Expressing Present
UNIT 1 Present continuous (I am doing)
a) Study this example situation:
We use the present continuous when we talk about something which is happening at the time of speaking:
Please don't make so much noise. I'm studying (not 'I study')
'Where is Margaret?' 'She's having a bath.' (not 'she has')
Let's go out now. It isn't raining any more.
(at a party) Hello, Ann. Are you enjoying the party? (not 'do you enjoy')
b) We also use the present continuous when we talk about something which is happening around, the time of speaking, but not necessarily exactly at the time of speaking.. Study this example situation:
-Tom and Ann are talking and drinking in a cafe. Tom says: 'I'm reading an interesting book at the moment. I'll lend it to you when I've finished it.'
Tom is not reading the book at the time of speaking. He means that he has begun the book and hasn't finished it yet. He is in the middle of reading it. Here are some more examples:
- Silvia is learning English at the moment. (not 'learns')
- Have you heard about Tom? He is building his own house. (not 'builds')
But perhaps Silvia and Tom are not doing these things exactly at the time of speaking.
c) We often use the present continuous when we talk about a period around the present. For example: today, this season etc.:
- 'You're working hard today.' 'Yes, I have a lot to do.'
- Tom isn't playing football this season. He wants to concentrate on his studies.
d) We use the present continuous when we talk about changing situations:
- The population of the world is rising very fast. (not 'rises')
- Is your English getting better? (not 'does ... get')
Exercises
1.1 In this exercise you have to put the verb into the correct form.
Examples: Please don't make so much noise. I am studying (study).
Let's go out now. It isn’t raining (not/rain) any more.
Listen to those people. What language are they speaking. (they/speak)?
Please be quiet. I ………………… (try) to concentrate.
Look! It ……………………… (snow).
Why …………………… (you/look) at me like that? Have I said something wrong?
You ……………………. (make) a lot of noise. Can you be a bit quieter?
Excuse me, I …………………….. (look) for a phone box. Is there one near here?
(in the cinema) It's a good film, isn't it? ……………………… (you/enjoy) it?
7. Listen! Can you hear those people next door? They ……………………. (shout) at each other again.
Why …………………… (you/wear) your coat today? It's very warm.
I ………………………... (not/work) this week. I'm on holiday.
10. I want to lose weight. I ……………………... (not/eat) anything today.
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1.2 Complete these sentences using one of these verbs:
get become change rise improve fall increase
You don't have to use all the verbs and you can use some of them more than once.
Example: The population of the world is rising very fast.
The number of people without jobs ………...…….. at the moment.
He is still ill but he ………………………... better slowly.
3. These days food ………………………… more and more expensive.
The world ………………… . Things never stay the same.
The cost of living ………………... . Every year things are dearer.
6. George has gone to work in Spain. When he arrived, his Spanish wasn't very good but now it ………………………… .
7. The economic situation is already very bad and it …………………….. worse.
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Read this conversation between Brian and Steve. Put each verb into the correct form.
The first one has already been done for you.
Brian and Steve meet in a restaurant:
Brian: Hello, Steve. I haven't seen you for ages. What (1) are you doing (you/do)
these days?
Steve: I (2) ……………………. (train) to be a shop manager.
Brian: Really? (3) ………………… (you/enjoy) it?
Steve: Yes, it's quite interesting. How about you?
Brian: Well, I (4) …………………… (not/work) at the moment, but I'm very busy.
I (5) ………………….. (build) a house.
Steve: Really? (6) …………………………………….. (you/do) it alone)?
Brian: No, some friends of mine (7) ……………………………... (help) me.
UNIT 2 Present simple (I do)
a) Study this example situation.
|
Alex is a bus driver. But now he is asleep in bed. So: He is not driving a bus (he is asleep) But: He drives a bus. This is the present simple tense: I / we / you / they drive he / she / (it) drives |
We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We are not thinking only about the present. We use it to say that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general. It is not important whether the action is happening at the time of speaking:
The earth goes round the sun.
Nurses look after patients in hospitals.
- In Britain most of the shops close at 5.30 p.m.
Remember that we say he / she / it -s. Don't forget the s:
I work in a bank. Barry works in a shop.
We use do / does to make questions and negative sentences:
d does he / she / it |
I / we / you / they don't he / she / it doesn't |
o
I / we / you / they
- Excuse me, do you speak English?
