Minusinsk Pedagogical College

English Grammar

VERB

A self- study reference and practice

book for students

With tests

T. N. Kaufmann

Minusinsk 2007
Печатается по решению научно- методического отдела колледжа

Составитель: Т.Н. Кауфманн, преподаватель английского языка

специальность 050303 Иностранный язык

Рецензент: кандидат филологических наук,

заведующая кафедрой иностранных языков и методики преподавания ХГУ
им. Н.Ф. Катанова
Ангелина Васильевна Безрукова.

Английская грамматика

ГЛАГОЛ

Данное пособие предназначено для студентов 1 курса педагогического колледжа,

обучающихся по специальности «050303 – Иностранный язык», по дисциплине
«Практическая грамматика английского языка». В пособие включены теоретический
материал, а также практические задания, которые позволяют студенту не только развивать
грамматический навык в классе, работая в сотрудничестве с преподавателем, но и
работать самостоятельно, постоянно осуществляя самоконтроль, более того, в книгу
включён тест, который поможет студентам увидеть и осознать собственный прогресс /
регресс по изучению темы, что заложит основы формирования навыков рефлексии.
Пособием могут воспользоваться студенты 2 и 3 курсов с целью повторения данного
материала. Пособие составлено в соответствии с требованиями программы по
дисциплине.

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CONTENTS
Grammar guide
Present continuous
Present simple
Present simple and Present continuous
State verbs
Practice activities
Test

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Grammar guide

The verb

The verb denotes an action.

MORPHOLOGICAL COMPOSITON

SIMPLE DERIVATIVES COMPOUND PHRASAL

Eg. to ask, Eg. to criticize Eg. to undertake VERBS
to build to justify to overgrow Eg to come in

BASIC VERB FORMS

THE THE PAST PARTICIPLE PARTICIPLE

INFINITIVE INDEFINITE 2 1
Eg..to work Eg. worked Eg.worked Eg.. working

VERBS HAVE GOT 2 GROUPS

REGULAR IRREGULAR
verbs verbs

SYNTACTIC STANDPOINS

Intransitive verbs Transitive verbs

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 VERBS HAVE GOT 5 CATEGORIES

The category The category The The The category

of person. of number. category of category of of perfect.
. tense. aspect.

1 Present continuous
Form
We form the present continuous with be + … -ing.

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

I am I am not am I
you are you are not are you
he he he
she is working she is not working is she working?
it it it
we we we
you are you are not are you
they they they

This form is also called the “present progressive”.

Contractions
‘m = am
‘re = are aren’t = are not
‘s = is isn’t = is not

USE
We use the present continuous to talk about something which is in progress at the moment
of speaking.
“Where are the children?” “They are playing in the garden.”
“What are you doing at the moment?” “I’m writing a letter.”
You can switch off the TV. I’m not watching it.

We also use the present continuous to talk about something which is in progress around
the present, but not necessarily exactly at the moment of speaking.
You are spending a lot of money these days.
She is looking for a job at the moment.

We use the present continuous to talk about something which is in progress for a limited
period around the present.
Robert is not on holiday this week.He’s staying with his sister in Bournemouth.
We use the present continuous to talk about situations which are changing or developing
around the present.
Your children are growing up very quickly.

