PRESENT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT CONTINUOUS 1.- Read and complete. Use the present simple or present continuous: Good evening. This is Mary Rose reporting for SBA Channel. I’m at the Music Festival in Paris and (1) ..........(have) a wonderful time! The French (2) .......... (call) this Festival ‘La Fête de la Musique’. It (3) .......... (take) place in June every year and (4) ......... (last) for a week. These events (5) .......... (start) early in the morning and (6) ......... (not finish) until lñate at night.People (7) .......... (sing) and (8) .......... (dance) in the streets round the clock all day long. Some very famous artists (9) .......... (take) part in the festival this year. At the moment, we (10) .......... (stand) near the Eiffel Tower. We (11) .......... (listen) to ‘Les Notes Heureuses’, a popular French pop group. As you can see, people of all ages (12) ......... (enjoy) themselves here! (Adopted from Grammar Time 6)
2.- Read this article from a school magazine describing adventure sports. Complete with the present simple or the present continuous of the verbs in brackets:
ANSWERS 1.
5.
2.
6
3.
7.
4.
8.
(Adapted from Universe 2)
3.- Complete the text with the Present Simple or the Present Continuous of the verbs in brackets:
ANSWERS 1.
6.
2.
7.
3.
8.
4.
9.
5.
10.
(Adapted from Universe 2)
4.- Some students are talking outside a classroom. Complete their conversations with the present continuous or the present simple form of the verbs in brackets: A) LI-WU: PAULO: LI-WU: PAULO: LI-WU: PAULO: LI-WU:
1.4.7.-
Hi, Paulo. What ……(1) (you / do)? Oh, I ……(2) (wait) for the class to start. How are you? You ……(3) (look) tired. I am a little tired. I ……(4) (work) a lot in the evenings this term. Hey, is that your teacher over there? Yes. She ……(5) (talk) to one of my classmates. I wonder what´s wrong. He ……(6) (not look) at her. He ……(7) (look) embarrassed. Oh. That ……(8) (not mean) anything. In Taiwan it´s not respectful to look directly at your teacher. 2.5.8.-
3.6.-
B) MORIKO: NINA:
Look, there´s Miguel. He ……(1) (talk) to Luisa. Yes. They ……(2) (do) a class together this term.
MORIKO: NINA:
They ……(3) (stand) very close to each other. ……(4) (you / think) they ……(5) (go out) together? No. I ……(6) (not think) it ……(7) (mean) anything special. I ……(8) (come) from Costa Rica, and people there normally ……(9) (stand) that close to each other.
1.4.7.-
2.5.8.-
3.6.9.-
C) RASHA: CLAUDE:
There´s Hans. Why ……(1) (he / walk) so fast? The lesson ……(2) (not start) until 9.00. He ……(3) (still / have got) ten minutes! He always ……(4) (walk) fast. People from Switzerland often ……(5) (seem) to be in a hurry.
1.4.-
2.5.-
3.-
D) YOKO: JING:
Isn´t that Sergio and Luis? Why ……(1) (they / shake) hands? They ……(2) (know) each other. In Brazil, men ……(3) (shake) hands every time they ……(4) (meet).
1.3.-
2.4.-
(Adapted from Grammar Express)
5.- Complete this magazine article with the present simple or continuous of the verbs in brackets: John Bints is in a sports shop. The flowers ……(1) (smell) nice but he isn´t really paying attention to the scent because he ……(2) (look) at a pair of running shoes. They ……(3)
(cost) a lot more than he usually pays but John really, really ……(4) (want) those shoes. He ´s the victim of `smart scents´, aromas that shops use to make customers buy more. On the other side of the town, John´s daughter, Myra, is doing a history test in a classroom that was recently painted yellow. Although Myra ……(5) (hate) history, she ……(6) (seem) to be doing well on this test. She ……(7) (like) the new colour of her classroom. She ……(8) (not suspect) that it´s helping her with the test, but it is. Scientists have shown that yellow improves both memory and concentration. We now ……(9) (know) that smells, colours and sounds affect our moods and even our health. In fact, right now John´s wife, Cindy, ……(10) (think) about John and Mira. She´s sure John is spending too much on shoes and that Myra is failing another history test. Cindy suffers from migraines but she ……(11) (not have got) a headache today. She´s in the garden and she ……(12) (listen) to bird and insects sounds. They always calm her down. 1.4.7.10.-
2.5.8.11.-
3.6.9.12.-
(Adapted from Grammar Express)
6.- Karen is a journalist for a music magazine. She is interviewing Rob Meldon, a singer who sometimes gives free concerts to get money for hungry people. Fill the gaps with the verbs in brackets using either present simple or present continuous tense: KAREN: ROB:
KAREN: ROB:
KAREN: ROB:
Rob, you _________(do) a lot of work to help hungry people at the moment .What ____________ (make) you so interested in helping them? Well, I usually___________ (read) the newspapers like everyone else. Every week you ___________ (see) pictures of places where the people ______________ (die) of hunger. It ___________ (make) me so angry when I see that ! __________ it _________(not make) you angry? Oh, yes, Rob. But a lot of people _____________ (feel) that the problem is so big that they can´t do anything to help. What _________ you _____ (say) to this? Just that even the smallest gift _____________ (help) someone. And also, this : just imagine that now you _____________ (live) in a place where no rain has fallen for years. Perhaps you ___________(not want) to accept help from others, but you know you must because your children ________ (suffer). If your neighbour has food, you´ll accept help from him, won´t you? Yes. But I ____________ (not see) exactly what you mean... What I ______________ (say) at the moment is this: we´re all neighbours on this planet, and we can all help. We ______________ (not need) to be a special kind of person to do something for others. I mean, ________ you __________ (think) I am special? I am just an ordinary person, and I ____________ (help) in my own way. Anyone can do that.
