Pres Simple or Continuous

8/13/2019 Pres Simple or Continuous

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Use

In general or right now?

Simple Present Present Progressive

in general (regularly, often, never)

Colin plays football every Tuesday.

present actions happening one after another

First Colin plays football, then he watches TV.

right now

Look! Colin is playing football now.

also for several actions happening at the same time

Colin is playing football and Anne is watching.

Signal words

always

every ...

often

normally

usually

sometimes

seldom

never

first

then

at the moment

at this moment

today

now

right now

Listen!

Look!

Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present:

be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want

Timetable / Schedule or arrangement?

Do you want to express that something is arranged for the near future? Or do you refer to a time set by a

timetable or schedule?


action set by a timetable or schedule

The film starts at 8 pm.

arrangement for the near future

I am going to the cinema tonight.


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Daily routine or just for a limited period of time?

Do you want to talk about a daily routine? Or do you want to emphasis that something is only going on for a

limited (rather short) period of time?


daily routine

Bob works in a restaurant.

only for a limited period of time (does not have to happen directly

at the moment of speaking)

Jenny is working in a restaurant this week.

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present (not in the progressive form).

state:be, cost, fit, mean, suitExample: We are on holiday.

possession:belong, haveExample: Sam has a cat.

senses:feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touchExample: He feels the cold.

feelings:hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wishExample: Jane loves pizza.

brain work:believe, know, think, understandExample: I believe you.

Introductory clauses for direct speech:answer, ask, reply, sayExample: I am watching TV, hesays.

. Look! He (leave) is leavingthe house.

. Quiet please!I (write) am writeing.a test.

. She usually(walk) walksto school.

. But look!Today she (go) is goingby bike.

5. Every Sunday we (go) goto see my grandparents.6. He often (go) to the cinema.


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. We (play) are playing Monopoly at the moment.

. The child seldom (cry) cries

. I (not / do) amnotdoinganything at the moment.0.(watch / he) Does he watchthe news regularly?

11.This (be) isMarc.12.He (wear) is wearinga t-shirt and shorts today.13.He (eat) is eating an apple at the moment.14.Marc (like) likesfruits and vegetables.15.He (eat) eatssome every day.16.Marc (know) knows that apples(be) aregood for his health.17.This (be) isCaroline.18.Caroline (have) HASlong blond hair.19.She usually (wear) wearsglasses, but now she(wear) is

wearingcontact lenses.

20.Caroline (like)likes sports.21.She (play) playshandball every Monday and Thursday.22.Joe and Dennis (be) arebest friends.23.They often (meet) meetin the afternoon.24.What (do / they) arethey doingat the moment?25.They (play) playfootball.26.They (love) lovefootball.27.Joe (practise) practiseswith his father every weekend, but Dennis (not / play) does

not playfootball very often.

28.These (be) areLinda and Jeff.29.Linda (be) isJeff's littlesister.30.At the moment, the two kids (sit) are siting on the floor.31.Jeff (hold) is holding a book right now, he(read) is readinga

story to Linda.

32.Look! Linda (listen) is listeningcarefully and she(look) islookingat the beautiful pictures.

33.Linda (love) lovesJeff's stories.


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34.He (read) readsa story to her every day.35.Jeff sometimes even (write) writeshis own stories.36.It (be) isearly in the morning.37.Sally (get) getsout ofbed, (open) opensthe window

and (go) goesinto the bathroom.

38.Then she (have) hasbreakfast.39.After breakfast, Sally usually (cycle) cycles to school.40.After school, she (go) goesback home.41.Sally usually (eat) eatsher lunch at home.42.In the afternoons, she first (do) doesher homework and then

she (meet) meetsher friends in the park.

43.What (do / she) is she doingnow?44.She (play) is playing the guitar.45.Her friends (listen) are listeningand some of them(sing) are

singingalong.

46.When Sally (come) comeshome in the evening,she (have) hasdinner andthen she (watch) watchesTV.

47.She (go) goesto bed at about 8 o'clock every day.48.I (be) amverybusy today.49.At noon I (visit) am visitingmy friend Tanya.50.We (want) wantto have lunch together.51.In the afternoon I (play) amplayingsquash with Emily.52.In the evening, I (meet) ammeetingRob.53.We (go) are goingto the cinema.54.The film (start) startsat 8 pm.55.Look! Jenny (go) is goingto school.56.She (wear) is wearinga raincoat and wellies and she(carry) is

carryingan umbrella.

57.Jenny usually (cycle) cyclesto school, buttoday she (take) istakingthe bus because it(rain) is raining


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58.The bus (leave) leavesat 7.35 and (arrive) arrivesat Jenny'sschool at 7.45.