'Would you like a cigarette?' 'No, thanks. I don't smoke.'
What does this word mean? (not 'What means this word?')
Rice doesn't grow in Britain.
c) We use the present simple when we say how often we do things:
-I get up at 8 o'clock every morning. (not 'am getting')
How often do you go to the dentist?
Ann doesn't often drink tea.
In summer Tom usually plays tennis twice a week.
d) Note that we say 'Where do you come from?' (= Where are you from?):
- Where do you come from? (not 'Where are you coming from?')
- He comes from Japan (not 'He is coming from Japan.')
e) When you make a suggestion, you can say Why don't you ... ?:
- 'I'm tired.’ 'Why don't you go to bed early?'
Exercises
2.1 In this exercise you have to put the verb into the correct form.
Examples: Water boils (boil) at 100 degrees centigrade.
George doesn’t go (not/go) to the cinema very often.
How many languages do you speak (you/speak)?
1. The swimming bath …………………. (open) at 9.00 and ………………… (close)
at 18.30 every day.
2. What time ………………………… (the banks/close) in Britain?
3. I have a car but I ……………………… (not/use) it very often.
How many cigarettes ………………………… (you/smoke) a day?
'What …………………........... (you/do)?' 'I'm an electrical engineer.'
'Where ………………………... (your father/come) from?' 'He ……………………
(come) from Scotland.'
7. If you need money, why ……………………………... (you / not / get) a job?
8. I ……………………… (play) the piano, but I …………………. (not/play) very well.
9. I don't understand the word 'deceive'. What …………………… ('deceive' / mean)?
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2.2 This time you have to read some sentences and correct them. The English is correct but the information is wrong. Write two correct sentences each time.
Example: The sun goes round the earth. The sun doesn’t go round the earth.
The earth goes round the sun.
1. The sun rises in the west. …………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Mice catch cats. …………………………………………………………………………………………...…..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Carpenters make things from metal. …………………………………………………………...….....
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The River Amazon flows into the Pacific Ocean. ………………………………….…………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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2.3 Now you have to use these sentences to make questions. Begin your question with the word(s) in brackets.
Examples: Tom plays tennis. (How often?) How often does Tom play tennis?
I get up in the morning. (What time/usually?) What time do you usually get up?
1. Ann watches television. (How often?) How often ………………………….…………………………
2. I write to my parents. (How often?) ……………………………………………………………………...….
3. I have dinner in the evening? (What time /usually?) …………………………………………………
4. Tom works. (Where?) …………………………………………………………………………………………..…
5. I go to the cinema. (How often?) ……………………………………………………………………………..
People do stupid things. (Why?) ………………………………………………………………………….…..
The car breaks down. (How often?) ……………………………………………………………………..…..
UNIT 3 Present continuous (I am doing) or present simple (I do)?
a) Study this explanation and compare the examples:
Present continuous (I am doing) Use the present continuous to talk about something which is happening at or around the time of speaking: |
Present simple (I do) Use the present simple to talk about things in general or things which happen repeatedly: |
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past now future |
past now future |
The kettle is boiling. Can you turn it off, please? |
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. |
Listen to those people. What language are they speaking? |
Excuse me, do you speak English? |
'Where's Tom? ' 'He's playing tennis.' (you find a stranger in your room) What are you doing here? |
Tom plays tennis every Saturday. What do you usually do at weekends? What do you do? (= What's your job?) |
Silvia is in Britain for three months. She's learning English. |
Most people learn to swim when they are children. |
Use the present continuous for a temporary situation: |
Use the present simple for a permanent situation: |
I'm living with some friends until I can find a flat. |
My parents live in London. They have been there for 20 years. |
That machine isn't working. It broke down this morning. |
That machine doesn't work. It hasn't worked for years. |
b) Some verbs are used only in simple tenses. For example, you cannot say 'I am knowing'.
You can only say I know. Here is a list of verbs which are not normally used in continuous tenses (but there are exceptions):
want like belong know suppose remember
need love see realise mean forget
prefer hate hear believe understand seem
have (when the meaning is 'possess')
think (when the meaning is 'believe')
- Do you like London? (no t 'are you liking')
- He doesn't understand. (not 'he isn't understanding')
- These shoes belong to me. (not ‘are belonging')
- What do you think Tom will do? (=What do you believe he will do?)
but: What are you thinking about? (= What is going on in your mind?)
Exercises