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I have read this sentence in my book :

> 山田{やまだ}さんは毎朝{まいあさ}６時{じ}に **起きます{おきます}** 。

  * Why isn't the present continuous used ( **起きています** ) since it is obviously a habit for Yamada-san to wake up at 6 every morning?

  * Is it because we already have 毎朝 in the sentence? But then, would it mean that the `-ます form` is prefered over the `-ています form` if the meaning of a sentence is clear enough?

  * Then, does it sound weird to use the `present continuous` in that kind of sentences?

  * If my assumption is wrong, what is the difference between this sentence and the same one with `-ています form`?

* * *

**To go further…**

Could this sentence be translated to future as:

> Mr Yamada will get up at 6 every morning.

Does it depend only on context or would we need to add some words to make sure
we understand it as future tense?

* * *

**Ressources**

  * Wasabi-jpn.com ["Customary Actions: the Plain Form VS. the Te-form + いる"](https://www.wasabi-jpn.com/japanese-grammar/present-progressive-tense-resultant-states-with-te-form/#4)

  * From another book:

> The -ています form can also be used to express a customary and repeated action
> that takes place through a certain period of time.
>
> _Examples:_
>

>> ぎんこうにつとめています。 I work in a bank.

>>

>> あねは英語{えいご}の先生{せんせい}をしています。 My sister is an English teacher.
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usage nuances conjugations て-form
-ています / present continuous form not used in habitual action
Using ている form for habitual actions, compared with the one without it, implies
that the speaker is to some extent conscious of period that the habitual
action continues for.

In other words, 山田さんは毎朝６時に起きている implies that the speaker is conscious that
Yamada wouldn't necessarily get up at 6 in past, and won't necessarily keep
his habit forever.

So, the reason why it doesn't use ている form is that the speaker is not
particularly conscious of sense of period as mentioned above.

In this regard, it sounds too fatal to apply permanent action, namely,
habitual one without ている to what's generally introduced as examples of
habitual actions in textbooks e.g. 学校へ通っている or 店で働いている.

When you consider an example like 人は空気を吸う, you won't really wonder why it's
not ている, will you? 毎朝起きる is kinda in-between, but at least, it's not unnatural
to use permanent action.
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According to ["A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar", page
155](https://japbase.neocities.org/full_day.html#%E3%8A%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B\(2\)):  

> いる: Someone or something is doing something he or it started some time ago,
> or is in a state created by an action he or it took some time ago.

Examples paraphrased from the book:  

> 彼{かれ}は酒{さけ}を飲{の}んでいる。  
>  He is drinking sake.
>
> 彼{かれ}は話{はな}している。  
>  He is talking.
>
> 彼{かれ}は食{た}べている。  
>  He is eating.

> If Verb-て is a verb indicating a momentary action which cannot be repeated,
> Verb-て expresses the idea that something happened to X and X maintains the
> state which was created by that event.

Examples:  

> 山田{やまだ}さんは起{お}きている。  
>  Mr. Yamada is awake. (Mr. Yamada woke up some time ago and still awake now)
>
> リンゴは腐{くさ}っている。 (Example paraphrased from the book)  
>  The apple is rotten. (the apple rotted some time ago, and is still rotten
> now)

> Verb-ている also expresses a habitual action (...) Example:  
>
>
> 山田{やまだ}さんは毎日{まいにち}４キロ走{はし}っている。  
>  Mr. Yamada runs 4 km every day.

But in the case of punctual verbs, I believe the meaning above takes
precedence.
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_I wanted to edit user4092's answer, but it was too drastic. I've been advised
by a moderator to make it a separate answer as it introduces new terminology._

* * *

### ている form - Temporary custom

Using `ている form` for customary actions, compared with just the `plain form`,
implies that the speaker is, to some extent, conscious of a **period of time**
that the customary action continues for.

> 山田さんは毎朝６時に **起きている** 。

In other words, the above sentence implies that the speaker is conscious that
Yamada wouldn't necessarily get up at 6 in past, and **won't necessarily keep
his habit forever**. _He wakes up at 6 "these days"_, it is a **temporary
custom**.

So, the reason why it doesn't use `ている form` is that **the speaker is not
particularly conscious of a sense of time** as mentioned above, or doesn't
want to imply one.

* * *

### Plain form - "Permanent" custom

In this regard, it sounds too fatal to apply the `plain form` (without ている) as
in a **permanent action** to **common examples of habitual actions** in
textbooks such as:

> 学校{がっこう}へ[通]{かよ}っている。 _I go to school._
>
> 店{みせ}で[働]{はたら}いている。 _I work in a shop._

Consider an example like this one:

> 人{ひと}は空気{くうき}を[吸]{す}う。 _Humans breathe air._

You don't wonder why `ている form` is not used, do you? Because **it's not a
temporary custom, but a permanent one**.

毎朝起きる is kinda **in-between**. **It's not unnatural to use permanent action
but both forms are fine**.

* * *

Source: [Wasabi-jpn.com on "Customary Actions"](https://www.wasabi-
jpn.com/japanese-grammar/present-progressive-tense-resultant-states-with-te-
form/#4)
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