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Accuracy Practice

1. Complete the sentences. Use the verbs in brackets in the present continuous.
 “_____ (Sally/have) a shower?” “No, she _____ (wash) her hair.”
 You _____ (not/watch) the TV at the moment. Why don’t you switch it off?
 “_____ (you/enjoy) yourself?” “Yes, I _____ (have) a great time.”
 “What _____(Maria/do) these days?” “She _____ (study) English at a
school in London.
 Ben and Patty are in London on holiday. They _____ (stay) at a small hotel
near Hyde Park.
 Prices _____ (rise) all the time. Everything _____ (get) more and more
expensive.
2. Complete the sentences with one of the following verbs in the correct form.
come get happen look make start stay try
 I ….. for Christine. Do you know where she is?
 It ….. dark. Shall I turn on the light?
 They haven’t got anywhere to live at the moment. They ….. with friends until
they find somewhere.
 “Are you ready, Ann?” “Yes, I ….. .”
 Have you got an umbrella? It ….. to rain.
 You ….. a lot of noise. Could you be quieter? I ….. to concentrate.
 Why are all these people here? What ….. ?
3. Use the words in brackets to complete the questions.
 Why ….. at me like that? What’s the matter? (you/look)
 “Jenny is a student at university.” “Is she? What ….. ?” (she/study)
 ….. to the radio or can I turn it off? (anybody/listen)
 How is your English? ….. better? (it/get)
4. Put the verb into the correct form. Sometimes you need the negative.
 “How is your new job?” “Not so good at the moment. I ….. (enjoy) it very
much.”
 Catherine phoned me last night. She’s on holiday in France. She ….. (have) a
great time and doesn’t want to come back.
 I want to lose weight, so this week I ….. (eat) lunch.
 Angela has just started evening classes. She ….. (learn) German.
 I think Paul and Ann have had an argument. They ….. (speak) to each other.
5. Read this conversation between Brian and Sarah. Put the verbs into the correct form.
SARAH: Brian! How nice to see you! What ….. (you/do) these days?
BRIAN: I ….. (train) to be a supermarket manager.
SARAH: Really? What’s it like? ….. (you/enjoy) it?
BRIAN: It’s all right. What about you?
SARAH: Well, actually I …..(not/work) at the moment. I ….. (try) to find a job
but it’s not easy. But I’m very busy. I ….. (decorate) my flat.
BRIAN: ….. (you/do) it alone?
SARAH: No, some friends of mine …..(help) me.
6. Complete the sentences using one of these verbs: get change rise fall increase
 Ken is still ill but he ….. better slowly.
 The world ….. . Things never stay the same.

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  The cost of living ….. . Every year things are more expensive.
7. Complete the sentences below using the words in brackets. Use negative forms where
necessary.
 Doris the secretary (type, dance)
She _____ letters. _____ on the table.
 Harry the doorman (sleep, stand)
He _____ in a chair. _____ beside the door, today.
 Dave and Len, the repair men (repair, listen)
They _____ machines. _____ to the radio.
 The company cat (sit, catch)
It _____ on the wall. _____mice today.
 The switchboard operator (answer, let)
She _____ the telephone today. _____ the answering machine give a recorded
message.
 The telex machine (print, get)
It _____ messages. _____ dusty.
 The directors (cut, make)
They _____ slices of cake. _____ any important decisions, today.
 I (eat, try)
But I _____ anything. _____ to lose weight.
8. Ron Crabb is a youth leader. He is helping to organize a summer camp for some young
people. Write questions and answers using the words in the speech bubbles. Use
negative forms where necessary.
 “ Charlie! Why 1 _____ there doing nothing? Why 2 _____ Jill and Tommy
in the camp kitchen?” “Jill and Tommy 3 _____ the cooking today, Ron. It
isn’t their turn. 4_____ the cooking, and she told me she didn’t need any
help.” (1 you stand, 2 you help, 3 do, 4 Susie do)
 “Where 5_____ these pieces of wood? Why 6_____ them to the campfire?”
“It’s OK, Ron. 7_____ them to Kim and Mary, on the other side of the camp.
8_____ them to build a fence.” (5 Terry take, 6 he take, 7 he take, 8 they
use)
 “9_____ these potatoes too long, Susie? There’s a terrible smell – 10_____ ?”
“Oh dear, I’m sorry, Ron. 11_____ a real mess of this cooking, aren’t I?” (9
you fry, 10 they burn, 11 I make)
 “What a mess this place! What 12_____ here?” Why 13_____ on a beach in
Spain – or anywhere except here?” “It’s your kind heart, Ron! 14_____ us
because you like us so much!” (12 I do, 13 I lie, 14 you help)

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Grammar guide
2 Present simple
Form

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

I work I do not work do I
you work you do not work do you
he he he
she works she does not work does she work?
it it it
we we we
you work you do not work do you
they they they

Contractions
don’t = do not
doesn’t = does not

USE
We use the present simple to talk about repeated actions or habits.
I have a shower every morning.
Most evenings my parents stay at home and watch TV.
Do you go to the cinema very often?
What time does Kate finish work?

