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GRAMMAR

Present Simple and Continuous

Present Simple full form: I walk; negative form: I do not walk; question: Do you walk to
school?/ Dont you walk to school?; tag question: You walk to school, dont you?/ You dont
walk to school, do you?
Meaning and function- this tense is a timeless tense for actions which are always, repeatedly, or
generally true, or actions encapsulated in a single instant (with no reference to past or future).
This tense is used to denote truths:
Habitual truth: He smokes forty cigarettes a day.
Eternal truth: Jesus lives/ The Koran says
Recurrent truth: The sun rises in the east.
Permanent human truth: I like sweets.
General truth: English people drink a lot of tea.
Mathematical and scientific truth: Two and two make four. /Water boils at 100C.

It is used for giving instructions, directions, demonstrations: (often with the impersonal you):
(You) beat the eggs and then (you) add the flour./(You) turn to the left and walk straight ahead.
It is used as a narrative device for dramatic effect in certain situations:
In commentaries: He passes the ball to Clark, aims and scores.
In headlines and captions: Putin meets G. Bush

In describing feelings and senses (sudden ones): I feel sick (suddenly)/ I hear bells.
With a future time marker the tense gives a timetable future usually for schedules:
My bus leaves at 3.00 p.m.
It is used after when to form a time clause: When I get home, Ill make tea.
Habitual present tense with adverbs of frequency (always, sometimes, often, never, usually):
They never smoke when they are aboard ship./ He always sings when he takes a shower.

Spelling: most verbs add an -s for the third person singular: He walks, She sees;

- they add -es when the verb ends with s, x, z, sh, ch, tch or o: She watches. He goes.

- verbs that end with an -y, preceded by a consonant, change the y into i and add -es: I try - He
tries.

Present Continuous- full form: I am looking; negative form: I am not looking; question: Are
you looking?/Arent you looking?; tag question: You are looking, arent you?/ Arent you
looking, are you?/ Im looking, arent I?
Stative and dynamic verbs- some verbs rarely take the present continuous form at all: these are
verbs that describe a state of affairs beyond the persons immediate active control (If someone is
a man, has a car, knows French, hears music, or like apples-there is little he can do to change this
at the moment). These verbs are often called stative verbs, as distinct from dynamic ones, where
the person is actively doing something. Even verbs which are usually stative, can take the present
continuous, but they mean something different. The most common stative verbs are the
following:
To be- rarely occurs in the present continuous form except with adjectives of behaviour: You
are being silly (suggests a temporary and deliberate action)
To have- Im having a bath/a drink (it implies present enjoyment or experience)
Verbs describing involuntary sensations (smell, hear, see) are usually in the present simple,
but they also take the present continuous for particular effect:

Im seeing him to the station (change of meaning); Im smelling roses (pretence).


Meaning and function:
a) Temporary action- which began before the time of speaking, is continuous across it, and is
not yet complete: Im walking at this moment.
b) Temporary habit- not necessarily engaged in at the moment of speech, but temporarily
contracted for: Im watering his plants while he is away.
c) Regrettable habit (always): Im always losing my keys (the speaker is constantly in a state
of having lost the keys).
d) Future action- for plans and arrangements: Im picking her up at 6.00, were leaving
tomorrow.
Spelling: - the final consonant doubles if the vowel that precedes it is short and stressed: stop -
stopping; offer - offering; happen - happening;
- if the verb ends in consonant + vowel + L, we normally double the final L and add ING: travel
- travelling; control - controlling.
Note: In the United States (US) they do not double the L when the accent is on the first syllable
(travel - traveling; control - controlling);
- If the verb ends in an E, we remove the E and add ING: have - having; make - making; take -
taking;
Exceptions: agree agreeing, be - being; see - seeing.
- we do not double the final consonant when the verb ends in W, X or Y or when the final
syllable is not emphasized: fix - fixing; snow - snowing;
- if the verb ends in IE we change it to Y + ING: die - dying; tie - tying;
- if the verb ends in -Y, we simply add -ING: study - studying; play - playing.

Present emphatic- used to express contradiction, surprise or insistence and rely on stress
and intonation for their function. It is created as the ordinary tense, with the addition of stress on
the auxiliaries.
Meaning and function
a) To express reassurement of reaffirmation that action occurs: I do turn off the lights./ He
does live here.
b) To express contradiction: You do break the speed limit./ I do like icecream.
c) To express enthusiasm, strong feeling: I do hope I can come./ I do love Chopin./ I do want
to see that film.
d) To express enthusiastic reinforcement: I do like your hat.
e) To express invitation: Do you play chess?/ I do want to see that film.
Grammar Practice

Exercise I. Complete the sentences. Use the present continuous for the following verbs:
build; come; cook; play; stand; study; swim;
1. Listen! Pat . the piano.
2. They...a new hotel downtown
3 Look! Somebody . in the river.
4. You.on my foot. Oh I m sorry.
5. Hurry up! The bus ....
6.Where are you Sam? In the kitchen . I ... dinner.
7. (on the phone) Hello. Can I speak to Ann please? She ..for an exam right
now. Can she call you back later?

Exercise II. What is happening right now? Write true sentences.


