PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS EXAM.

1. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in the box below. Make contractions where
possible.

listen (x2) wear think(x2) do speak never wear

think watch have leave

a) In Johannesburg most people ___________________________ at least five languages.

b) Languages _____________________ very fast. Half of the world's languages will disappear by
2100.
c) You can't see Tim now; he ____________________ a bath.
d) Please keep quiet, I ________________ to the radio. You know I__________________ to the
news in the morning.
e) What time_________ the first train____________ ?
f) I __________________ a scarf, but today _________________ one because it's unusually
cold.
g) I finished watching the series you recommended. Now I ___________________ another one.
h) What _________________________ tonight? Would you like to come and watch the game?
i) Nobody ______________________ they will win the match.
j) You look worried. What _________________________ ?

2. Why did you choose present simple or present continuous in the sentences in activity 1? Write
down the use of each of them.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
3. Fill in the gaps with the verbs in brackets in the present simple or present continuous.

Rainforests 1 _________________________ (disappear), and we all 2 _________________________

(know) that humans are the main cause of this destruction. Every year
we 3 _________________________ (cut down) an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey. Every
hour we 4 _________________________ (destroy) 6000 acres of rainforest (that’s 4000 football
fields). What we 5 _________________________ (not realise) is that
we 6 _________________________ (destroy) the planet where our children and grandchildren have
to live. We 7 _________________________ (need) the rainforests;
they 8 _________________________ (produce) oxygen and 9 _________________________
(eliminate) carbon dioxide (C02), cleaning the atmosphere.
But why 10 _________________________ (the forests/disappear) so quickly? Well,
experts 11 _________________________ (agree) that there are two main reasons. The most
important is human activity. Big companies 12 _________________________ (cut down) more and
more trees every day and this 13 _________________________ (cause) damage to the land. The way
of life in the rainforests 14 _________________________ (also/change) because of climate change.
Now there is less rain and this 15 _________________________ (cause) more and more trees to die.
As a consequence of the droughts, the risk of fires 16 _________________________ (increase)
dramatically.
Fortunately, it 17 _________________________ (seem) that now some
governments 18 _________________________ (begin) to understand the problem, and
they 19 _________________________ (try) to control these activities. Some of them
really 20 _________________________ (want) to put an end to this problem, although a few big
companies with a lot of power are in their way.
ANSWER KEY.
Activities 1 and 2:
1In Johannesburg most people speak at least five languages.
We use the present simple for permanent situations or things that are usually or often true.

2Languages are disappearing very fast. Half of world's languages will disappear by 2100.
We use the present continuous to talk about situations that are changing or developing.

3You can't see Tim now; he 's having a bath.

We use the present continuous for actions in progress now or 'around now'.
The verb have is a non-action verb only when it means 'to own' 'to possess'. It is a dynamic or action
verb with other meanings: have a nap, have a shower, have dinner, etc.

4Please keep quiet, I 'm listening to the radio. You know I listen to the news in the mornings.
We use present progressive for actions in progress now or 'around now' (I'm listening now).
We use present simple for habits; for actions that we do (o we don’t do) regularly (I listen in the
mornings).

5What time does the first train leave ?

We use the present simple to refer to future events which are timetabled.

6I never wear a scarf, but today I 'm wearing one because it's unusually cold.
We use present simple for habits (I never wear).
We use the present continuous for actions in progress now or 'around now' (today I'm wearing).

7I finished watching the series you recommended. Now I 'm watching another one.
We use the present progressive to talk about temporary actions or events that are going on
'around now' (maybe not at the moment of speaking, but these days, weeks, etc.). I'm not watching
the series right now, as I am speaking, but I'm watching it these days.

8What are you doing tonight? Would you like to come and watch the game?
We use the present continuous to talk or ask about future arrangements, i.e. future actions that are
already planned or decided.

9Nobody thinks they will win the match.

We use the present simple and not progressive with stative or non-action verbs.
Think is a non-action verb when it means 'believe', 'be someone's opinion'.

10You look worried. What are you thinking ?

Think is a stative verb when it means 'believe', but it's a dynamic verb when it refers to the mental
process of thinking.
ANSWER KEY.
Activity 3
1 are disappearing
We use the present continuous to talk about situations that are changing or developing.
2 know
Know is a stative verb. It is not used in progressive forms.
3 cut down
4 destroy
We use the present simple to talk about things that happen regularly or repeatedly.
5 don't realise
Realise is a stative verb.
6 are destroying
We use the present continuous for actions in progress now or ‘around now’.
7 : need
Need is a stative verb.
8 produce
9 eliminate
We use the present simple for permanent situations or things that happen regularly, repeatedly or
all the time.
10 are the forests disappearing
We use the present continuous to talk about situations that are changing or developing, or also
for actions in progress now or ‘around now’.
11 agree
Agree is a stative verb.
12 are cutting down
We use the present continuous to talk about situations that are changing or developing. It's usual
to find the present continuous with comparative phrases like more and more or less and less.
13 is causing
14 is also changing
15 is causing
16 is increasing
We use the present continuous to talk about situations that are changing or developing, or also
for actions in progress now or ‘around now’.
17 seems
Seem is a stative verb.
18 are beginning
19 are trying
We use the present progressive to talk about temporary actions or events that are going on now or
‘around now
20 : want
Want is a stative verb.