much more vibrant!

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, talking about your world and actions means using verbs correctly. For actions that are habits, facts, or things that happen regularly, we often use the Present Simple. When you talk about yourself (I), or you, we, and they, it's super easy!
You just use the basic form of the verb. For example,
I eat breakfast every morning,
or
They play football on Saturdays.
This form describes regular occurrences that are true often or always.
Now, things change a little when you talk about he, she, it, or a single person/thing (like my sister or the cat). This is our special He/She/It Rule. For these, we add an -s or -es to the end of the verb.
So,
She drinks coffee,
and
He watches TV.
Knowing when to add -s or -es is key to sounding natural and correct.
But what if something is happening *right now*? That's where the Present Continuous comes in! We use a form of the verb 'be' (am/is/are) plus the -ing form of the main verb.
For example,
I am studying English,
or
They are listening to music.
This tells us the action is still in progress at the moment of speaking. Finally, we'll quickly look at the spelling rules for adding -ing to verbs, like changing dance to dancing or swim to swimming – it helps keep your writing and speaking accurate.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Forgetting the -s with He/She/It
✗ He like coffee.
✓ He likes coffee.
Explanation: Always remember to add -s (or -es) to the verb when the subject is he, she, it, or a single person/thing. This is a very common A1 mistake, but easy to fix!
  1. 1Confusing Present Simple and Present Continuous
✗ I am eat breakfast every day.
✓ I eat breakfast every day. (This is a habit/routine)
✓ I am eating breakfast now. (This is an action happening at this exact moment)
Explanation: Use Present Simple for routines and facts, and Present Continuous for actions happening right now or temporarily.
  1. 1Incorrect -ing Spelling
✗ I am swiming.
✓ I am swimming.
Explanation: For many short verbs ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, you often double the last consonant before adding -ing (e.g., run -> running, sit -> sitting). Also, remember to drop the 'e' from verbs like make before adding -ing (making).

Real Conversations

A

A

What do you do on weekends?
B

B

I play tennis, and my brother reads books.
A

A

Look! What is he doing?
B

B

He is drawing a picture. He draws every day, it's his hobby.
A

A

Where are you going right now?
B

B

I am going to the shop. We need some milk for breakfast tomorrow.

Quick FAQ

Q

How do I use the Present Simple in English to talk about myself?

For yourself (I), you just use the base form of the verb. For example,

I work in an office,
I learn English online,
I eat fruit for lunch.

Q

When should I add -s or -es to a verb?

You add -s or -es to a verb when the subject is he, she, it, or a single person/thing. For example,

He works hard,
She learns fast,
It eats a lot of food.

Q

What is the difference between

I eat
and
I am eating
?

I eat
means it's a habit or a general fact (e.g.,
I eat breakfast every day at 7 AM
).
I am eating
means the action is happening right now, at this moment (e.g., "Shhh, I am eating lunch now, I can't talk").

Q

How do I spell verbs ending with -ing correctly?

Most times, you just add -ing (e.g., read -> reading). If a verb ends in 'e', you usually drop the 'e' then add -ing (e.g., make -> making). If it's a short verb ending in consonant-vowel-consonant, you often double the last consonant (e.g., run -> running).

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these patterns constantly, making them absolutely essential for everyday communication. While formal settings might prefer complete sentences, in informal chats, you'll often hear shortened versions like "She's working instead of She is working." There are very few regional differences in how these basic grammar structures are formed; they are universally understood across English-speaking countries.

Ejemplos clave (8)

1

I work at a coffee shop.

Yo trabajo en una cafetería.

Acciones en Inglés: Yo, Tú, Nosotros, Ellos (Presente Simple)
2

You speak English very well.

Tú hablas inglés muy bien.

Acciones en Inglés: Yo, Tú, Nosotros, Ellos (Presente Simple)
3

He `drinks` coffee every morning.

Él bebe café cada mañana.

La regla de He/She/It: Añadir -s y -es a los verbos
4

She `watches` Netflix on weekends.

Ella ve Netflix los fines de semana.

La regla de He/She/It: Añadir -s y -es a los verbos
5

I am studying English right now.

Estoy estudiando inglés ahora mismo.

Presente Continuo: Acciones que suceden ahora
6

She is drinking coffee.

Ella está bebiendo café.

Presente Continuo: Acciones que suceden ahora
7

She is `reading` a new book right now.

Ella está leyendo un libro nuevo ahora mismo.

Reglas de ortografía para la forma -ing (Presente Continuo)
8

My cat is `sleeping` on my keyboard again.

Mi gato está durmiendo en mi teclado otra vez.

Reglas de ortografía para la forma -ing (Presente Continuo)

Consejos y trucos (4)

💡

¡No te compliques!