We use the present simple to talk about situations which are permanent (continuing for a
long time).
Mr and Mrs Shaw live in Bristol. (That is their permanent home.)

We also use the present simple to talk about general truths.

The River Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Vegetarians don’t eat meat or fish.

Accuracy Practice
1. Complete the sentences. Use the present simple of the verbs in brackets.
 Jet engines _____ (make) a lot of noise.
 I _____ (not/live) in London. I _____ (live) in Brighton.
 The sea _____ (cover) two thirds of the world.
 Loud music _____ (give) me a headache.
 We _____ (not/come) from Canada. We _____ (come) from the USA.
 She _____ (work) from Mondays to Fridays. She _____ (not/work) at
weekends.

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  Andrew and Les _____ (not/go) to school by bus every day. Most mornings
Andrew _____ (go) by bicycle and Le _____ (walk).
 You _____ (not/write) to your penfriend very often, but he _____ (write) to
you every week.
2. Complete the questions in the present simple.
 “_____ to the radio every morning?” “I listen to it most mornings.”
 “_____ in Manchester?” “No, he lives in Newcastle.”
 “What time _____ work every day?” “She usually finishes at 5.30.”
 “How often _____ swimming?” “I go about once a week.”
 “_____ TV every evening?” “They watch it most evenings.”
 “_____ the guitar?” “Yes, she plays the guitar and the piano.”
 “How much money _____ a month?” “We earn about $ 800.”
 “_____ much in your country?” “Yes, it snows a lot during the winter.

3. Complete the sentences using one of the following.

cause(s) close(s) drink(s) live(s) open(s) take(s) place
 I never ….. coffee.
 The swimming pool ….. at 9 o’clock and ….. at 18.30 every day.
 Bad driving ….. many accidents.
 My parents ….. in a very small flat.
 The Olympic Games ….. every four years.
4. Put the verb into the correct form.
 What time ….. (the banks/close) in Britain?
 “Where ….. (Martin/ come) from?” “He’s Scottish.”
 “What …..(you/do)?” “I’m an electrical engineer.”
 It ….. (take) me an hour to get to work. How long ….. (it/take) you?”
 I ….. (play) the piano but I …..(not/play) very well.
 I don’t understand this sentence. What ….. (this word/mean)?
5. Use one of the following verbs to complete these sentences. Sometimes you need the
negative.
believe eat flow make rise tell translate
 The sun ….. in the east.
 Bees …..honey.
 Vegetarians ….. meat.
 An atheist ….. in God.
 An interpreter ….. from one language into another.
 A liar is someone who ….. the truth.
 The River Amazon ….. into the Atlantic Ocean.
6. Ask Liz questions about herself and her family.
 Perhaps Liz’s sister plays tennis too. You want to know. Ask Liz. ….. your
sister ….. .
 You know that Liz reads a newspaper every day. You want to know which
one. Ask her. …..
 You know that Liz’s brother works. You want to know what he does. Ask
Liz. ….. .
 You know that Liz goes to the cinema a lot. You want to know how often.
Ask her. ….. .
 You don’t know where Liz’s mother lives. Ask her. ….. .

