Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Some verbs are not normally used in the present continuous tense (or in any other continuous tense). These
verbs are not actions. These include: know, remember, hate, understand, suppose, belong.
We can make present continuous questions with am/is/are (I/we/you/they) + verb+-ing* (A verb+-ing is also
known as the present participle).
Exercise 1:
Jo is a nurse. Fill in the gaps in the description of a typical work day for her by putting the verb in brackets
into the correct present simple tense form.
Jo 1._____ (be) a nurse. She 2. _____ (work) at a medical clinic near her home in Ipswich. She 3. _____
(get) to work at 8 am every weekday. She first 4. _____ (check) the phone for voice messages and the fax
machine for faxes. She then 5. _____ (talk) to the doctors about the days appointments. At 8.30 she 6. _____
(make) sure that the medical instruments 7. _____ (be) ready for use and that everything 8. _____ (be) clean
and tidy.
The doctors and nurses 9. _____ (start) seeing patients at 9.00. Jo10. _____ (spend) a lot of time giving
babies and children vaccinations. She 11. _____ (talk) to their parents about any worries they 12. _____
(have). The doctors 13. _____ (call) her for help with bandaging or tests. She 14. _____ (be) also available at
all times for medical emergencies.
At lunchtime Jo 15. _____ (answer) the phone while the receptionist 16. _____ (have) her lunch. It 17. _____
(be + not) a busy time so Jo usually 18. _____ (have) a cup of tea. She 19. _____ (try) to do any paperwork
during this time too. The clinic 20. _____ (have + not) as many patients in the afternoon unless it 21. _____
(be) a Friday.
At around 4.00 she 22. _____ (check) that her computer files 23. _____ (be) up-to-date. She 24. _____ (look)
at the clinics stock of medical supplies and 25. _____ (phone) the manufacturers to order more of something,
if necessary. Finally, Jo 26. _____ (talk) to the doctors and other nurses about the days work. She 27. _____
(go) home around 5.00. She 28. _____ ( be) usually late leaving work. Jo 29. _____ (love) her job but the pay
30. _____ (be + not) very good.
Exercise 2:
Agnes is an elderly lady. She is in hospital. Fill in the gaps in this letter by putting the verb in brackets into
the correct present continuous tense form.
Answer Key:
Exercise 1:
1. is, 2. works, 3. gets, 4. checks, 5. talks, 6. makes, 7. are, 8. is, 9. start, 10. spends, 11. talks, 12. have, 13. call,14. is, 15. answers,
16. has, 17. isnt, 18. has, 19. tries, 20. doesnt have, 21. is, 22. checks, 23. are, 24. looks, 25. phones, 26. talks 27. goes, 28. is, 29.
loves, 30. isnt.
Exercise 2
1. am writing, 2. am feeling, 3. are trying, 4. is shining, 5. is blooming, 6. are shaking, 7. are having, 8. is coming.
LastFriday,Mrs.Anderson___________(plan)tohaveadeliciousdinner.She____________(buy)aT
bonesteakandsomecreamandapplesforanapplepie.Whenshe_______________(come)homefromthe
shopsshe____________________(put)hershoppingonthetable. Whileshe___________________(set)
thetable,hertwopets______________________(sit)underneathitand_________watch)her.Thenshe
__________________(go)tothekitchentomakethepastryfortheapplepie.She__________________
(be)alittleforgetfulsoshe_________________(notrealize)thatthesteak,creamandapples
__________________(be)stillonthetable.
Whileshe_________________(make)thepastry,thedog_______________________(jump)onachair
and____________________(look)longinglyatthesteak.Atlastit___________________(take)thesteak
initsmouthand______________________(jump)offthechair,justasMrs.Anderson
___________________(come)backintothediningroom. Mrs.Anderson____________________(scream),
butthedog_____________________(run)intothegarden.She_______________________(run)afterthe
dog. Whileshe_______________________(chase)thedog,thecat_____________________(jump)onthe
tableand______________________(start)drinkingthecream. Mrs.Anderson_______________________
(notmanage)tocatchthedog,andshe__________________(come)backintothediningroom.Whenshe
___________________(see)thecat,she___________________(shriek),andthecat
_______________________(get)suchafrightthatit___________________(jump)ameterintotheair,and
_____________________(leap)outthewindow.Mrs.Anderson____________________(throw)her
broomatthecat,butshe__________________(miss),and____________________(break)thewindow.At
thesametimeshe______________________(overbalance)and____________________(put)herhandin
thecream,spillingitalloverthetablecloth. PoorMrs.Andersonshe______________________(have)no
dinner,onlyadirtytableclothandabrokenwindow.
