GRAMMAR REVIEW 1 PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS,

PRESENT PERFECT, PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS.

PART 1. PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS.
Prеsent simpIe: - Wе usе thе prеsеnt simplе to dеsсribе:
meaning + Habitual aсtions.
I usuаllу get up at 7.З0.
+ Aсtions and situations that are gеnеrally or usually truе:
Liz plауs in the sсhool bаsketbаll teаm.
We like iсe-сreаm.
+ Faсts whiсh arе always truе:
The sun rises in thе eаst.
+ Thе prеsеnt simplе also has somе futurе mеanings:
The train to London leaves at 2 p.m tomorrow.
Presеnt simple: - Vеrbs whiсh еnd in /z/, /dz/, /s/, /sh/, /tsh/ and /ks/ makе an еxtтa
pronunсiation syllablе in thе third pегson, pгonounсе /iz/.
wаtсhеs misses relахes
- Аftеr /f /, /k/, /p/, /t/, third pelson sound is /s/.
Othеr third pеrson /s/ are pronounсеd as /z/
Does is normally pronounсеd /dʌz/
Present сontinuous: - Тhе prеsеnt сontinuous is formеd with thе auxiliary vеrb be and the
form -ing form of thе main vеrb.
I аm relахing You аre relахing He/She is relахiпg.
Wе аre relахing They аre relахiпg
- Spеlling problеms:
+ Vеrbs еnding /-e/ :
like -> liking decide -> deciding write -> writiпg
+ Vеrbs with onе syllablе, еnding in onе vowеl and onе сonsonant,
doublе thе сonsonant whеn thеy add -ing.
Sit -> sitting swim -> swimmiпg dig -> diggiпg
+ Vеrbs еnding -ie сhangе -ie to -y.
lie -> lуing tie -> tyiпg die -> dуing
Presеnt - Wе usе the prеsеnt сontinuous to dеsсribе:
сontinuous: + Aсtions in progrеss at thе prеsеnt momеnt.
mеaning Sorry, I саn,t speаk to you, I’m wаshing mу hаir.
+ Aсtions happеning ,around now,, еvеn though not at thе momеnt of
spеaking.
I’m reаdiпg The Lord of thе Rings.
Thе prеsеnt сontinuous also has some futurе mеanings.
She’s leaving for Paris tomorrow.
Exercises:
I. Underline the most suitable verb form in each sentence.
a) What sort of work do you do/are you doing?
b) I can't talk now. I cook/I'm cooking the dinner.
c) What shall we have? Do you like/Are you liking fish?
d) Can I borrow this typewriter? Or do you use/are you using it?
e) What do the people here do/are the people here doing in the evenings?
f) Follow that bus. Then you turn/are turning left.
g) A lot of people think that the Sun goes/is going around the Earth.
h) Excuse me, do you read/are you reading your newspaper? Could I borrow it?
i) Do you wait/Are you waiting for the bus to Newcastle?
j) Andy builds/is building his own house in the country.
II. Put each verb in brackets into either the present simple or the present continuous.
a) There's nobody here, and the door's locked. What (we do) ….do we do... now!
b) What (you look) ……………………….. at? (I wear) …………………………. the wrong clothes?
c) I (look after) ……………………….. Jack's dog this weekend. (you want) ……………………… to
take it for a walk?
d) Who (drive) …………………….. the Mercedes that's parked outside?
e) I (still have) ………………….. a pain in my leg but it (get) ………………… better.
f) Who (Sue dance) …………………………. with? That's not her brother, is it?
g) Harry always (look) ………………….. untidy! He (wear) …………………… dirty jeans.
h) I (write) ……………………… in reply to your advertisement in the Daily News.
i) That plant I bought (not grow) ……………………. very much. And I (water) ………………….. it
every day.
j) Which hotel (you stay) ………………………… in when you (come) …………………….. here?
III. Put the verbs in the brackets in the appropriate form.
1. I (write) …………to my parents now, I (write) ……………to them every weekend.
2. Usually, I (read) ……………2 newspapers, but not the same one every day. On Sundays, I (buy)
………………four or five.
3. I can't (swim) ………………., so I shouldn’t (run) ……………..too far from the shore.
4. I haven't got a car at the moment, so I (go) ……………….. to work on the bus this week. Usually I
(drive) …………………………..to work.
5. She is very interested in (read) ………………….………..books.
6. Please be quiet ! I (try) …………………………..…..to concentrate.
7. Look ! it (snow) …………………………..
8. The sun (rise) …………………..………….in the east.
9. (You go) ……………………………………..to the party tonight?
10. Let’s (go) ………………………………….. to the zoo.
11. Hurry! The bus (come) ………………..I don’t want to miss it.
12. You can borrow my umbrella. I (not/ need) …………….it at the moment.
13. How about (go) …………………….on foot?
14. He (want) …………….(be) ……………….a doctor.
15. Why we (not, go) ……………………………… to the cinema?
16. Look! Jane …………… (sing) again. She often …………….. (sing) this song.
17. My father ………………………(have) a lot of work to do every weekend.
18. The girls ……….. ………………….. (not / talk) now. All of them ………..………………. (watch) a
film.
19. (You/ like) ……………………………….. watching TV?
20. He …….. (usually / go) at 9:00 o’clock, but this morning he ………..………….. (leave) home late.
21. I …………………… (visit) my grandparents every Friday. My sister ………………………. (often /
visit) them.
22. The boys …………….….. (swim) in the pool now but they ………………….. (usually / swim) in
the sea.
23. She ……………….(write) a letter to her pen-friend at the moment.
