PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS EXERCISES

1. Put the verbs into the correct tense (present simple OR present continuous):

Thetrainalways leaves (1: leave) on time.

"What's the matter? Why are you crying (2: cry/you)?"

That's strange. They are not watching (3: not to watch) TV.

He does not speak (4: not to speak) very good English.

Please be quiet! I Am doing (5: do) my homework.

Where do they live (6: live/they)?

Listen! John is playing music! (7: play)

I never Go (8: go) to the swimming pool.

Harold Black's a famous pianist. He __ gives__ (9: give) two or three concerts every
week. He _________travels ___________ (10: travel) a lot and this week he's in New
York. He __is staying__ (11: stay) at an expensive hotel. He's at his hotel now. He
_________is having________ (12: have) his breakfast in the dining−room. He
_______is drinking_______(13: drink) a cup of coffee and he _is reading_(14: read) a
newspaper. Harold's always very busy. He ______plays_______ (15: play) the piano
regularly. He _____practises_____(16: practice) for four hours every day. He __
doesn't go_ (17: go) to bed late and he always ___ gets up ___ (18: get up) early. But he
sometimes ___gets____(19: get) dressed too quickly, and this morning he _______ is
wearing_______(20: wear) one blue sock and one red one!

2. Complete the sentences below using one of the verbs in the box in the correct form.
You may use each verb once only.

play know

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a) I always _____ play_____ tennis on Fridays.
b) He __ is finishing__ his report. He will bring it into the office when it is complete
c) "My parents phoned me this morning. They _ are enjoying__ themselves in the
Seychelles. Champagne every night! In fact, they don't want to leave."
d) We ______ prefer_________to entertain our guests in a local restaurant rather
than the canteen. Although it is expensive, we can talk freely there.
e) I _______ know__________ the answer to your problem. Get a new computer.
f) "Where is John?" "In his office ______ waiting for a____ telephone call."
g) I can't make the meeting tomorrow. I ___ am interviewing___ the applicants for
the sales manager's job.
h) My brother _____ works________ for Shink Inc. which makes bathroom fittings.
i) Who _____ is talking__________ to Bill? Is it the new secretary?
j) The new contract ______ seems__________ fine to me. However, could you just
check it through once more?
3. Highlight the correct form for each verb.

a) Marie-­ Claude isn't a Canadian. I she comes from France.

A. believe
B. ? am believing

b) Look!Junko into the water.

A. ? jumps
B. ? is jumping

c) I you're crazy!
A. ? think
B. ? am thinking

d) Don'tgiveJananycheese.She it!
A. ? hates
B. ? is hating

e) I to Toronto next Thursday. Do you want to come?

A. ? go
B. ? am going

f) Once a week, I to an art class at the college.

A. ? go
B. ? am going

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 g) I lunch in the cafeteria every day.
A. ? have
B. ? am having

h) Salman is rich — he a Mercedes.

A. ? drives
B. ? is driving

i) Youwon'tfindJerryathomerightnow.He in thelibrary.
A. ? studies
B. ? is studying

j) It quite hard — perhaps we shouldn't go out tonight.

A. ? snows
B. ? is snowing

4. Puttheverbinbracketsinthecorrectform(presentsimpleorpresentcontinuous)

Next week, my friends and I __ are going___ (go) camping in the woods. I _am
organizing_ (organize) the food, because I _______ like________(like) cooking. Dave
_____has____(have) a big car with a trailer, so he _____ is planning_____ (plan) the
transportation. Sam ____ is bringing____(bring) the tent — he___ goes___(go)
camping every year, so he ___ has___ (have) a great tent and lots of other equipment.
My wife _____ thinks______(think) we're crazy. She ______ likes_____ (like)
holidays in comfortable hotels, so she ______is taking______(take) a trip to Paris
instead.

5. Present Simple or Continuous? Choose the correct alternative(s) in the sentences 1-­ 8
below.

a) Today she ’s spending/spends time with her grandmother.

b) They usually are going/go to the gym on Sundays.
c) We ’re having/have a barbecue later on. Do you want to come?
d) No, she can’t answer the phone, she has/is having a shower.
e) I always have/am having a coffee before I ’m leaving/leave for work in the
morning.
f) They sometimes fly/are flying to Sweden, but usually they are going/go by boat.
g) Where are you? I ’m sitting/sit outside in the sunshine!
h) He always brings/is bringing a monolingual dictionary to his English class.

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