CHAPTER 1 : Verb tenses

Practice 1 : Verb tenses (Chart 1-1 1-5) Directions : Following are some dialogues between speaker A and speaker B. Complete the dialogues by using the correct form of the words in parentheses. 1. A: Im going to ask you some questions so that we can practice verb tenses. Okay? B: Okay A: What (you, do) ______________ every day before you come to class? Name one thing. B: I (eat) ________ breakfast. 2. A: What (you, do) _____________last night? Name three separate activities. B: Last night I (eat) ______ dinner. Then I (visit) _________ some friends, and later I (write) _________ a couple of letters. 3. A: What (you, do) __________ right now? What activity is in progress right now, at this exact moment? B: Right now I (talk) ________ to you. I (answer) ________ your questions. 4. A: Where were you at this exact time yesterday? And what activitiy was in progress yesterday at that time? B: Let me think. At this exact time yesterday, I was at the bookstore. I (look) _______ for the books I needed to buy for this class. 5. A: How many questions (I, ask)________________ since we began this excersise? B: I dont know exactly. I think you (ask) _______ me about five or six questions since we began this exercise. Practice 2 : The simple present and the present progressive. (Chart 1-7 1-10) Directions : Use either SIMPLE PRESENT or the PRESENT PROGRESSIVE of the verbs in the list to complete the sentences. Include any words given in parentheses. Use each verb only one time. belong shine sleep fail bleed try scream mean own tape shrink bite whisper fight blow

1. Its a gray day today. The sun (not) _______________. 2. The bank lent us money for a downpayment. So now we _______ the house we used to rent. 3. Shhh! I ________ to concentrate. I cant hear myself think with all that noise going on. 4. This book is mine. That one _________ to Piere. 5. As a rule, I __________ until 7 oclock in the morning, and then I get up and study for my classes. 6. A: Juan! Whats the matter with your hand? It ____________. B: I just now cut it when I was using a knife. Its not serious. Il wash it and put a bandage on it. 7. A: My marks in school are terrible this term. I ___________ three of my courses. B: Maybe you can improve your grades before the end of the term if you start studying harder. 8. That sweater wont fit you if you wash it in hot water. Wool ______ in hot water. 9. Look at Joan. She ___________ her fingernails. She mst be nervous.

10. The children cant get their kite high up in the air because the wind (not) ______________ hard enough today. 11. My two children dont get along. It seems they (always) ___________ about something. Is that typical of siblings? 12. You can hear Tommy all over the house. Why (he) ___________ ? Id better see whats wrong. 13. I want to figure out the meaning of this saying: The pen is mightier than the sword. I know that mightier ___________ more powerful, but whats a sword? 14. Alice and John! Why (you) ______________________ to each other? If you have something important to say, say it aloud to all of us. 15. Kareem has his tape recorder on his desk. He ____________ the professors lecture today. Practice 3a : Nonprogressive and progressive verbs (Chart 1-9) Directions : Use either the SIMPLE PRESENT or the PRESENT PROGRESSIVE of the verbs in parentheses. 1. Tim (have) ________ a car. 2. Tim (have) _______________ trouble with his car, so he has to take the bus to work these days. 3. This box (weigh) ___________ a lot. Its too heavy for me to lift. 4. I just handed the box to the postal worker. Right now she (weigh) __________ it to see how much postage it (need) _________. 5. I (do) ______________ this practice at the moment. It (consist) __________ of both nonprogressive and progressive verbs. 6. I (think) __________ about the verbs in this grammar practice right now. I (think) _________ all of my answer are correct, but Ill use the answer key to check them when I finish just to make sure. 7. Mrs Edwards is at the market. Right now she (look) ___________ at the apples. They (look) ___________ fresh. 8. Right now Martha is in the science building. The chemistry experiment shes doing is dangerous, so she (be) _________ very careful. She (want, not) ______________ to spill any of the acid. She (be, always) ________________ careful when she does a chemistry experiment. Practice 3b : The simple present and the present progressive. (Chart 1-7 1-10) Directions : Use either the SIMPLE PRESENT or the PRESENT PROGRESSIVE of the verbs in parentheses. 1. Dennis (drink, usually) _____________ coffee with his breakfast, but this morning he (drink) ________ tea instead. 2. Janet (take) ______ the bus to work every day. She (wait, usually) _________________ for the bus at the corner of 5th and Pine. 3. This morning it (rain) ________. I can see Janet from my window. She (stand) ______________ at the corner of 5th and Pine. She (hold) _____________ her umbrella over her head. She (wait) ____________ for the bus. 4. Mike (take) _________ three classes this semester. Every morning he (study) for two hours before he goes to school. He (have) _________ French class at 9 oclock. He (take, also) ____________ chemistry and accounting. He (like) _________ chemistry best of all, but he (have) ________ better grades in accounting and French.

5. Mother: Susie! Get your fingers out of the desert! What (do, you) _____________? Susie: I (taste) ____________ the cake. It (taste) __________ good. Mother: Well, youll just have to wait until dinertime. You can have som then. 6. Janice: What (write, you) _________________ in your notebook? Diane: I (make) ___________ notes about questions I want to ask the teacher. Janice: (Prepare, you, always) ______________________________ so thoroughly for every class? Diane: I (try, always) ______________ to. 7. Bob: Jack really makes me angry! Sue: Why? Bob: Well, for one thing, he (interrupt, always) _______________ me. I can barely get a whole sentence out ot my mouth. Sue: Is that all? Bob: No. He (ask, always) ________________ me to do his homework for him. I have enough homework of my own without doing his homework too! 8. Alfonso: Whats that? Nurse : A needle. I (prepare) ___________ to give you a shot. Alfonso: I (need, not) ___________ a shot! Nurse: Just relax and breath deeply. Everything will be fine. Alfonso: Ouch!