Present Simple vs Present Continuous

TENSE
Simple
Present

FORM

USE

I play tennis on Habitual activities and routines: I play tennis every

Mondays.
summer
Universal facts and truths: Water boils at 100
States: I still think America would be a great place to live.
(with verbs: be, like, hate, know, understand,

TIME CLUES
every morning / day / etc.
always
usually
frequently
sometimes
never/ever

believe, see, hear, want, think ...)

Present
Continuous

He's (is) working atActions happening at the present moment: Shes writing
the moment.
a letter at the moment
Temporary situations: Im staying at my sisters house this
week

Now/ today
right now
this week/ minute/etc.

With ALWAYS negative attitude: He is always telling lies! I

cant stand it any more!
Im flying to New For plans and arrangements (dates and appointments):
York in May
Im visiting my grandparent on Thursday.

Tomorrow/next
week/tonight/soon/
in the future

I Write the present simple tense in the 3rd person singular of the following verbs:
a) play ....... b) study ............................c) carry ............................d) buzz .............................e) pass ......................... f)
finish .......................... g) walk ........................... h) have ...........................i) kiss ..............................j) watch .................k)
make ...............................l) wash ......................................m) sell .........................................
II Write the present participle (-ing) of the following verbs:
a) take ................b) look ................................ c) have ...............................d) plan ...........................e) rob ............................
f) talk ............................... g) stop ................................h) smoke ...............................i) run ...............................j)
live .............................k) lie.................................... l) cry .................................. m) play ...............................
III Write these sentences in their negative form:
1. They do the same thing every year.
2. I'm listening to the radio.
3. I sing very well.
4. Tom is going to the cinema tonight.
5. She works very hard.
6. They're learning English.
7. Jack has a new jacket.
8. You know the answer.
9. It is snowing.
10. We are making a cake for tomorrow.
IV Make questions:
1. you, speak English?
2. the children, play? No, they are asleep.
3. where, your girlfriend come from?

4. Peter, here, too?

5. How often, you, practice the guitar?
6. you, crazy?
7. it, rain? No, not at the moment.
8. there, a theatre, in your town?
9. why, you, run? Because I'm late.
10. where, your friend, usually, go out?
11. you, watch, TV? No, you can turn it off.
12. where, she, live?
13. what, Rob, do? He's having a bath.
14. they, always, visit they grandparents?
15. that clock, work? No, it's broken.
16. he, like, dancing?
V Mark the corect sentence:
We usually have dinner at 7 o'clock.

Water boils at 100 C.

We are usually having dinner at 7 o'clock.

Water is boiling at 100 C.

Peter goes swimming twice a week.

Does she still decorate her house?

Peter is going swimming twice a week.

Is she still decorating her house?

Listen! Somebody sings.

She is a famous fashion designer. She makes wonderful clothes.

Listen! Somebody is singing.

She is a famous fashion designer. She is making wonderful

clothes.

Can you see that girl? Why does she smile at us?
Mike is liking literature.
Can you see that girl? Why is she smiling at us?
Mike likes literature.
How often is he reading a newspaper?
I can't go out. I study.
How often does he read a newspaper?
I can't go out. I am studying.
Wait! Where do you go?
It hurts! Stop it! Whay are you always doing that?
Wait! Where are you going?
It hurts! Stop it! Whay do you always do that?

VI Spot the mistake:

1. Excuse me, but you are siting in my place.
2. Mary and I am expecting someone.
3. Do they looking for a new flat?
4. I don't believe you. You are lieing!
5. What she is thinking about?
6. Tom has a shower at the moment.
7. "What is your father doing?" "He is a doctor!"
8. I meet Susan at 8 o'clock tonight.
9. I am playing golf on Saturdays.
10. Leave me alone! Can't you see I work.
11. I usually work till 5 o'clock in the afternoon, but today I work late.
12. Sssh! Somebody follows us.
13. She is going to work by car every day.
14. We take the plane to London tomorrow morning. We've got the tickets.
VII Choose the correct form of the verbs, use Present Simple or Present Continuous tense:
1. Mary .........................................................Peter standing at the bus stop.
Mary: Hello, Peter. What bus you ..........................................................for?
Peter: Hello, Mary. I .......................................................for a 9 or a 14.
Mary: You usually ...............................................to work by car, dont you?
Peter: Yes, but the car .................................................to my mother and she sometimes ................................it.
She .............................................it today to take Tom to the dentist.
Mary: I usually ......................................by car, too. Jack ......................................me because
he......................................... my office on his way to the factory. But this week he
in a factory in the opposite
direction: so I .................................................like you.
Peter: Here is a 9 now. ..........................................on it or you ......................................................for a 14?
Mary: I ..............................................Ill take the 9. If I ............................................ for a 14 I may be late, and if
you .....................................................late at my office everyone look at you.
2. It is 8:30. Tom and Ann

breakfast. They both

Tom: No one ever

to me. All I

Ann: Ive got a letter from Hue. He

their letters.
is bills!

he

anything interesting?

to London next week and

us to

meet him for lunch.

3. Peter:

traffic wardens in your country?

Pedro: No, I
traffic warden
Peter: He
or

so. You

them in my town anyway. What

?
up and down the street and if a car
in a no parking area he

a ticket on Toms car. Tom will be furious when he

too long at the parking place

a parking ticket to the windscreen. Look! He
it. He

getting parking tickets.

exactly a

4. It is Friday evening and the Browns are at home. Mrs Brown

Brown

a paper, George Brown

Brown always

to the concert on the radio; Mr

his homework and Ann Brown

a letter. Mr

his newspapers in the evenings. Mrs Brown sometimes

she

but

tonight.

VII Write the correct form of the verbs, use Present Simple or Present Continuous tense:
5. Why

that man

(stand) in the middle of the road? He

for a gap in the traffic. Why

They

he

(not use) the subway? Lots of people

(look)

(not bother) to use the subway.

(prefer) to risk their lives crossing here.

6. Tom:

(you, see) that man at the corner? He

questions.

(you, think) he

Jack: No, I

(keep) stopping people and asking them

(ask) for directions?

(expect) he

Tom:

(make) a survey.

(how, you, make) a survey?

Jack: You

(stop) people and

(ask) them questions and

7. Jack: How much longer

Jack: And

(write) the answers on a report sheet.

(you, stay) in England?

Paul: Only one more day. I

(leave) tomorrow night. I

(go) to Holland for two weeks.

(you, come) back to England after that or

Paul: It
I

(wait) to get across. He

(depend) on my father. But if he

(expect) he will agree. By the way, Jack and Ann

(you, go) home?

(agree) to let me go on studying here Ill certainly come back. And

(see) me off at Victoria tomorrow. Why

(you not come) too? (invitation)

8. Tom: I

(smell) something burning!

Jack: So do I. I
usually
she

(think) it

(iron) and
(forget) that she

(come) from the kitchen. Ann

(watch) TV at the same time and if she

(probably, iron). She

(get) very interested in the programme

(press) a hot iron on somebodys shirt. Mother

(think) of selling the TV set.