1-1 THE SIMPLE PRESENT AND THE PRESENT

PROGRESSIVE
THE SIMPLE PRESENT
THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
(a) Ann takes a shower every day.
(b) I usually read the newspaper in
the morning.
(c) Babies m y . Birds&.
(d) NEGATIVE:
It doesn't snow in Bangkok.
(e) QUESTION:
Doe8 the teacher speak slowly?
(f) Ann can't come to the phone right
now because she is taking a
shower.
(g) I a m reading my grammar book
right now.
@) Jimmy and Susie are babies. They
are crying. I can hear them right
now. Maybe they are hungry.
(i) NEGATIVE:
It isn't snowing right now.
(j) QUESTION:
Is the teacher speaking right now?
The SIMPLE PIWENT expresses
daily habits or usual activities, as
in (a) and @).
The simple present expresses
general statements offact, as in (c).
In sum, the simple present is
used for evenrs or situations that
exist always, usually, or
habimally in the past, present,
and future.
The PRESENT PROGRESS~TE
expresses an actiw'y that is in
pmgress (is occurring, is
happenink) right now. The event
is in progress at the time the
speaker is saying the sentence.
The event began in the past, is
in progress now, and will
probably continue into the
future.
FORM: am, is, are + -ing.

1-2 FORMS OF THE SIMPLE PRESENT AND THE PRESENT

PROGRESSIVE
SIMPLB PRESENT PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
I
STATEMENT I-You-We-They work. I am working.
He-She-It works. You-We-They are working.
He-She-It is working.
NEGATIVE I-You-We-They do not work. I am not working.
He-She-It does not work. You-We-They are not working.
He-She-It is not working.
QUESTION I-you-we-they work? Am I working?
he-she-it work? Are you-we-they working?
Is he-she-it working?
CONTRACTIONS I + am = Pmworking.
you, we, they + are = hu're, W're, They're working.
he, she, it + is = He's, She's, It's working.
+
I does
do +
not
not
=
=
doesn't
don't
She doesn't work.
I don't work.
is + not = isn't He isn't working.
are + not = aren't They aren't working.
(am + not = am not* I am not working.)
W o r e : am and not m not conmctcd.

4 CHAPTER I
 EXERCISE 4. Slmple present vs. present progressive. (Charts 1-1 and 1-2)
Directions: Discuss the verbs in italics. Is the activity of the verb
(a) a daily or usual habit? OR
(b) happening right now (i.e., in progress in the picture)?

It's 7:30 A.M., and the Wilsons are in their kitchen. Mrs. Wilson is sitting at the
1

breawast table. She is reading a newspaper. She reads the newspaper every morning. Mr.
2 3

Wilson is pouring a cup of coffee. He drinks two cups of coffee every morning before he
4 5

goes to work. There is a cartoon onTV, but the children aren't watching it. They
6 7

are playing with their toys instead. They usually watch cartoons in the morning, but this
8 9

morning they aren't paying any attention to the TV. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson aren't watching
-~L;?<
,., 10 11
.r
~-, t h e w either. They often watch the news in the evening, but they don't watch cartoons.
'

. .!I L 12 13

EXERCISE 5. Slmple present vs. present progressive. (Charts 1-1 and 1-2)
Directions: Complete the sentences by using the words in parentheses. Use the simple
EJ -..;present or the present progressive.
'.~/
1. Shhh. The baby (deep) is slee~ihs . The baby (sleep)
sleeps for ten hours every night.

Present Time 5
 2. Right now I'm in class. I at my desk. I usually

(sit) at the same desk in class every day.

3. Ali (speak) Arabic. Arabic is his native language, but

right now he (speak) English.

4. A: (it, rain) a lot in southern California?

B: No. The weather @e) usually warm and sunny.

5. A: Look out the window. (it, rain) ? Should I take

my umbrella?

B: It (start) to sprinkle.

