Present Continuous (Progressive) for Beginners

Read the following interview using the present continuous (progressive) tense On the telephone Tracy: Hello, can I speak to Alex. Alex: This is Alex, who is speaking? Tracy: Hi, this is Tracy. Alex: Hi Tracy. What are you doing? Tracy: Oh, I'm just watching TV. What are you doing? Alex: Well, I'm cooking dinner. Tracy: What are you cooking? Alex: I'm baking some potatoes, boiling some carrots and grilling a steak. Tracy: It sounds delicious. Alex: What are you doing for dinner tonight? Tracy: Well, I don't have any plans... Alex: Would you like to come over for dinner? Tracy: Oh, I'd love to. Thanks. Alex: Great. Mary and Jack are also coming. They are arriving at seven. Tracy: OK, I'll be there at seven, too. Alex: OK, see you then. Bye. Tracy: Bye. Take a look at the following conjugation chart. Notice from the above dialogue and following chart that the present continuous (progressive) is used to describe what is happening at the moment. It is also used to describe a plan in the near future (this evening, next week, on Saturday, etc.). The present continuous (progressive) is often used with: now, at the moment, today, this morning - afternoon - evening. IMPORTANT NOTES: The present continuous (progressive) is used only with action verbs. Example: I am working at the moment NOT I am believing you. The present continuous (progressive) is also used to describe an action which is happening around this moment: Example: I'm reading 'Just in Time' this week. I'm not reading the book at this particular moment, but around this time. Examples What are you cooking? Tom is studying for his exams at the moment. It isn't raining now. We can go outside. Usage Actions happening at the present moment.

What are you doing this weekend? I'm meeting Peter Planned future events tomorrow morning. (usually in the near future) We're driving to Albany this weekend.

We're currently working on the Smith account. What classes are you Actions or events happening taking this semester? around the present moment. We're studying Greek history this month. Structure In the positive form, follow the form S + To be + Verb + -ing. Remember that you need to conjugate the auxiliary verb 'to be'. I am (I'm) You are (You're) He, She, It is (He's, She's, It's) We, You, They are (We're, You're, They're)

eating lunch

at noon.

Conjugate the helping verb 'To Be' + Not + Verb + ing to form negatives. I am not (I'm not) You are not (You aren't) He, She, It is not (He, She, It this coming isn't evening. We, You, They are not (We, You, They aren't) Conjugate the helping verb 'To Be' + S + Verb + - ing in question forms. Are you we they he she it listening to me?

Is

listening to me?

Write the correct form of each sentence or question in the present continuous (progressive). Click on the arrow to see the answer. He We They I What Where (read) a book at the moment. (visit) our friends this evening. on the Brown account this month. (not/watch)TV, I (you do) this evening? (she/stay)? (work)!

Write some sentences to describe what you and your friends are doing now, tonight and currently (around this moment)!

Important Adjectives
An adjective describes how something 'is'. For this reason, we usually use the verb 'to be' when using adjectives. Adjectives are used to describe nouns. Example: He is a good doctor. Rule: Adjectives describe nouns. The adjective is always invariable. Example: beautiful trees, they are happy Be careful! Adjectives don't have a singular and plural form OR a masculine, femine and neuter form. Adjectives are always the same! Never add a final -s to an adjective. Adjectives can also be placed at the end of a sentence if they describe the subject of a sentence. Example: My doctor is excellent.

NOT!!: difficults books Rule: Adjectives are placed before the noun. Example: a wonderful book very interesting people Be careful! Don't place an adjective after the noun

NOT!!: an apple red Match the following adjectives from the list to the adjective opposite in meaning Example: old - new. When you have finished, click on the arrow to check your answers. difficult, horrible, tall, wrong, hot, cheap, big, young, fast, bad, boring, safe, dirty, quiet, friendly, careful careless wonderful easy interesting clean unfriendly expensive good slow right

 short

dangerous noisy cold old small

Basic Prepositions: Time and Place - at, in, on and to

Read the story below: I was born in Seattle, Washington on the 19th of April in 1961. Seattle is in the State of Washington in the United States. That was many years ago... Now, I live in Leghorn in Italy. I work at the British School. I sometimes go to a movie on the weekend. I meet my friends at the movie theater at 8 o'clock or later. In the summer, usually in August, I go home to visit my family in America. My family and I go to the beach and relax in the sun in the morning and in the afternoon! In the evening, we often eat at a restaurant with our friends. Sometimes, we go to a bar at night. Look at the chart below: We use in with months - in May seasons - in winter country - in Greece city or town names - in New York times of the day - in the morning, afternoon or evening BUT at night! We use "on" with specific days - on Friday, on New Year's Day, on April the 19th American English - "on the weekend OR on weekends" We use "at" with specific times - at 7 o'clock, at 6.15 at night specific places in a city - at school British English - "at the weekend OR at weekends" We use "to" with verbs which show movement such as go and come - He goes to school. She returned to the store. They are coming to the party tonight.

IN

ON

AT

TO

Fill in the gaps in this paragraph with the prepositions - in, on, at or to. Click on the arrow to see the answer.

Janet was born

Rochester

December 22nd the state of New York classes 8 o'clock.

3 o'clock the

the morning. Rochester is United States. Now, she goes usually arrives the morning

the university> She

weekends, she likes driving house 9 Canada. Her friend lives the evening and leaves

her friend's

Toronto. She usually arrives Sunday morning. night, they July for example,

Saturday, they often meet friends sometimes go they often go a disco. the countryside.

a restaurant. summer,

Write some sentences about your life!

English Listening Quizzes: A Form

You will hear a woman who is asking another woman some questions. Write down the answers to the questions and then click on the arrow to see if you have answered correctly. You will hear the listening twice.

1. What's her name? 2. What's her address? 3. What's her telephone number? 4. What's her date of birth? 5. Where is she from? 6. What is her nationality?

English Listening Quizzes: A Survey - 1

You will hear a man asking a woman questions for a survey. Write down the answers to the questions he asks. You will hear the listening twice. After you have finished, click on the arrow to see if you have answered the questions correctly.

1. How long will the survey take? 2. Does she have a TV? 3. What is her name? 4. What's her address? 5. What's her telephone number? 6. Where is she from? 7. Where was she born? 8. Where does she live now? 9. When was she born? 10. Is she married? 11. What does she do? 12. Where does she work?