(Adopted from Practise your tenses)
7.- Marja and Bertrand are students in a language school. They are just getting to know each other. Complete their conversation with the present simple or present continuous tense of the verbs in brackets: BERTRAND:
And where __________ you _______ (come) from in Finland, Marja ?
MARJA:
BERTRAND: MARJA: BERTRAND:
MARJA: BERTRAND: MARJA: BERTRAND:
MARJA: BERTRAND: MARJA: BERTRAND:
I __________ (come) from Helsinki. But I ___________ (not live) there any more. My company, Finn-Sport _______________ (have) an office in Tempere, so I´ve moved there. I´ve heard of Finn-Sport. ____________ they _____________ (make) skiing equipment? That´s right. In fact, all kind of sports equipment. Actually, the company _____________ (pay) for me to study here. Really? You´re lucky. My company ________________ (not send) anyone on language courses. I _______________ (pay) for this course out of my own pocket. What course __________ you ____________ (take) here? Business English? No, I _____________ (not do) Business English . I ___________ (try) to improve my general English- especially conversation. Well, there ______________ (not seem) to be anything wrong with your conversation. I ________________ (improve). By the way, __________ you ___________ (know) about the disco the school ________________ (organize)? No. When is it? Tonight at 9 o´clock. It´s at The Magnet Club, in Holland Road. Unfortunately, I _________________ (not know) where that is. It´s near where I _____________ (live). Look, why ____________ we __________ (not meet) before the disco somewhere and have dinner? Then, we can go to the disco together.
(Adapted from Practise your tenses)
8.- James is on holiday in Italy. Put the verbs in the present simple or present continuous tense: James _____________(work) in London, but he _____________(not live) there. Every morning he ___________(get up) at 6.00 and he ____________(go) by train to London. The journey ___________(take) an hour and he _______________(not get) home till 8.00 in the evening. Then he ____________(watch) TV and _____________(go) to bed. He ____________(have) a good job, but he ____________(work) very hard. He ____________(not work) now. He _____________(have) a holiday. He _____________(stay) in a hotel in Rimini. He ______________(meet) a lot of interesting people. He _____________(learn) some Italian and he _____________(eat) a lot of good Italian food. James ______________(enjoy) his job, but he _____________(enjoy) his holiday so much that he ___________(not want) to go back to work next week. (Adopted from Trouble with verbs?)
9.- Complete the letter below by using the verbs in the box in either present simple or present continuous tense: HAVE
HELP
STAY
MAKE
UNDERSTAND
START
SAY
OWN
CATC H
TAKE
HARVEST
DECIDE
DEVELOP
WANT
COME
SPEND
NEED
DO
LIKE
Dear Karen, I (1)________________ a great time here in England. My university term (2)_________________ until the autumn, so I (3)________________ the opportunity to improve my English. I (4)________________ with some English friends who (5)__________ a farm. On weekdays, I (6)____________ a bus into Torquay to go to language classes. I (7)________________ good progress, I think. My friends (8)_____________ my pronunciation is much better than when I arrived, and I (9)________________ almost everything now. At weekends, I (10)_____________ on the farm. At the moment, they (11)__________________ the corn and they (12)______________ all the help they can get. It’s quite hard work, but I (13)___________ it. And I (14)_______________ some strong muscles! (15)_______you___________ to visit me at Christmas? I (16)_________________ the winter holiday here at the farm. My friends (17)_________________ to meet you and there’s plenty of space. But you must bring your warmest clothes. It (18)___________ very cold here in the winter. Let me know as soon as you (19)_____________ . And tell me what you (20)__________________ these days. Do you miss me? Love,
Paul
(Adapted from English Grammar in Use. Supplementary Exercises)
10.- Present continuous or present simple? Complete the following text choosing the right verb form of the verbs in brackets:
GET
Every day John _____1 (get) up at 6.30 a.m. and _____2 (do) some exercises in the garden. Then he _____3 (have) a shower. He _____4 (get) dressed and _____5 (listen) to the news on the radio. Then he _____6 (go) downstairs and _____7 (make) breakfast. At the moment, John _____8 (sit) in the kitchen and he _____9 (drink) a cup of tea. He _____10 (read) a magazine.
