UNIT 1

LESSON 1

Present Tense Simple vs. Present Tense Continuous

I. PRESENTATION:

Study this example:

A: Is Jean studying at the library this evening?

B: No, she isn’t. She is at the recreation center. She is playing pool
with her friend.
A: Does Jean play pool every evening?
B: No, she doesn’t. She usually studies at the library.
A: Is she a good player?
B: Yes, she is. She plays pool a lot.
A: Do you play pool?
B: Yes, I do. But I am not very good.
II. USE:

Present Simple ( I do ) Present Continuous ( I am doing )

Use the simple for things in general or Use the continuous for something that is
things that happen repeatedly. happening at or around the time of
speaking. The action is not finished.

------------------I do-------------------- I am doing

_________________________________ ________________________________
past now future past now future

 Water boils at 100 degrees  The water is boiling. Can you

Celsius. turn it off?
 Excuse me, do you speak English?  Listen to those people. What
language are they speaking?
 It doesn’t rain very much in  Let’s go out. It isn’t raining now.
summer.

 I always go to bed before  I’m going to bed now. Goodnight!

 midnight.

 What do you usually do at  “Don’t disturb me. I’m busy.”

weekends? “Why? What are you doing?”

 What do you do? (= What’s your

job?)

 Most people learn to swim when  Maria is in Britain at the

they are children. moment. She’s learning English.

III. PRACTICE:

1. Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the verbs that are wrong:
a) Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. …RIGHT....
b) The water boils. Can you turn it off? …WRONG: is boiling..
c) Look! That man tries to open the door of your car. ……is trying………
d) can you hear those people? What do they talk about? …are they talking…
e) The moon goes round the earth. …right………………
f) I must go now. It gets late. It’s getting late……
g) I usually go to work by car. right…………………
h) “Hurry up! It’s time to leave.” “OK, I come.” …I’m coming………
i) I hear you’ve got a new job. How do you get on? ……right……………

2. Put the verbs in the correct form, present continuous or present simple:

a) Let’s go out. It is not raining (not / rain) now.

b) Julia is very good at languages. She speaks (speak) four languages very well.
c) Hurry up! Everybody is waiting (wait) for you.
d) “Are you listening(you/ listen) to the radio?” “No, you can turn it off.”
e) “Do you listen (you/listen) to the radio everyday?” “No, just occasionally.”
f) The River Nile flows (flow) into the Mediterranean.
g) We usually grow(grow) vegetables in our garden but this year we are not
growing (not / grow) any.
h) “How is your English?” “Not bad. It is improving (improve) slowly.”
i) Ron is in London at the moment. He is staying (stay) at the Park Hotel. He
always stays (always / stay ) there when he’s in London.
j) Can we stop walking soon? I am starting (start) to feel tired.
k) “Can you drive?” “I am learning (learn). My father is teaching (teach)
me.”
l) Normally I finish (finish) work at 5.00, but this week I am working (work)
until 6.00to earn a bit more money.
m) My parents live (live) in Bristol. They were born there and have never lived
anywhere else. Where do your parents live (your parents / live)?
n) Sonia is looking (look) for a place to live. She is staying (stay) with her sister
until she finds somewhere.
o) (at a party) Usually I enjoy (enjoy) parties but I am not enjoying (not / enjoy)
this one very much.
p) The train is never late. It always leaves (always / leave) on time.
q) Jim is very untidy. He always leaves (always / leave) his things all over the
place.
r) “ What does your father do (your father / do)?”
“ He’s an architect but he isn’t working (not / work) at the moment.”

3. All the sentences contain mistakes. Find and correct the mistakes.
a) I no like cold weather.
b) I no living at home right now.
c) I be living in the city.
d) I am study English.
e) I am not knowing my teacher’s name
f) She expect us to be in class on time.
g) We always are coming to class on time.
h) Omar does he going to school?
i) My sister don’t have a job.
j) Does Anna has a job?

a) I don’t like cold weather

b) I am not living home right now
c) I am living in this city
d) I am studying English
e) I don’t know my teacher’s name
f) She expects us to be in class on time
g) We always come to class on time
h) Is Omar going to school?
i) My sister doesn’t have a job
j) Does Anna have a job?

4. Correct the errors in verb tense usage:

a) My friend Omar is owning his own car now. It’s brand new. Today he
driving to a small town north of the city to visit his aunt. He love to
listen to music, so the CD player is play one of his favorite CDs –
loudly. Omar is very happy: he is drive his own car and listen to loud
music. He’s look forward to his visit with his aunt.
b) Omar is visiting his aunt once a week. She’s elderly and live alone.
She is thinking Omar a wonderful nephew. She love his visits. He try
to be helpful and considerate in every way. His aunt don’t hearing
well, so Omar is speaks loudly and clearly when he’s with her.
c) When he’s there, he fix things for her around her apartment and help
her with her shopping. He isn’t staying with her overnight. He usually
is staying for a few hours and then is heading back to the city. He kiss
his aunt goodbye and give her a hug before he is leaving. Omar is a
very good nephew.

a) My friend Omar owns his own car now. It’s brand new. Today he is
driving to a small town north of the city to visit his aunt. He loves to
listen to music, so the CD player is playing one of his favorite CDs—
loudly. Omar is very happy: he is driving his own car and listening to
loud music. He’s looking forward to his visit with his aunt

b) Omar visits his aunt once a week. She’s elderly and lives alone. She
thinks Omar is a wonderful nephew. She loves his visits. He tries to be
helpful and considerate in every way. His aunt doesn’t hear well, so
Omar is speaks loudly and clearly when he’s with her.

c) When he’s there, he fixes things for her around her apartment and
helps her with her shopping. He doesn’t stay with her overnight. He
usually stays for a few hours and then heads back to the city. He
kisses his aunt good-bye and gives her a hug before he leaves. Omar is
a very good nephew.