24. They ……………….... (sometimes / have) lunch at work, but today they ……………………. (have)
at a restaurant.
25. She can’t talk to you. She ………………………………………. (have) a shower.
26. “Where (Alex/ live) ……………………………. ?-“In France.”
27. Tom ……………………………… (like / ride) a horse in his free times.
28. The children ……………………. (play) the piano and …………………… (sing) a song at the
moment.
29. My mother ………………………. (always / cook) in the morning.
30. What …………………………………… (you / usually / do) at weekends?
31. Jane ………………………… (give) a party today because it ……………….……… (be) her
birthday.
32. The lesson …………………… (start) at 9 o’clock every morning. Adam is in his room now. He
…………………………. (write) a letter to his pen-friend. He …………………….. (always / write)
him a letter.
IV. Decide whether the verb form in italics refers to present or future time.
a) Where are you staying on Saturday night? ...future.....
b) George retires at the end of next year ………………….
c) What are we doing when the guests arrive? ……………………
d) I'm trying really hard to understand this book. ………………………..
e) Wait for me here until I get back. …………………….
f) Sue is leaving in the morning. …………………….
g) I'm waiting for the bus. ………………….
h) I'm off now and I'm taking the car. ……………………..
i) They're showing a Woody Allen film on Channel 4 tonight. …………………………..
j) I'm going for a walk this evening. ………………………….
V. Rewrite each sentence. Use a verb from the box to replace the words in italics.
be cost feel have see smell taste have think of have
a) This flower has a wonderful perfume. -> the flower smells wonderful.
b) I think you are behaving in a very silly way. -> ……………………………………………
c) She is expecting a baby in the summer. -> ……………………………………………
d) Nancy is considering moving to Scotland. -> ……………………………………………
e) Don't go in. They are holding a meeting. -> ……………………………………………
f) I am meeting Janet this evening actually. -> …………………………………………….
g) Good clothes are becoming more and more expensive. -> ………………………………………….
h) I am trying the soup to see if it needs more salt. -> ……………………………………………..
i) Helen is taking a bath at the moment. -> …………………………………………….
j) I think that you would be happier in another job. -> …………………………………………….
VI. Put each verb in brackets into either the present simple or the present continuous.
Dear Aunt Jean,
I (1) ...am just writing. (just write) how to tell you how much I (2) (appreciate) ……………………. the
money you sent me, and to tell you how I (3) (get on) ………………… in my first term at university
Actually I (4) (really enjoy) …………….. myself! I (5) (study)………………. quite hard as well, but at
the moment I (6) (spend) ………………… a lot of time just making friends. I (7) (still stay)
……………….. with my friend Sue, and I (8) (look for) …………….. somewhere of my own to live.
Only a few of the first-year students (9) (live) ………………. in college here, and I (10) (seem)
………………… to be spending a lot of time travelling backwards and forwards. I (11) (go)
…………………to lectures every morning, and most afternoons I (12) (study) …………….. in the
library. In fact I (13) (write) ………….. this letter instead of an essay on Hamletl I (14) (think)
…………….. I'll buy some new clothes with the money you sent. Everything (15) (cost) …………….. a
lot here, and I (16) (save) ……………….. to buy a winter coat. It (17) (get) ……………….. really cold
here in the evenings. I now (18) (know) ……………. some other students and generally speaking we
(19) (have) …………… quite a good time socially! I (20) (also learn)………….. to drive. See you soon.
Katherine
VII. Put each verb in brackets into the present simple or present continuous.
I work in a large office with about thirty other people, most of whom I (1)…………….. (know) quite
well. We (2) ………………….(spend) most of the day together, so we have all become friends. In fact,
most of my colleagues are so interesting, that I (3) …………… (think) of writing a book about them!
(4) ……………… (take) Helen Watson, for example. Helen (5) ………………… (run) the accounts
department. At the moment she (6) …………….. (go out) with Keith Ballantine, one of the sales
representatives, and they (7) ………….. (seem) very happy together. But everyone - except Helen
apparently - (8) …………….. (know) that Keith (9) ……………(fancy) Susan Porter. But I (10)
……………….. (happen) to know that Susan (11) ……………… (dislike) Keith. 'I can't stand people
who never (12) ………………. (stop) apologising all the time!' she told me. 'And besides, I know he
(13)………………(deceive) poor Helen. He (14) ……………….(see) Betty Wills from the overseas
department.' And plenty of other interesting things (15) ……………….(currently/go on). For instance,
every week we (16) …………………. (experience) more and more problems with theft - personal
belongings and even money have been stolen. When you (17) ……………….. (realize) that someone in
your office is a thief, it (18) ………………….. (upset) you at first. But I (19) ……………….. (also/try) to
catch whoever it is before the police are called in. I'm not going to tell you who I (20) ……………..
(suspect). Well, not yet anyway!