ANSWERS 1. _______________________ 6. ______________________ 2. _______________________ 7. ______________________ 3. _______________________ 8. ______________________ 4. _______________________ 9. ______________________ 5. _______________________ 10. ______________________
(Adapted from Essential Grammar in Use. Supplementary Exercises)
11.- Complete the text about Richard Slade. Write the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets: Richard Slade ____________ (live) in Croydon, and _____________ (run) a fashion retail business. Usually, he ____________ (leave) for work at about 7.30 a.m. and ________________ (take) the train to Central London. This week, he _____________ (visit) an important clothing manufacturer in Rome. They _____________ (talk) about a new line of menswear for the summer season. Richard´s business _____________ (grow) fast at the moment, and it _____________ (become) very successful. Richard ________________ (work) very long hours this month, but he always ___________ (enjoy) his job, especially the trips abroad. (Adopted from International Express. Pre-intermediate. Workbook)
12.- Peter Willasey works for Harrods. Complete the description of his work. Use the Present Simple or P resent Continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
(Adapted from International Express. Pre-intermediate)
13.- Complete the letter with the correct form of the verbs in brackets by using either present simple or present continuous tense:
Dear Barbara, How are you? I _______________ (stay) in a hotel in Rarotonga at the moment, because we _______________ (look at) the night sky. I ____________ (know) you ______________ (have) a holiday now , because Agatha wrote to me. ___________ you __________ (enjoy) Texas? I ___________ (believe) you ___________ (visit) Paolo this week – give him my love! The sky above Rarotonga is fantastic. We usually __________ (start) work at ten in the evening and __________ (finish) at seven next morning. At the moment I ____________ (study) the mountains on the moon – you ____________ (know) I ____________ (write) a report on the moon for my thesis. It´s nearly finished. Professor de la Villa ___________ (work) in The Cook Islands right now- though of course he __________ (live) in Madrid and he helps a lot. He ______________ (sit) next to me as I write, and he sends his regards! Take care, Virginia (Adapted from Grammar Practice for Intermediate Students)
14.- Complete the text with the correct form of the present simple or present continuous tense:
EXPLORING SAN DIEGO
Many visitors ______________(prefer) San Diego to Los Angeles because it is smaller and ___________ (appeal) more to people who ___________(like) a family atmosphere. For example, SeaWorld ____________(put on) great shows with performing killer whales and dolphins and _____________(attract) children and parents alike. Many people ____________(consider) San Diego zoo to be the best in the world and the animals _____________(live) in the zoological equivalent of five-star hotels. Good free guided tours of the pretty Old Town __________(leave) daily at 10.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Until recently the downtown area was very quiet and dull but now it _____________(become) much more fashionable; entrepeneurs _____________(open) trendy restaurants and bars and now the whole area __________(boom) as a result of the live jazz concerts which are held every evening during the high season.
(Adapted from English for International Tourism. Intermediate. Unit 2)
15.- A man is phoning the police. Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple or the present continuous tense:
Hello! (1)___________(be) that the police? I (2)____________ (ring) to complain about the noise which (3)_____________ (come) from the flat above me. They (4) ______________ (have) a party and they (5) _____________ (play) music, very loudly. The man who (6) ______________ (live) there (7) _______________ (have) a party every weekend. And every weekend I (8) ____________ (ask) him to turn the music down but he (9) ______________ (not take) any notice. And they (10) _____________ (not leave) until 2 or 3 in the morning. I (11) _______________ (not complain) very often, but tonight the noise is awful and it (12) _____________ (keep) me awake. Oh good, you (13) _______________ (send) a police car round!. I (14) ___________ (live) at 36 Philbeach Gardens, London W8. 1. 3. 5. 7. 9. 11. 13.
2. 4. 6. 8. 10. 12. 14.
(Adopted from English Grammar in Context)
16.- Put in the correct form of the verbs. Use either simple present or present continuous:
(Adapted from English Grammar in Context)