6. A: Look. It'sYoussef.

B: Where? +., <

... .' , .
.._.. '
'

A: Over there. He (walk) out of the bakery.

7. A: Oscar usually (walk) to work. (walk,you)

-,,.,
.. .<.
to work every day, too?

B: Yes. . ..

A: (Oscar, walk) with you?

B: Sometimes.
8. A: Flowers! Flowers for sale!

Yes sir! Can I help you?

,, , V.G. n . B: I'll take those-the yellow ones.

I I

.,..~ ,.~, A: Here you are, mister. Are they

for a special occasion?

B: I (bud
them for my wife. I (buy)

her flowers on the first day of every month.

6 CHAPTER 1
1-6 NON-ACTION VERBS

INCORRECT: I am knowing Ms. Chen.

(b) I'm hungry. I want a sandwich.
S~m . vsu u~r u .s u
. v r. uvsu
~
. . .u ~
x ~ I U ~~ .
verbs are called "non-action verbs." They express a
situation that exists, not an action in progress.
. ~. . .~. .
L S ~ I Y SL S U ~ S ~ . ILKIF
I
INCORRECT: I am wanting a sandwich.
(c) This book belaps to Mikhail.
INCORRECT: This book ir belomirp w Mikhail.

NON-ACTTON VERBS*
hear believe be m need like fmget
see thinkt exist hamt want h e remember
sound undcrsrand possess mfe* hate
knav belong
*COMPARE Think and have can be used in the progressive.
In (d):When think means "believe," it is nonprogressive.
(d) I think that grammar is easy. In (e):When think expresses thoughts that are
going through a person's mind, it can be progressive.
(e) I a m thinking about grammar right now. In (f):When haw means "own" or expresses
possession, it is not used in the progressive.
(f) Tom has a car. (g): In expressions where hak does not mean
"own* (e.g., have a good rime, have a bad rime, have
(g) I'm having a good time. trouble, have a ploblern, have company, have an
opera&), haw can be used in the progressive. I

*Nan-ncdon verbs are also called "stative vubs" or "nonpmgrcssive verbs?'

EXERCISE 19. Progressive verbs vs. non-actlon verbs. (Chart 1-6)

Direcrions: Complete the sentences with the words in parentheses. Use the simple present
or the present progressive.

1. Right now I (look) aw\oohs at the board. I (see)

some words on the board.

2 . A: (you, need) some help, Mrs. Brown?

(you, want) me to carry that box for you?
B: Yes, thank you. That's very kind of you.

3. A. Who is that man? I (think) that I (know)

him, but I Cforget) his name.
! ., B: That's Mr. Martinez.
.tI, . A: That's right! I (remember) h i now.
4 . A: (you, believe) in flying saucers?
B: What (you, talk) about?
A: You know, spaceships from outer space with alien creatures aboard.
).-
'B: In my opinion, flying saucers (exist) only in people's
imaginations.

Present nme 17
 5. Right now the children (be) at the beach. They (have)
a good time. They (have) a beach
ball, and they (play) catch with it. They (like)
to play catch. Their parents (sunbathe)
. They (w) to get a tan.
: / . i ": ney
:
to music on a radio. They also (hear)
the sound of seagulls and the sound of the waves.

6. A: What (you, think) about right now?

B: I (think) about seagulls and waves.
A: (you, like) seagulls?
B: Yes. I (think) seagulls are interesting birds.

7. A: Which color (you, prefer) ,red or blue?

B: I (like) blue better than red. Why?
A: I (read) a magazine article right now. According
to the article, people who (prefer) blue to red
(be) calm and (value) honesty and
loyalty in their Wends. A preference for red (mean) that a
person (be) aggressive and (love)
excitement.
B: Oh? That (sound) like a bunch of nonsense to me.