59.The first lesson (begin) at 8 o'clock.60.James (live) in a little village.61.He (be) in his last year at school.62.After school, James (want) to become a banker.63.So this week, he (do) a practical course in a bank.64.There (be) a bank in a nearby town, but James (have) to take the

bus to get there.

65.The bus (leave) at 5.30 in the morning and (return) at 8.15 in theevening.

66.James (not / like) to spend so much time in town before and after work, waiting forthe bus.

67.Therefore, this week he (stay) with his aunt, who (live) in town.68.James usually (wear) jeans and t-shirts, but while he (work) for

the bank now, he (wear) a suit and a tie.

69.Today (be) Betty's birthday.70.Betty (love) birthdays.71.She (be) always very excited and (wake up) very early.72.At six o'clock in the morning, Betty (hear) a noise.73.She (get up) and (go) into the sitting room.74.What (go on) ?75.Look! Betty's cat Carlos (sit) on the table and he (play) with

Betty's present.

76.Sue (be) a student from South Korea.77.She (live) in Seoul and (study) medicine.78.At the moment, however, Sue (live) in London.79.She (do) a six-months practical course in a London hospital.80.In five days, Sue (go) back to South Korea because the next term at

university (start) in ten days.

81.Mary and Joe (be) in a clothes shop at the moment.


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82.They (look) at some jeans.83.Joe only (have) one very old pair of jeans.84.So he (want) to buy a new pair of jeans now.85.Right now, he (try on) apair of blue jeans.86.These jeans (fit) very well, he (say) 87.But they (not suit) you, Mary (reply) Try on another pair.88.What (think / you) ?he (ask) Mary, when has tried on another

pair.

89.Great! How much (cost / they) ?When to use which tense?

. For actions happening regularly, often or never, we use

. For actions happening now, we use

. The verbs 'be', 'have', 'like' and 'want' are normally only used in

. The signal word 'usually' indicates that we have to use

. The signal word 'now' indicates that we have to use Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

. Look! They (leave) the house.

. Brian (cycle) 30 km every day.

. Samantha (do) her homework at the moment.

. My parents (shop) right now.

. He usually (get up) early in the morning.Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

. You (see / not) her every day.

. The baby (sleep / not) at the moment.

. I (read / not) a book now.

. We (go / not) to school on Sundays.

. He (watch / not) the news every day.Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.


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. (you / go) on holiday by plane sometimes?

. (they / play) computer games every day?

. (she / eat) dinner at the moment?

. What (they / do) right now?

. (she / visit) her grandma very often?

. Look! Jenny (go) to school.

. On her back, Jenny (carry) her school bag.

. The school bag (be) very heavy

. Normally, Jenny (wear) black shoes, but todayshe (wear) red wellies.

. And look, she (wear) a raincoat becauseit (rain) outside.

. Jenny (not / want) to get wet.When to use which tense?

. For present actions happening one after another, we use

. For actions happening while speaking, we use

. For arrangements for the near future, we use

. For actions set by a schedule or timetable, we use

. Which tense do you have to use with the following signal words: sometimes, never, every day?

. Which tense do you have to use with the following signal words: Listen!, at the moment, rightnow?

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

. The lesson (start) at 9 o'clock.

. He often (wear) a black cap.

. I (meet) my friends in the youth club tonight.

. My friend (move) house tomorrow.

. My birthday (be) in September.Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.


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. She (not / ride) her bike right now.

. We (not / stay) at home tonight.

. I (not / like) bananas.

. They (not / know) the answer.

. I (not / sit) in the garden at the moment.Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

. When (arrive / the plane) ?

. (visit / you) Jane in hospital today?

. What time (get up / you) in the mornings?

. Why (cry / she) now?

. (swim / they) in the pool at the moment?Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

. I (live) in London.

. This weekend, I (visit) my friends in Brighton.

. The train to Brighton (leave) London at 6.45 in the morning.

. In the early afternoon, we (want) to go on a sightseeing tour.

. In the evening, we (go) to a concert.

. The concert (start) at 8 o'clock.

. I (come) back to London on Sunday.

. My train (arrive) in London at 7.50 in the evening.When to use which tense?

. Which tense do you have to use with the following signal words: Look!, now?

. Which tense do you have to use with the following signal words: often, seldom, never?

. For actions happening at the moment of speaking, we use

. For actions set by a timetable or schedule, we use

. In a story, for present actions happening one after another, we use

. For arrangements for the near future, we use


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Pres Simple or Continuous