PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINUOUS PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

SIMPLE
V1 , Vs ( +) am have have
do, does (? ) is + Ving + V3 / (ed) been + Ving
dont / doesnt ( - ) are has has
often/always/usually now already/ just/yet for + a period of time
seldom/never at the moment ever/never/before since + the start point
in the morning/evening this week/month/year recently /lately How long...?
every day/year/month/ so far all day (long)
week
Habitual actions The action is happening at The action has finished, we can The action began in the past and is still in the
to talk about things in general; the time of speaking or in see the result of it in the process; an activity has recently/just stopped, has
Permanent states. True facts the present period of time. present. No definite time a strong connection with now
Temporary actions. expressions

+ She swims every evening. + Look! Ann is swimmimg. + Her shoes are shining. + Her hair is so wet!
(She is swimmimg now) She has just cleaned them. She has been swimming for an hour/since 6 p.m.

- She doesnt swim every - She isnt swimmimg now. - Her shoes are dirty. - She hasnt been swimming for an hour/since 6
evening. She hasnt cleaned them yet. p.m.

? Does she swim every ? Is she swimming now? ? Has she cleaned her shoes ? Has she been swimming for an hour/since 6 p.m.?
evening? yet ?

Yes, she does. Yes, she is. Yes, she has. Yes, she has.
No, she doesnt. No, she isnt. No, she hasnt. No, she hasnt.

1. Complete the following sentences in the correct Present tense. Write here the words
that help you
recognize the tense
1. We can go out now. It ___________________________ (not/rain) any more.
2. What ___________________________ (you/do) in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies? 1
3. Louise usually __________________________ (phone) me on Friday. 2
4. Why _____________________________ (you/look) at me like that? Whats the matter? 3
5. I still dont know what to do. I ____________________________ (not/decide) yet.
4
6. She .(read) for two hours. She (read) 20 pages so
far. 5
7. I need a new job. I ________________________________ (do) the same job for too long. 6
8. He looks tired. Yes, he _____________________________ (play) basketball for 2 hours.
7
9. Robert and Maria ____________________________ (be) married for 20 years.
8
10. _________________________________________ (you/watch) television every evening?
11. ______________________________________ (you/see) Julie recently? 9
12. Whats the new restaurant like? Ive no idea. I __________________________ (never/be) there. 10
13. How often ___________________________________ (you/go) to the cinema? 11
14. Is David still here? Oh, he ___________________________________ (just/go).
12
15. Its still raining! It ____________________________________ (rain) all day!
13
16. Where is Amanda? - She _______________________ (sit) on the ground. Shes out of breath. She
________________________________ (run). 14
17. Wheres my bag?! I left it under this chair. Somebody ____________________________ (take) it. 15
18. Next week Gary is going to run in a marathon. He ______________________ (train) very hard for it. 16
19. Hello, Jan! What a surprise! What _______________________________ (you/do) here?
17
20. She always ________________________________ (stay) there when shes in London.
21. What __________________________________ (your brother/do)? He is an architect, but he 18
______________________________ (not/work) at the moment. 19
22. Theres still no bus! We ______________________________ (wait) for it for 20 minutes! 20
23. Whos that woman by the door? I dont know. I ___________________________ (not/see) her before. 21
24. We usually _____________________ (grow) vegetables in our garden, but this year we
22
___________________________ (not/grow) any.
25. Why are your trousers so dirty? I __________________ (clean) the garage but I 23
____________________ (not finish) yet. When I ________________(finish) Ill have a bath and put on 24
another pair of trousers. 25
26. - How long _____________________________(she/have) that red dress? She 26
_____________________
27
it (have) since her last birthday. Red is a colour that ____________________(suit) her perfectly well.
27. My father________________ (smoke) a lot. He __________________________ (smoke) since he was 28
just twelve years old. He_____________________(know) he should give it up. He____________________ (try) to stop several times
but_________________________(not succeed) so far.
28. Something_____________________ (smell) bad in the kitchen. ________________________ (you/know) what it is? Oh, it must be
the piece of cheese I ______________________ (just/buy) at the supermarket.
STATE OR STATIVE VERBS
These kind of verbs describe a state rather than an action. And they do not normally have continuous tenses. There are different groups :
- LIKES /DISLIKES : like/ love / hate / prefer / dislike / detest / *enjoy / want
- SENSES : see / hear / *smell /*taste /*feel / look / sound ( They are normally used with can or could)
- PERCEPTION : believe / know / notice/ remember / forget / recognize / understand / realize/ seem
agree / *think / consider /doubt / suppose .
- OTHER VERBS : *be / *have / belong / need / fit / mean / cost / own / owe / wish / *weigh / contain
Some of the verbs above (*) are used in continuous tenses when they describe actions not states although with a little difference in
meaning.

