B U S I N E S S F O C U S

PRE- INTERMEDIATEUNIT 1- MAKING

CONTACT: PRESENT SIMPLE VS.

PRESENT CONTINUOUSUsage & Practice

PRESENT SIMPLE- SIMPLE PRESENTUSAGEIt describes FACTS and PERMANENT

STATES: job responsibilities, a company´s usual activity, plane and train times. For examples:

A bookshop sells books.My secretary speaks Chinese.

We can use the present simple to talK aboutREGULAR ACTIONS. E.g.:

I don´t have breakfast.We go to the gym center every day.

USAGE

Verbs ending in –x, -sh, -ch, -ss, -o, take –es in the third person singular (she-he-it), affirmative form. E.g.:

She goes to work by car.He usually fixes the car.

Negation is formed: don´t or doesn´t + verb (infinitive)

The school doesn´t have a tennis courtThese people don´t live in the city.

USAGE

Questions are formed: DO/ DOES + subject+ verb (infinitive) (+complement)?

Does she study French? (SHE-HE-IT) Do you go to bed late? (I-YOU-WE-THEY)

COMMON ERRORSWhere you live? Where DO you live?They don´t be in the office. They AREN´T in the

office.I don´t can speak Japanese. I CAN´T speak

Japanese.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS/ PROGRESSIVE

USAGE It describes actions IN PROGRESS AT THE MOMENT

OF SPEAKING. For example: our present work projects, new developments in business.

We also use it to talk about ACTIONS HAPPENING FOR A LIMITED TIME.(TEMPORARY ACTIONS).E.g.:

They are living in Europe until December.We are working on a new prototype at the moment.

She is spending three months here.

Form: TO BE + verb -ING.

USAGE & DIFFERENCE

COMMON ERRORSI am often travelling. I often travel.At the moment, he speaks to his boss. At the moment, he

is speakingto his boss. KEY GRAMMARWe use the PRESENT SIMPLE to talk about a HABIT or

PERMANENT STATE/ CONDITION.

We use the PRESENT CONTINUOUS to talk about anEVENT HAPPENING NOW or a TEMPORARY one.

(*We can also use it to talk about FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS: I am meeting him at 5 o´clock

tomorrow)

PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

TIME MARKERS

PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Every….(day, morning) at the moment

Days of the week (On Mondays/Tuesday) now- right now

Months (In January/February) at present

The Time (at 6:30pm)these days*tomorrow-next…

Seasons (In winter, spring)  

Parts of the day (In the morning/afternoon)  

Adverbs of frequence (always, often)  

Expressions of frequency (once a week...)  

UNIT 1: MAKING CONTACT

Companies- VocabularyKey words:

BRAND COMPETITOR CONSUMER EMPLOYEE EMPLOY HEAD OFFICE

MANUFACTURE OPERATEORGANIZE PRODUCT PROVIDE

RECRUIT SALES SELL TURNOVER

• Can you mention word category of each item? (p.5)