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7. Madame Clara is a magician. She is assisted on stage by her husband, Henri. Today
she is telling a theatre manager about her act. Fill in the sentences below using the
verbs given. Note that the verbs are not in the correct order.
 I usually 1_____ the act myself. I 2_____ some magic words. A bird 3_____
out of an empty cage, and a flower 4_____ in an empty pot.
begin, fly, grow, say
 Then Henry 5_____ me on the stage. He 6_____ into a box. I 7_____ knives
through the box, but he always 8_____ out alive!
join, put, come, go
 Someone from the audience 9_____ a card. I 10_____ my back, and Henri
11_____ my eyes. I 12_____ the person what the card is. Everyone in the
audience 13_____.
choose, cover, turn, applaud, tell
 Henri and I 14 _____ coloured balls into the audience. But no one ever
15_____ them! They 16_____ in clouds of smoke!
catch, disappear, throw
 A strong man from the audience 17_____ to lift a piano. He cannot, for it
18_____ 1,000 kilos. But I 19_____ my hands, and the piano 20_____ into the
air!
weigh, try, rise, clap
 Our act 21_____ with a marvelous spectacle. A green light 22_____ and the
orchestra 23_____ a mysterious tune. Then a grey mist 24_____ us, and we
25_____ like ghosts!
finish, play, hide, vanish, flash
8. The theatre manager is very interested in the act, and he wants to find out everything
about it. Write down the questions he asks, using the words given below.
 How/the bird/fly/out of the cage? _____________________________________
 How/Henri/escape/from the box? _____________________________________
 How/the ball/disappear? ____________________________________________
 How/the piano/rise/into the air? ______________________________________
 How/you/do/the trick with the cards? _________________________________
 How/you/ make/the grey mist? _______________________________________
 How/you and Henri/ vanish/at the end? _______________________________
 How long/your act/last? _____________________________________________
9. The teachers at the Express School of English are having a staff meeting. They are
discussing some everyday problems of classes and students. Complete the sentences .
Use the verbs in brackets, in the negative form where necessary.
John: Abdullah (1 do) _____ all the written work.
Anna: Why 2_____ ?
John: Because he only (3 need) _____ spoken English in his job.
Mary: I (4 use) _____ the computer with my group.
Steve: Why 5_____ ?
Mary: Because the programme for it (6 seem) _____ very useful.
Sue: Lucia and Leif (7 find) _____ the work interesting.
Director: Why 8_____ ?
Sue: They (9 think) _____ the level is too low for them.
Gareth: Gustav and I (10 get on) _____well.
Lucinda: Oh? Why 11_____ ?
Gareth: The problem is, we (12 share) _____ the same political opinions.
Steve: Fatma (13 come) _____ to the class before lunch on Friday mornings.
John: Why 14_____ ?
Steve: Because she (15 go) _____ to the mosque then.

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 Anna: The reading textbook (16 suit) _____ the students in my group.
Director: Why 17_____ ?
Anna: It (18 give) _____ them the kind of practice they need.
Lucinda: Julio and Sergio (19 like) _____ each other.
Mary: Why 20_____ ?
Lucinda: Oh, it’s because they (21 disagree) _____ about almost everything.

10. Fill in the blanks in the conversation below, using the correct form of the words given
in brackets.
TOM: I (1 hate) _____ spending the whole of the weekend at home. Let’s go out.
LUCY: Where (2 you want) _____ to go?
TOM: Why (3 not we go) _____ to the film club? Most weekends it (4 show) _____
good films.
LUCY: I (5 not feel) _____ like seeing a film tonight .But look – the newspaper (6 say)
_____ that Abe Clampit, the jazz pianist, is giving a concert tonight. I (7 know)
_____ you (8 like) _____ jazz. Why (9 not we go) _____ to that?
TOM: To be honest, his playing (10 not appeal) _____ to me much.
LUCY: Well, why (11 not you go) _____ to the film on your own? It (12 not matter)
_____ to me if I (13 stay)_____ at home and watch TV for once.
TOM: We could go and see your sister, if you (14 like) _____ . We haven’t seen her
for ages.
LUCY: That’s a good idea. She’s lonely where she (15 live) _____ now. She (16 stay)
_____ at home all the time.
The buses (17 not go) _____ to that part of town, and she
(18 not get out) _____ at all.