18 CHAPTER 1
 8. A: Does the earth turn around and around?
B: Yes, Jimmy. The earth (spin) around and around
on its axis as it circles the sun. The earth &in)
rapidly at this very moment.
B: Really? I can't feel it moving. (you, ny) to fool me?
A: Of course not! (you, think, really)
that the earth isn't moving?
B: I guess so. Yes. I can't see it move. Yes. It isn't moving.
A: (you, believe) only those things that you can see?
Look at the trees out the window. All of them (grow)
at this very moment, but you can't see the growth. They (ger)
bigger and bigger with every second that passes. You can't see the trees grow, and
you can't feel the earth spin, but both events (rake)
place at this moment while you and I
B: Really? How do you know?

1-7 PRESENT VERBS: SHORT ANSWERS TO YESlNO

QUESTIONS
QUBSlTON
I
SHORT ANSWER LQNG ANSWER

Q u E S l T O N S m LW~DOES Does Bob like tea?

Do you like tea?

Yes, he does.
No, he doeata't.

Yes, I do.
R Yes, he likes tea.
No, he doesn't like tea.

Yes, I l i e tea.
No, I don't. No, I don't like tea.
QUESTTONS WITHBE Are you srudytng? Yes, I am.* Yes, I am (I'm) studying.
No, I'm not. No, I'm not studying.
IsYoko a student? Yes, she is.* Yes, she is (she's) a student.
No, she's not. OR No, she's not a student. OR
No, she isn't. No, she isn't a student.
Aro they srudyt'ng? Yes, they are.*
No, they're not. OR
NO,they aren't.
*Am,is, and are are not wnmctcd with pronouns in short answers.
~ C O R R P C T S K O R T A N ~ W E R5~8:, I'm. Ya,shb'~.k,I,%.
1
Yes, they are (they're) studying.
No, they're not studying. OR
NO,they aren't smdying.

Present Tlrne 19
0 EXERCISE 20. Short answers to yeslno questions. (Chart 1-7)
Directions: Complete the following dialogues by using the words in parentheses. Also give
short answers to the questions as necessary. Use the simple present or the present
progressive.

1 . A: (Mary, have) Does M a w have a bicycle?

B: Yes, she Aoes . She (have) has a ten-speed bike.

2. A: (it, rain) right now?

B: No, . At least, I (think, not/ so.

3. A: (your ftimds, write) a lot of e-mails?

B: Yes, . I (get/ lots of e-mails all the time.

4 . A: (the students, take) a test in class right now?

, I 8 >

B: No, . They (do) an exercise.

5 . A: (the weather, affect*) your mood?

B: Yes, . 1 (get) grumpy when it's rainy.

6 . A: (Jean, study) at the library this evening?

B: No, . She (be) at the recreation center.
She (pkfy) pool with her friend.
(Jean, Play) pool every evening?
. -
No, . . She usually (study) .. : .t

(she, be)
good player?
Yes,
(Play)
(YOU, Play)
Yes,
But I (be, not)
very good.
,, .
i : ill 14, r

:!: ,!.,I.,.
.. ,, . , #
 EXERCISE 16. Simple past and past progressive. (Charts 2-8 and 2-9)
Directions: Complete the sentences with the words in parentheses. Use the simple past or
u(J't -W the past progressive.
1. At 6:00 P.M., Bob sat down at the
table and began to eat. At 6:05,
Bob (eat)
. , dinner.
2. While Bob (eat)
..: ! K ,~
' .,\ 39,
dinner, AM
(come)
through the door.

dinner.

4. Bob went to bed at 10:30. At 11:OO Bob (skep) ' "' '

5. While Bob (sleep) ,the phone (rind

I

- 6. In other words, when the phone (rink, ,Bob (sleep)

7. Bob left his house at 8:00 A.M. and (begin) to walk to class.
to class,
Mrs. Smith.
: 9. When Bob (see) Mrs. Smith, she
,.-. .
I (stand) on her front porch.
i..- She (hold) a broom.
10. Mrs. Smith (wave) at Bob when
i---------
she (see) him.
I
. ,