Is studying or studies

[Rachel Adams]

In most textbooks in a sentence such as "I study at university" they use present simple but in "Longman English Grammar Practice" by L.G. Alexander the book uses the progressive.
Could you please tell which tense is most common?

[emsr2d2]

The continuous (progressive) is more common if you are currently a student at a university.

[GoesStation]

In most textbooks in a sentence such as "I study at university" they use present simple but in "Longman English Grammar Practice" by L.G. Alexander the book uses the progressive.

The sentence is an illustration of the usage described immediately above it: Temporary situations/actions.

[Rachel Adams]

The continuous (progressive) is more common if you are currently a student at a university.

Two questions, if you plese. Even if a ''temporary'' action is quite long, three or four years or 11 years at school would a native speaker still use the progressive? You said it's more common if I am currently a student. But if someone says ''I study at university'' doesn't it usually mean they are currently a student?

[GoesStation]

Even if a ''temporary'' action is quite long, three or four years or 11 years at school would a native speaker still use the progressive?

Yes. The progressive tells the listener that the studying is in progress and will eventually end. For example:

"What's your sister up to these days?"

"The same thing she's been doing for the last ten years: she's working on her PhD. She'll probably still be working on it ten years from now!"

[Rachel Adams]

Yes. The progressive tells the listener that the studying is in progress and will eventually end. For example:

"What's your sister up to these days?"

"The same thing she's been doing for the last ten years: she's working on her PhD. She'll probably still be working on it ten years from now!"

Then what we have been taught at school is not right that only "She studies at school" is correct while "she is studying" isn't.

[Yankee]

Two questions, if you please. Even if a ''temporary'' action is quite long, three or four years or 11 years at school would a native speaker still use the progressive? Yes, if currently in progress. You said it's more common if I am currently a student. But if someone says ''I study at university'' doesn't it usually mean they are currently a student? Yes, and context might suggest simple present, e.g. (A) Where do you study? (B) I study at [the] university".

Y.

[emsr2d2]

Then what we have been taught at school is not right that only "She studies at school" is correct while "she is studying" isn't.

Unfortunately, that appears to be the case. Perhaps you should show an English teacher there the contents of this thread.

[Rover_KE]

... but don't be surprised if they say 'Don't believe everything you read on the internet'.

[GoesStation]

Then what we have been taught at school is not right that only "She studies at school" is correct while "she is studying" isn't.

Only continuous tenses work in my example dialog.