3. Present simple and Present continuous

Compare:
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
We use the present continuous to talk
about something that is in progress at
or around the moment of speaking.
Are you working now?
Don’t forget your umbrella when you go
out. It’s raining outside.
We use the present continuous for temporary situations and the present simple for
permanent situations. Compare:
I’m sleeping on a sofa these days
because my bed is broken.
PRESENT SIMPLE
We use the present simple to
talk about repeated actions
or habits, and things which
are generally true.
Do you work every Saturday
afternoon?
It rains a lot in Britain in
March and April.
I always sleep eight hours
every night.

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4. State verbs
- State verbs are verbs which do not normally have continuous tenses because then
describe a state rather than an action. These include:
verbs expressing likes and dislikes: love, like, hate, dislike, can’t stand, don’t
mind, prefer, enjoy, etc.
verbs of perception: believe, know, notice, remember, forget, understand,
think, etc.
verbs of senses: see, hear, feel, taste, look, smell, sound.
some other verbs: fit, contain, need, belong, cost, own, mean, owe, appear,
want, have (= possess), etc.

- Some state verbs have continuous tenses, but there is a difference in meaning.
1. I think she needs help. (=I believe …)
I am thinking about buying a new car. (=I am considering …)
2. This pasta tastes delicious! (= This pasta has a delicious flavour.)
He is tasting the pasta. (= He is testing the flavour of …)
3. I can see a light in the distance. (= I can actually see …)
I am seeing Tom this evening. (= I am meeting …)
4. George looks very tired. (= George appears to be …)
John is looking at an old map. (= John is studying …)
5. The kitchen always smells of freshly baked bread. (= The kitchen always has
the smell of …)
Why is the lady smelling the perfume? (= Why is the lady sniffing …)
6. The material feels soft. (= This material has a soft texture …)
A: Why are you feeling Sam’s forehead? (= Why are you touching …)
B: Because I think he’s got a temperature.
7. She has a beautiful old house. (= She owns/possesses …)
We are having dinner. (= We are eating …)

Starting Activities
Young people are getting nicer
(present continuous for changing and developing situations)

Work in pairs. Imagine that you and your partner are both eighty. Talk to each other
about young people today. Use the present continuous to talk about the way young people
are changing.
Example: Young people are getting more interested in the environment.

Ideas: clothes (wear casual clothes more/les often); food (eat more/less meat); behaviour
(be more/ less polite); money (spend more/less on..); school (be more/less interested in …);
way of life (spend more/less time …); interests (be more/less interested in …)

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She’s living here at the moment
(present continuous for temporary situations)

Work in pairs. You both have a guest staying with you for three weeks. Talk about your
guest’s life with you. Use the present continuous. Each sentence should end with “ … while
she’s here”, like this: She’s using my bicycle while she’s here.

Wrong!
(present simple)

Work in pairs, A and B. Your partner will tell you some facts that are wrong. Correct your
partner when you hear a wrong fact.
Example: A: Paul McCartney likes beef.
B: No, he doesn’t like beef. He is a vegetarian.

Read your Activity note before you start.

1. Water freezes at 5 degrees centigrade.
2. The President of the USA lives in New York.
3. Water floats on oil.
4. Boris Becker plays football.
5. The capital of Italy is Milan.
6. The earth goes round the sun.
7. The capital of Britain is London.
8. The Swedish flag is blue and yellow.
9. Water boils at a hundred degrees centigrade.
10. A rose is a kind of flower.

Which is used when?

