This is the tense we use to describe things that have permanence, facts, routines etc.

Because it is usually the first English tense learnt, non-native speakers often use it when they should use the Continuous tense (€).

It is a key tense, but not the only tense !

The L'Oréal Group is a world leader in the cosmetics industry. It has 42 plants worldwide, and employs 14,500 people in its manufacturing sites. It produces over 3.75bn units of cosmetic products per year.

Eye makeup is a type of cosmetic which aims to make the eyes look noticeable and attractive.

The Tote, formerly the Horserace Totalisator Board, is a British bookmaker with head offices in Wigan.

Under the brand totesport the Tote has 514 high street betting shops, outlets on Britain's 60 racecourses, as well as internet and call centre divisions.

It has a seven year exclusive licence from the date of the company's privatisation in 2011 to continue offering pool bets.

The sun rises in the East and sets in the West

• I work in a bank, and my girlfriend works for the Post Office.
  
  
• Mary still believes in Father Christmas, but Andrew knows he doesn't really exist.
  
  
• My name is Manuel, I come from Barcelona, and I work in a hotel in the south of England.

Every morning I get up at 6.30 I have a shower and put on my make-up.

My husband gets up at seven, he shaves and has a shower. I then make breakfast for the children.

We all leave the house at around 8.30 for work or school etc ...

The train for Manchester leaves at 19.00 and arrives at 21.15.   

Parks in Paris open at around 7.00.  

I'm switching on the TV now because the film starts in a couple of minutes.

Most verbs which describe an action can be either present simple or present continuous.

Some verbs describe states rather than actions, and are sometimes called stative verbs.

These are not usually used in the Present Continuous.  Here is a list of some of them