Answer:
LastFriday,Mrs.Andersonplannedtohaveadeliciousdinner.SheboughtaTbonesteakandsomecreamandapplesforan
applepie.Whenshecamehomefromtheshopssheputhershoppingonthetable. Whileshewassettingthetable,hertwopets
satunderneathitandwatchedher.Thenshewenttothekitchentomakethepastryfortheapplepie.Shewasalittleforgetfulso
shedidn'trealizethatthesteak,creamandappleswerestillonthetable.
While she was making the pastry, the dog jumped on a chair and looked longingly at the steak. At last it took the steak in its
mouth and jumped off the chair, just as Mrs. Anderson was coming back into the dining room. Mrs. Anderson screamed, but the
dog ran into the garden. She ran after the dog. While she was chasing the dog, the cat jumped on the table and started drinking
the cream. Mrs. Anderson didn't manage to catch the dog, and she came back into the dining room. When she saw the cat, she
shrieked, and the cat got such a fright that it jumped a meter into the air, and leapt out the window. Mrs. Anderson threw her
broom at the cat, but she missed, and broke the window. At the same time she overbalanced and put her hand in the cream,
spilling it all over the tablecloth. Poor Mrs. Anderson - she had no dinner, only a dirty tablecloth and a broken window.
PRESENT PERFECT
The present perfect - form.
The present perfect simple tense is made with has/have + the past participle. (Notice how the auxiliary verb have
changes to has with he/she/it.)
The past participle of verbs is used in the present perfect simple. Regular verbs take the ending -ed. e.g.
talked, phoned, walked, visited. Other verbs are irregular.
Present Perfect Simple - Positive
I have worked at ABC since 2002.
You have worked at ABC since 2002.
He / she / it has worked at ABC since
2002.
We have worked at ABC since 2002.
They have worked at ABC since
2002.
I moved into my first office in 2002 when I began working at ABC. In 2004 they promoted me so I got a
bigger office on the top floor. I moved into my current office in 2005. I really like it. (He moved into his first office
in 2002, then a bigger one in 2004 and his current office in 2005. This tells us when he moved into different offices. The simple
past tense is used.)
The present perfect simple is used with just, already and recently.
I have just resigned.
I have already looked for jobs in the newspaper.
Exercise 1:
Read the short description. Then answer the questions by completing the sentences. One is done for
you as an example.
Hi, my name's Andrew. I have been a consultant for six years. I have worked for ABC for the last four years.
This is the office where I do all my work. My desk faces the window so I can look outside when I need to
think.
This coffee machine makes great coffee. I have had it for over a year. During that
time lots of staff have come in and served themselves coffee because the cafeteria
downstairs makes horrible coffee.
This afternoon I haven't been very busy. I've only written a few emails and made two phonecalls. I've had
three cups of coffee.
1. How long have you been a consultant? I have been a consultant _______________. Example answer: I
have been a consultant for six years.
2. How long have you worked for ABC? I have worked here _______________.
3. How long have you had this coffee machine? I _______________ this coffee machine for over a year.
Exercise 2:
Choose either the simple past tense or the present perfect tense in the sentences below.
1. Have you ever been /were you ever rude to your boss?
2. No, I have never been /was never rude to my boss.
3. Well, I have shouted/shouted at my boss twice!
4. I have shouted/shouted at him last night when he asked me to work late. And I have been rude/ was rude to
him one night at an office party.
5. My parents have always told/ always told me to be polite to the boss. They have been/were angry with me
when I told them that I was rude to my boss at the office party.
Answer Key:
Exercise 1
2. I have worked here for the last four years. 3. I have had this coffee machine for over a year. 4. Lots of staff have used it. 5. I
haven't been busy this afternoon. 6. I've made two phonecalls this afternoon.
Exercise 2
1. Have you ever, 2. have never been, 3. have shouted, 4. shouted, was rude, 5. have always told/were
SIMPLE v. CONTINUOUS
Present: I go to work by train Present: I am going to work by train.
(habitual action) (a) Now (b) In the future.
Past: I bought a coat last Friday. Past: While I was buying a coat, something else happened.
(Two actions in one sentence - one continued for a period, and the other started and ended. Often used with
'while').
Perfect: I have bought a coat. Perfect: I have been writing letters all morning, and now I am tired.
(Notice that I do not mention a time as in the Past Tense).
Past Perfect: When we had locked up, we went to bed. Past Perfect: She had been reading magazines all
afternoon because it had been raining,( and by 5 o'clock she was bored.)
(Two actions in the past, one happening before the other. Often used with when, after.)
(Two actions in the past, one starting and continuing until the second, later one.)
This even applies in the Passive.
Present: These books are printed in this country. (a permanent fact). Present: The books are being printed at
the moment. They will be ready next week.
Past: My dress was made by a young designer. Past: While my dress was being made, I phoned the designer
every day.
Perfect: My dress has been delivered. Perfect - doesn't exist - no such tense as has been being done.
I shall be sending in lessons on the use of the Perfect, so watch out for those. It is a difficult tense.