(present continuous and present simple)

Work as a class. Match the sentences (1-6) with the uses of the present continuous and
present simple (a-f).
Example: 1 to (e).
1 I live in Paris.
2 She’s staying with her aunt at the moment.
3 Love hurts.
4 Her English is getting better all the time.
5 I usually catch the nine o’clock bus to work.
6 Look, that man is stealing a packet of sugar.
Present continuous:
a Action still happening
b Changing or developing situation
c Temporary situation

Present simple:
d Law of nature
e Permanent situation
f Regular repeated action

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Accuracy Practice

1. Choose the correct form.

 It’s snowing/It snows quite often in Britain during the winter.
 I’m going/I go to bed now. Goodnight.
 Normally, I’m going/I go to bed around 11.30 every night.
 “Where is Simon?” “He’s cooking/He cooks the dinner.”
 There is something wrong with Lynne’s car at the moment so she’s going/she
goes to work by bus this week.
 The River Thames is flowing/flows through London.
 Sarah has got an exam soon, so she’s working/she works very hard at the
moment.
2. Marja and Bertrand are students in a language school. They are just getting to know
each other. Read part of their conversation. Write the correct form of the verbs in
italics (simple or progressive, positive or negative, questions or statement). If the verb
is already correct, write “no change”.
BERTRAND : And where 1 you come from in Finland, Marja?
MARJA: 2 I come from Helsinki. But 3 I live there any more. 4 My company,
Finn-Sport has an office in Tempere, so I’ve moved there.
BERTRAND: I’ve heard of Finn-Sport. 5 They make skiing equipment?
MARJA: That’s right – in fact, all kind of sports equipment. Actually, the
company 6 pays for me to study here.
BERTRAND : Really? You’re lucky. 7 My company sends anyone on language
courses. 8 I pay for this course out of my pocket.
MARJA: What course 9 you take here? Business English?
BERTRAND: No, 10 I do Business English yet. 11 I try to improve my general
English – especially conversation.
MARJA: Well, 12 there seems to be anything wrong with your conversation.
BERTRAND: 13 I improve. By the way, 14 you know about the disco 15 the school
organizes?
MARJA: No. When is it?
BERTRAND: Tonight at 9 o’clock. It’s at The Magnet Club, in Holland Road.
MARJA: Unfortunately, 16 I know where that is.
BERTRAND: It’s near where 17 I live. Look, why 18 we met before the disco
somewhere and have dinner? Then we can go to the disco together.
1 ___________________________________ 10 ________________________________
2 ___________________________________ 11 ________________________________
3 ___________________________________ 12 ________________________________
4 ___________________________________ 13 _________________________________
5 ___________________________________ 14 _________________________________
6 ___________________________________ 15 _________________________________
7 ___________________________________ 16 _________________________________
8 ___________________________________ 17 _________________________________
9 ___________________________________ 18 _________________________________

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 3. 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. Underline the
correct verb phrases in the dialogue below.
KAREN: Rob, 1 you do/you’re doing/are you doing a lot of work to help hungry
people at the moment. What 2 does make/ makes/is making you so
interested in helping them?
ROB: Well, 3 I don’t read/I’m reading/I read the newspapers like everyone else.
Every week 4 you see/do you see/you’re seeing pictures of places where the
people 5 don’t die/do they die/are dying of hunger. It 6 doesn’t make/isn’t
making/makes me so angry when I see that! 7 Isn’t it making/Doesn’t it make
make/Does it make you angry?
KAREN: Oh yes, Rob. But a lot of people 8 are feeling/feel/do they feel that the
problem is so big that they can’t do anything to help. What 9 do you say/
don’t you say/aren’t you saying to this?
ROB: Just that even the smallest gift 10 doesn’t help/does it help/helps someone.
And also,this: just imagine that you 11 are living/don’t live/aren’t living
in a place where no rain has fallen for years. Perhaps you 12 don’t want/
want/aren’t wanting to accept help from others, but you know you must
because your children 13 suffer/are suffering/don’t suffer. If your neighbour
has food, you’ll accept help from him, won’t you?
KAREN: Yes. But I 14 see/don’t see/I’m not seeing exactly what you mean …
ROB: What 15 I say/I’m saying/I am not saying is this: we’re all neighbours on this
planet, and we can all help. We 16 aren’t needing/need/don’t need to be a
special kind of person to do something for others. I mean 17 am I looking/do
I look/aren’t I looking special? I’m just an ordinary person, and 18 I help/
am I helping/I don’t help in my own way. Anyone can do that.

4. Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the verbs that are wrong.
 Look! That man tries to open the door of your car.
 Can you hear those people? What do they talk about?
 The moon goes round the earth.
 I must go now. It gets late.
 I usually go to work by car.
 “Hurry up! It’s time to leave.” “OK, I come.”
 I hear you’ve got a new job. How do you get on?

5. Put the verb in the correct form, present continuous or present simple.
 Hurry up! Everybody _____ (wait) for you.
 “_____ (you/listen) to the radio?” “No, you can turn it off.”
 “_____ (you/listen) to the radio every day?” “No, just occasionally.”
 The River Nile _____ (flow) into the Mediterranean.
 Look at the river! It _____ (flow) very fast today – much faster than usual.
 We usually _____ (grow) vegetables in our garden but this year we _____
(not/grow) any.
 “How is your English?” “Not bad. It _____ (improve) slowly.”
 Ron is in London at the moment. He _____ (stay) at the Park Hotel. He _____
(always/stay) there when he’s in London.
 Can we stop walking soon? I _____ (start) to feel tired.
 “Can you drive?” “I _____ (learn). My father _____ (teach) me.”
 Normally I _____ (finish) work at 5 .00, but this week I _____ (work) until 6.00
to earn a bit more money.

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  My parents _____ (live) in Bristol. They were born there and have never lived
anywhere else. Where _____ (your parents/live)?
 Sonia _____ (look) for a place to live. She _____ (stay) with her sister until she
finds somewhere.
 “What _____ (your father/do) ?” “He’s an architect but he _____ (not/work) at
the moment.”
 (at a party) Usually I _____ (enjoy) parties but I _____ (not/enjoy) this one very
much.
 The train is never late. It _____ (always/leave) on time.
 Jim is very untidy. He _____ (always/leave) his things all over the place.

6. Finish B’s sentences. Use always –ing.

 A: I’m afraid I’ve lost my key again.
B: Not again! ___________________
 A: The car has broken down again.
B: That car is useless! It __________
 A: Look! You’ve made the same mistake again.
B: Oh no, not again! I _____________
 A: Oh, I’ve left the lights on again.
B: Typical! You ___________________

7. Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the verbs that are wrong.
 I’m seeing the manager tomorrow morning.
 I’m feeling hungry. Is there anything to eat?
 Are you believing in God?
 This sauce is great. It’s tasting really good.
 I am thinking this is your key. Am I right?

8. Put the verb into the correct form, present simple or present continuous.
 Are you hungry? _____ something to eat? (you/want)
 Jill is interested in politics but she _____ to a political party.(not/belong)
 Don’t put the dictionary away. I _____ it. (use)
 Don’t put the dictionary away. I _____ it. (need)
 Who’s that man? What _____ ? (he/want)
 Who’s that man? Why _____ at us? (he/look)
 George says he’s 80 years old but nobody _____ him. (believe)
 She told me her name but I _____it now. (not/remember)
 I _____ of selling my car. (think) Would you be interested in buying it?
 I _____ you should sell your car. (think) You _____ it very often. (not/use)
 I used to drink a lot of coffee but these days I _____ tea. (prefer)
 Air _____ mainly of nitrogen and oxygen. (consist)

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Practice Activities

Windows
Work as a class. Imagine that you are looking out of the window. Make three
or four present progressive sentences about what is happening as you watch
from the window.