PART II. PRESENT PERFECT, PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS.

Past simple Past continuous
I. Form: I. Form:
+) I played football yesterday. +) I was playing football at 3 p.m yesterday.
She ate lots of oysters in the party. They were eating some oysters at the party then.
-) I didn’t play football yesterday. -) I wasn’t playing football at 3 p.m yesterday.
She didn’t eat oysters in the party. They weren’t eating oysters at the party then.
?) Did you play football yesterday? ?) Was he playing football at 3 p.m yesterday?
Did she eat oysters in the party? Were they eating oysters at the party then?
II. Use: Past Simple describes an action II. Use: Past Continuous describes an action that
that happened at a definite time in the was on progress at an exact time in the past.
past.
III. Past continuous used with past simple:
- We often use the past continuous first to set the scene, and then the past simple for the
separate, completed actions that happen.
E.g: Susan was looking for Graham, so she didn't sit down. Instead, she tried calling him on her
mobile phone.
- We often contrast an action in progress with a sudden event which interrupts it.
E.g: While Susan was trying to get onto the platform, a man grabbed her handbag.
 PRESENT PERFECT AND PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS.

1. Form:

2. Use:
1. Present perfect describes an experience. 1. Present Perfect Continuous describes duration
from the Past Until Now.
E.g: I have ever travelled to Africa and
E.g: You have been waiting here for two hours.
really seen the Third World.
2. Present perfect describes changes over
time.
E.g: You have grown since the last time I
saw you.
3. Present perfect describes an
uncompleted action you are expecting.
E.g: Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but
she can communicate.
4. Present perfect describes multiple
Actions at Different Times.
E.g: The army has attacked that city five
times.

