Present Simple or Present Continuous

Compare the Present Simple and the Present Continuous:

1 we use the Present Simple to talk about facts (thing which are true at any time):

Anna speaks good Spanish.
Journalist write newspaper articles.
I come from Norway. (= I am Norwegian).

2 we use the Present Simple for situations that exist over a long time, and for actions that are repeated ( e.g. people's habits, or events on a timetable):

Mike works for an adversitising company.
He lives in Paris. (= His home is in Paris).

Past ----> now ----> future

He lives in Paris
<--------------------------->

Jane travels a lot in her job.
I do a lot of sport

we can use words like usually, often, every:

we usually go out to dinner at weekends
I often go to football matches on Sundays
The buses leave every hour

3 we use the Present Simple with thinking and feeling verbs ( e.g. know, forget, notice,
understand, recognise, remember, like, love, hate, want, prefer, need):

I don't know which train to catch.

4 we use have in the Present Simple to talk about possession:

I have a new car.

we use think in the Present Simple to express opinions:

I think she's interesting

we use the Present Continuous to talk about action in progress at the time of speaking:

Anna's busy. She's speaking on the phone.
what are you writting? - A letter to Jane.
Look¡ The bus is coming.

we use the Present Continuous for things that continue for a limited period of time around
now ( e.g. holidays, visits, temporary jobs, school or university courses):

Past ----> now ----> future

He's living in New York.

Jane's travelling around Europe for a month
I'm doing a one year course in tourism
we're painting that flat.

we do not usually use the Present Continuous with thinking and feeling verbs

Not: I'm knowing someone who lives in Venice

we use have and think in the Present Continuous to talk about actions:

I'm having fun
he can't come, he's having dinner at the moment.
I am thinking about my work