Personal profile questionnaires

Work as a class. You are going to find out as much as you can about other
people in the class by writing questions for a personal profile questionnaire.
Choose five headings and think of one question for each of them using the
present progressive or present simple. Here are some ideas for headings:
LIKES AND LOVES (DO YOU LIKE SPICY FOOD?);
OPTIMIST OR PESSIMIST? (DO YOU USUALLY DO BETTER IN TESTS
THAN YOU EXPECT TO?);
PERFECT PARTNER;
IDEAL EVENING OUT;
FAVOURITE PEOPLE;
HAPPY OR UNHAPPY;
FAVOURITE BOOKS, MAGAZINES AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES;
HATES;
DO YOU AGREE THAT
In pairs, write more present simple and present progressive questions under
each heading you have chosen, to make a personal profile questionnaire.

Change partners and ask your new partner the questions from your personal
profile questionnaire.

Test
1. Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets in the present progressive or
present simple.
 Please be quiet. I _____ (try) to read the paper.
 This is a very quiet town. Where _____ (people/go) in the evenings?
 I _____ (work) in a factory until I can find a better job.
 What _____ (you/do) with all that paper and glue?
 I _____ (not/use) the computer at the moment so you can use it.
 _____ (Karen and John/ever/write) to you?

2. Choose state verbs from the list to complete the sentences. Use each verb once.
smell, hate, know, like, remember
 She always _____ my birthday.
 Those flowers _____ nice. What are they?
 Jane is repairing the car. She _____ how to do it.

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  I _____ (not) him, I just _____ (not) him very much at the moment.
 _____ you _____ how to say this in French?

3. Present progressive or present simple in context. Put in the right form of the verb in
brackets.
LAURA Hello, George! What 1 _____ (you/do) these days?
GEORGE Hi, Laura! I 2 _____ (learn) French and Spanish at college. What about
you?
LAURA Me? Oh, I 3 _____ (work) at a Travel Agency until August.
GEORGE 4 ____ (you/like) it?
LAURA Yes, I do. They 5 _____ (give) me quite a good training. I 6 ______ (work) in
the shop most mornings, and three afternoons a week the manager 7 _____
(tell) me about the travel business. I 8 _____ (work) quite long hours.
I 9 _____ (not/get) home until six, but I 10 _____ (prefer) that to not
having enough to do.
GEORGE Yes, I 11 _____ (work) hard too at the moment. It 12 _____ (become) more
and more difficult to get a job using languages. They 13 _____ (ask) for
higher and higher exam grades all the time.
LAURA You can do it, George. You 14 _____ (be) clever.
GEORGE Thanks, Laura.

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: the present simple or the present
continuous.
 Britain _____ (have) an election at least once every four years.
 I _____ (negotiate) a new pay deal with my boss at the moment.
 It _____ (rain) every time I _____ (leave) my umbrella at home.
 Please sit down! I _____ (try) to watch this TV programme.
 American football _____ (become) very popular in England.
 Robert never _____ (go) abroad for his holidays. It’s too expensive.
 Many of the world’s natural resources _____ (disappear).
 Rain _____ (fall) very heavily in Bombay during June and July.
 My parents are in America on holidays. They _____ (stay) near San-
Francisco.
 The traffic _____ (move) very slowly on the motorway today. Workmen
_____ (repair) the road.

5. Choose the correct answer. A or B.

 _____ skiing in the French Alps every year.
A We go B We’re going
 _____ one of Agatha Christie’s books at the moment.
A I read B I’m reading
 Some modern cars _____ on unleaded petrol.
A run B are running
 The St Lawrence River _____ into the North Atlantic.
A flows B is flowing
 “Where is the cat?” “_____ on the sofa.
A It lies B It’s lying
 Drive carefully. _____ heavily this morning.
A It snows B It’s snowing
 Be careful! The ladder _____ down.
A falls B is falling

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Adamson, D. Practise your Tenses. Longman, 2001.
2. Beaumont, D., Granger, C. English Grammar. Heinemann, 2004.
3. Dean, M. English Grammar Lessons. O.U.P., 2004.
4. Dooley, J., Evans, V. Grammarway 3. Express Publishing, 2004.
5. Dooley, J., Evans, V. Grammarway 4. Express Publishing, 2004.
6. Murphy, R. English Grammar in Use. C.U.P., 2001.

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