I. Put the verbs in Past Simple or Past Continuous.

1. I ________________ (call) Mr Wilson at 9 last night, but he (not be) _________________at home. He
(study) _______________ at the library
2. I ________________ (not hear) the thunder during the storm last night because I ________ (sleep).
3. It was beautiful yesterday when we went for a walk in the park. The sun______________(shine). The
birds _____________(sing).
4. My brother and sister ___________ (talk) about something when I ____________ (walk) into the room.
5. Tom went to his friends ‘house, but the boys ________ (not be) there. They (play) _____________soccer
in the vacant lot down the street.
6. The little boy _______________ (fall) asleep while his mother_______________ (read) him a story.
7. I really enjoyed my holiday last January. While it_______________ (snow) in Iowa, the sun
______________ (shine) in Florida.
8. While Ted _______________ (shovel) snow from his driveway yesterday, his wife _________________
(bring) him a cup of hot chocolate.
9. John _________________ (have) a car accident last week. He __________________ (drive) down the
street when suddenly a lorry __________________ (hit) his car from behind.
10. Ten years ago, the government _______________ (decide) to begin a food programme. At that time,
many people in the rural areas _______________ (starve) due to several years of drought.
11. They ___________________(wait) for me when I _________________ at the station (arrive)
12. She ________________ (swim) in the sea when I ___________________ her (see)
13. _________________they___________(play) tennis when it _________________ raining (start)?
14. We ________________ (drive) home from the theatre when the police _____________ (stop) us.
15. The wind ________________ (blow) very hard when I ________________(go) out this morning.
II. Complete the story using the Past Simple or the Past Progressive on the verbs in brackets.
Last weekend my brother Quentin and I (1-go)…………………. on a day trip to the forest near
our town. While we (2-walk) …………………, we (3-see) ………………… a small lake and (4-stop) to
have lunch there. We were hungry!
We (5-eat) ………………… our sandwiches when suddenly it (6-start) ………………… raining.
Unfortunately, Quentin and I (7-not have) ……………………… umbrellas with us, so we (8-decide)
………… to leave. While we (9-run) ……………… in the rain, I (10-see) ……………… a small house.
Quentin was cold so we (11-go) ………………… into the house. There was nobody there, but it was
nice and tidy.
When the rain (12-stop) ………………, we (13-get) ……………….. up to leave. We (14-close)
………………. the door of the house when a strange man (15-arrive) ……………… We (16-not want)
………… to talk to him so we (17-run) ……… away and (18-not look) …………. back.
III. Put the verbs in the blankets into Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous.
1. Judy: How long (be) …………………. in Canada?
Claude: I (study) ………………….. here for more than three years.
2. I (have) …………… the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.
3. I (love) …………………. chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic."
4. Matt and Sarah (have) ………………….. some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they (go)
……………….. to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.
5. John (work) ………………… for the government since he graduated from Harvard University.
Until recently, he (enjoy) ……………….. his work, but now he is talking about retiring.
6. Lately, I (think) …………………… about changing my career because I (become)
…………………….. dissatisfied with the conditions at my company.
7. I (see) …………… Judy for more than five years and during that time I have (see) ………… many
changes in her personality.
1. It (rain) ………………… all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go to the beach.
2. Sid: Where is Gary?
Sarah: He (study, at the library) ………………. for his German test on Wednesday. In fact, he
(review) …………….. for the test every day for the last week.
3. You look really great! (You, exercise) ……………… at the fitness center ?
4. Frank, where have you been? We (wait) …………………… for you since 1 PM.
5. - Tim: What is that sound? - Nancy: A car alarm (ring) ……………… somewhere down the street.
It (drive) ……………. me crazy - I wish it would stop! It (ring) ……………….. for more than twenty
minutes.