Con 'I', 'you', 'we', 'they', el verbo va en su forma normal, ¡sin añadir nada! ¡Ya está perfecto! Por ejemplo: I eat breakfast. (Yo desayuno).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Acciones en Inglés: Yo, Tú, Nosotros, Ellos (Presente Simple)
🎯

La Regla del 'Does'

Si ves 'does' o 'doesn't' en una frase, ¡el verbo principal pierde su 's'! La 's' ya se fue al 'does'. "She doesn't like it."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: La regla de He/She/It: Añadir -s y -es a los verbos
💡

Recuerda el Dúo Dinámico

Siempre junta una forma de 'to be' (am, is, are) con tu verbo principal terminado en '-ing'. ¡Si falta uno, es como un coche sin ruedas! Por ejemplo:
I am reading a book.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente Continuo: Acciones que suceden ahora
💡

Escucha la 'E'

Si un verbo termina en 'e' y no la escuchas (como en 'make', 'write'), es una 'e' silenciosa y la quitas antes de añadir -ing. Si la escuchas (como en 'see', 'agree'), ¡déjala!
I am seeing you.
vs.
I am making dinner.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reglas de ortografía para la forma -ing (Presente Continuo)

Vocabulario clave (7)

eat to consume food work to do a job watch to look at something for a time run to move fast on feet write to mark paper with words now at this moment every day daily habit

Real-World Preview

phone

A Phone Call from the Park

Review Summary

  • Subject (I/You/We/They) + Verb (base)
  • Subject (He/She/It) + Verb + -s/-es
  • Subject + am/is/are + Verb-ing

Errores comunes

This is the most common mistake. Beginners often forget the 's' for the third person singular (he/she/it).

Wrong: He work in a bank.
Correcto: He works in a bank.

You cannot have an '-ing' action without the 'am/is/are' helper verb to show when it is happening.

Wrong: I reading a book.
Correcto: I am reading a book.

For short verbs with a 'consonant-vowel-consonant' pattern, you must double the final letter before adding -ing.

Wrong: He is runing.
Correcto: He is running.

Next Steps

You've just unlocked the most active part of the English language. Keep practicing by narrating what you see around you today. You're doing amazing!

Photo Description

Daily Routine List

Continue to: Tu vida en inglés: ¡Aprende a preguntar y decir que no!

Práctica rápida (10)

Elige la forma correcta

I ___ (drink) coffee every morning.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: drink
Para el sujeto 'I' en Presente Simple, usamos la forma base del verbo, que es 'drink'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Acciones en Inglés: Yo, Tú, Nosotros, Ellos (Presente Simple)

¿Qué frase es correcta?

Choose the grammatically correct sentence about a cat:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The cat sleeps all day.
Un gato es 'it', así que añadimos -s a 'sleep'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: La regla de He/She/It: Añadir -s y -es a los verbos

Encuentra y corrige el error

Find and fix the mistake:

You likes pizza.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: You like pizza.
Para el sujeto 'you' en Presente Simple, el verbo toma su forma base ('like'), no con una terminación '-s'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Acciones en Inglés: Yo, Tú, Nosotros, Ellos (Presente Simple)

Encuentra y corrige el error en la frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

She wash her car every Sunday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She washes her car every Sunday.
Los verbos que terminan en -sh necesitan -es en la tercera persona del singular.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: La regla de He/She/It: Añadir -s y -es a los verbos

¿Qué frase usa la forma `-ing` correcta?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They are swimming in the pool.
Para verbos de una sílaba que terminan en consonante-vocal-consonante (CVC), duplicas la consonante final antes de añadir -ing (swim -> swimming).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reglas de ortografía para la forma -ing (Presente Continuo)

Elige la forma correcta con `-ing` para completar la frase.

My brother is ___ (study) for his big exam.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: studying
Para los verbos que terminan en 'y', simplemente añades -ing sin ningún cambio.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reglas de ortografía para la forma -ing (Presente Continuo)

¿Qué frase es correcta?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We watch movies.
Para el sujeto 'we' en Presente Simple, usa la forma base del verbo ('watch'). 'Watches' es para 'he/she/it', y 'are watch' es incorrecto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Acciones en Inglés: Yo, Tú, Nosotros, Ellos (Presente Simple)

Elige la forma correcta del Presente Continuo.

She ___ a book right now.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is reading
Para 'She' (tercera persona del singular), usamos 'is' + verb-ing. Así que, 'is reading' es correcto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente Continuo: Acciones que suceden ahora

Encuentra y corrige el error en la oración.

Find and fix the mistake:

They listening to music.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They are listening to music.
Falta el verbo 'to be' ('are' para 'they'). Es esencial para el Presente Continuo.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente Continuo: Acciones que suceden ahora

Encuentra y corrige el error en la frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

She is makeing a cake for her friend.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She is making a cake for her friend.
Los verbos que terminan en una 'e' silenciosa (como make) quitan la 'e' antes de añadir -ing.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reglas de ortografía para la forma -ing (Presente Continuo)

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

Es la forma base del verbo, que usamos para hablar de hábitos, rutinas y hechos generales para estos sujetos, como I eat (Yo como) o We study (Nosotros estudiamos).
Es el verbo en su forma más sencilla, sin terminaciones como -s, -ing o -ed. Por ejemplo: walk (caminar), eat (comer), study (estudiar).
No. Aunque 'they' se refiera a una sola persona (singular they), siempre usa la forma verbal plural. Ejemplo:
They look happy today.
'Have' es un verbo irregular. Su forma de tercera persona se desarrolló de forma única con el tiempo. Solo recuerda: He/She/It has.
La idea principal es describir acciones que están en progreso en el momento de hablar o alrededor del tiempo presente. Piensa en ello como una acción 'en vivo', como I am eating.
La formas con 'Sujeto + am/is/are + verb-ing'. Por ejemplo, She is studying o They are playing.
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