2. Complete the gaps with the correct form of the verb, present simple or continuous.

1. Why --------------------------------------------- ( you/smell) the soap?- It ---------------------------- ( smell) lovely. It is like roses.
2. Where's Andrew ? We can't find him anywhere. - It ----------------------------------------- ( look) as if he's disappeared.
3. I -------------------------------------- ( feel) very tired. -You should go to bed early.
4. I ---------------------- ( see ) Andy this evening. - I ------------------------ (see). So you don't want to come to the cinema with me, do you?
5. How much ------------------------------------------- (it/ weigh ) ? - I don't know yet. The man ---------------------- ( weigh)
the bag now.
6. I ----------------------- (think) about buying a new car soon. -Why? ----------------------- (think) your car is fine. You don't need a new one.
7. What -------------------------------------- (you/ look) at ? - The sky. It ---------------------------------- ( look) as if it is going to rain.
8. I really ---------------------- ( enjoy) home-made food. -So do I, and I ------------------------------------ ( enjoy) every bit of this meal.
9. Why --------------------------------- ( you/feel ) the radiator? - It -------------------------------- ( feel ) cold in here. Is the heating on?
10. ---------------------------------- (you/have) the phone number of a good business consultant? -Why ? -------------------------------------------
------------------ ( you/have ) problems at work?
11. Chris --------------------------------- ( be ) a sensible person. - Yes, but in this case he -------------------------- ( be ) rather foolish.
12. My back ------------------------------------- ( hurt ). -Why don't you lie down for a while?
13. Whats that noise? The people next door -----------------------------------(have) a party.
14. Why ----------------------------- ( you/taste ) the soup ? To see if it ---------------------- ( taste ) good. I think it needs more salt.
15. I -------------------------------------------------(not understand) that question. -----------------------------------(you / know) what it means ?

3. Complete the sentences using the words below. There may be more than one answer.

for since ever just never already always yet recently before

1. Ive ......seen that film. I saw it two weeks ago.

2. Ive been studying for the exam .8 oclock this morning.
3. He has ....gone out. Hell be back soon.
4. Have you finished your homework ? No, I have to do two more.
5. Im sure that we have met I think it was in your brothers wedding.
6. David is fifteen and he hasnt learned to swim .
7. Have you ...eaten caviar ? No, I hate it.
8. I havent been to the circus ..we were children.
9. I have told you that you cant go. Please dont ask me again.
10. Weve been waiting for you ..over an hour . Where have you been.
11. He has been ill . She hasnt been to the office .. January
12. Hes a very punctual man . He has ..been late for work.
13. I havent watched television .ages.
14. He has..liked that kind of music. Ive known him a long time.
15. Have you been to this pub .? Yes , I have been there.

4. Make a question for these answers

1. ?
They are laughing because they are watching a comedy.
2. ....................................................................?
Frank has bought Mary a bunch of flowers.
3. ...............................................................?
He plays baseball twice a week.
4. ............................................................................................................................................................?
She has been waiting for him since three oclock.
5. ............................................................................................................................................................?
Tom and Susan speak German.
6. ............................................................................................................................................................?
I am looking at your holiday photographs
7. ............................................................................................................................................................?
Tom gets 50 Euros pocket money every week.
8. ............................................................................................................................................................?
They have been painting the fence of the house.
9. .............................................................................................................................................................?
 Toms father take us to school every morning.
10. ............................................................................................................................................................?
They are flying to the United States right now.