1. (I/ wash/ my hair).
2. (it / snow)
3. (I / sit / on a chair)
4. (I / eat)
5. (it / rain )
6. (I / do /this exercise).
7. (I / listen / to the radio)
8. (the sun / shine)
9. (I /wear / shoes )
10. (I / read / a newspaper)

Exercise III. Write positive or negative short answers (Yes, I am / No, it isnt, etc.)
1. Are you watching TV?
2. Are you wearing shoes?
3. Are you wearing a hat?
4. Is it raining?
5. Are you eating something?
6. Are you feeling all right?
7. Is the sun shining?
8. Is your teacher watching you?

Exercise IV. Write the he / she / it form of these verb:


1. read ..
2. repair.
3. watch.
4. listen..
5. love.
6. have.
7. push.
8. do.
9. think.
10. kiss...
11. buy.
12. go..

Exercise V. Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of these verbs: boil, close, cost,
drink, go, have, like, meet, open, speak, teach, wash.
1. Shes very smart. She speaks four languages.
2. Steve . four cups of coffee a day .
3. We usually. Dinner at 7 o clock.
4. I ..movies. I often . to the movies with friends.
5. Water at 100 degrees Celsius.
6. In my home town the banks . at 9:00 in the morning.
7. The City Museum . at 5 o clock on Saturdays.
8. Food is expensive. It .. a lot of money.
9. Shoes are expensive. They . a lot of money.
10. Sue is a teacher. She math to young children.
11. Your job is very interesting. You a lot of people.
12. Peter . his hair every day.
13. An insect . six legs.

Exercise VI. Write the opposite. (positive or negative).


1. I understand. ..
2. She doesnt drive.
3. They know. They ..
4. He loves her. ..
5. They speak English. .
6. I dont want it. .
7. She doesnt want them. ..
8. He lives in Taiwan.

Exercise VII. Complete the sentences. All of them are negative. Use the negative form of
one of these verbs: cost, drive, go, have, know, play, see, sell, smoke, wash, wear.
1. Have a cigarette. No, thanks. ..
2. They newspapers in that store.
3. She has a car, but .. very often.
4. I like plays, but I ..to the theatre very often.
5.My car is usually dirty because I .. it very often.
6. Its a cheap hotel. It .. much to stay there.
7. He likes soccer, but he very often.
8. I .. much about politics.
9. Shes married, but she .. a ring.
10. He lives next door, but we.. him very often.
11. Can you lend me five dollars? Sorry, I ..any money.

Exercise VIII. You are asking somebody questions. Write the questions for each sentence.
1. I play tennis .How about you? . you ..?
2. I play tennis. How about Ann? .. Ann . ?
3. I know the answer. How about you? .. the answer?
4. I like hot weather. How about you? .?
5. My father drinks coffee. How about your father ? ?
6. I exercise every morning. How about you? ..?
7. I speak English. How about your friends? ..?
8. I want to be famous. How about you? ..?

Exercise IX. Rewrite the sentences using the interrogative form.


1. I wash my hair every day. ( how often/you ?) .?
2. I live in Mexico City. (where /you?) Where .?
3. I watch TV every day. (how often/you?) How ..?
4. I have lunch at home. (where/ you ?) .?
5. I get up at 7:30.(what time/ you?) .?
6. I go the movies a lot. (how often/ you?) ?
7. I go to work by bus. (how/you?) ..?
8. I always have eggs for breakfast. (what/ you?) .?

Exercise X. Put the verb in the Present Continuous or Simple Present.


1. Excuse me, .. (you/ speak) English?
2. Tom.. (take) a shower at the moment.
3. They . . (not/ watch) television very often.
4. Listen! Somebody .. (sing).
5. Shes tired. She .. (want) to go home now.
6. How often . (you/ read) the newspaper.
7. Excuse me, but you . (sit) in my place. Oh, Im sorry.
8. Im sorry, I .. (not/ understand). Please speak more slowly.
9. Where are you Dan? Im in the living room. I . (read).
10. What time . (she/ finish) work every day?
11. You can turn off the radio. I.. (not /listen) to it.
12. He ( not/ usually/ drive) to work.. He usually (walk).

Exercise XI. Complete the sentences with the Present Simple or the Present Continuous.
1. I (leave) home at 7 o clock every morning.
2. She usually .. (work) in the sales Department in London, but at the moment she
.. (do) a training course in Bristol.
3.He . (try) very hard in every game that he (play).
4. Excuse me. I think you (sit) in my seat.
5. . (you/ listen ) to the radio very often?
6. Dont talk to me now. I . (write) an important letter.
7. Why ... (they/ drive) on the left in Britain?
8. It .. (not/ get) dark at this tome of year until about 10 o clock.
9. It usually .. (rain) here a lot, but it . (not/ rain) now.
10. A: What are you doing?
B: ... (bake) a cake. Why..(you/ smile) ?..(I/do) something
wrong?
Exercise XII. Add tag questions to the following positive questions.

1. I am eating now, ?
2. They are coming by car, ?
3. You are watching television, ..?
4. It is raining, ?
5. The washing machine is working, ?
6. You are feeling better, .?
7. I am working now, ..?
8. The children are riding their bicycles, .?
9. That man is carrying an umbrella, ?
10. The policeman is looking at the red car, .?

Exercise XIII. Ask questions to the following sentences;


1. The children are listening to their teacher.
2. The teacher is speaking to the children.
3. Father is looking for his glasses.
4. Mother is talking about her neighbours.
5. The people are waiting for the bus.
6. We are waiting for our teacher.
7. He is complaining about the noise in the street.
8. The students are talking about the conference.
9. We are looking at the photographs.
10. He is looking for his coat.

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