Life

Pre-intermediate Unit 1a
Present simple

Tips and advice for foreign students in the UK

Over 150,000 overseas students live and study in the UK.
Read what some of them think.

oversea=extrangero

Do people in the UK seem friendly? My experience is very positive. British people like meeting people from other countries.
Rosa, Chile

What differences do you notice? People say the English are very punctual but I dont think its true. For example, my physics class never starts on time.
Frank, Switzerland

Presentation
Use the present simple tense to talk about facts (things that are always or currently true): Over 150,000 overseas students live and study in the UK. repeated events and routines: I have a Physics classes every Monday at 9 a.m. It never starts on time! likes/dislikes and opinions: British people like meeting people from other countries. I dont think its true.
Third person (he/she/it) -s: key spelling rules Affirmative
I / You / We / They He / She / It live lives in the UK.

Negative
I / You / We / They He / She / It dont (do not) does not (doesnt) think its true.

You usually use the contracted forms dont/doesnt when speaking and writing informally.
Questions and short answers
Do Does I / you / we / they he / she / it I am. you / we / they are. he / she / it is. do does seem friendly?

You usually add -s: live lives However, there are exceptions: 1 Add -es to verbs ending in -ch, -o, -s, -ss, -sh, and -x: watch watches, go goes 2 Change verbs ending in consonant + y to -i: study studies 3 Do NOT change the ending -y after a vowel: buy buys NOT buies Note also have has See page 233: Spelling rules
4 Practical Grammar 2 1

Yes,

No,

Im not. you / we / they arent. he / she / it isnt.

Where

I / you / we / they he / she / it

come from?

National Geographic Learning

Pre-intermediate Unit 1a
Exercises
1 Complete the sentences with the present simple form of the verbs in the box. catch 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 cost enjoy feel go have live study travel understand

Ricki goes to English lessons twice a week. lives The US President in the White House. We always catch the bus to work at eight in the morning. costs This bicycle over 500. enjoys He playing computer games with his friends. have Most people in France their summer holiday in July and August. study Nigel and Bruce for their exams in the evenings. travels The moon round the Earth at 3,683 kilometres per hour. feel How do you today? Are you better? I dont understand this question. Can you help me?

Complete the interview for a school magazine. Use the present simple form of the verbs in brackets. Then listen and check.

Gabi Teschner, a German exchange student, is spending three months in the USA.
Interviewer: Gabi: Interviewer: Gabi:

do you notice (notice) about students in the USA? What 1 ................................................

........................ (get

They 2

What time We also

4

get up up) very early for school. 3 does school start

................................................. ..............................

(school/start) in Germany?

Interviewer: Gabi:

begin (begin) at eight oclock but in the USA the lasts (last) longer. Also the timetable 6 .......................... doesn't school day 5 .............................. give (not give) much time for breaks and lunch. 7 do you think What .............................. (you think) of American food, Gabi?

Gabi Teschner

like (like) the breakfasts because they are similar to Germany I 8 ..............................
but the school lunch 9 .............................. (not taste) very good. Its always burgers or pizza and fries.

doesn't taste

Interviewer: Gabi: Interviewer: Gabi:

And what 10 .............................. (students do) in their free time?

do stundents do

play (play) Sport is very important in the USA so they 11 ..............................

baseball or football after school.
12

Do you play (you play) these sports in Germany? don't use Yes, Im in a womens football team but we 13 .............................. (not use)
..............................

an oval ball. Our footballs, or soccer balls, are round!

Correct the sentences. Three sentences are correct. 1 2 3 4 5

Everyone has a mobile phone these days. What time does you get up? do I doesnt believe everything in newspapers. don't Do they like meeting people? V The postman bring the letters in the morning. brings

6 7 8 9 10

The children like the cake. V does he go How often does he goes to the gym? It not feel very comfortable. doesn't My sister studys modern languages at university. studies What similarities you see between the two nationalities? do you see
National Geographic Learning

Practical Grammar 2