A.

THE PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE

The present continuous is used to talk about present situations which we see as short-term or
temporary. We use the present simple to talk about present situations which we see as long-term or
permanent. In these examples, the action is taking place at the time of speaking.
• It's raining.
• Who is Kate talking to on the phone?
• Look, somebody is trying to steal that man's wallet.
• I'm not looking. My eyes are closed tightly.
In these examples, the action is true at the present time but we don't think it will be true in the long
term.
• I'm looking for a new apartment.
• He's thinking about leaving his job.
• They're considering making an appeal against the judgment.
• Are you getting enough sleep?
In these examples, the action is at a definite point in the future and it has already been arranged.
• I'm meeting her at 6.30.
• They aren't arriving until Tuesday.
• We are having a special dinner at a top restaurant for all the senior managers.
• Isn't he coming to the dinner?

B. THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE

The present simple is used to talk about actions we see as long term or permanent. It is very common
and very important. In these examples, we are talking about regular actions or events.
• I drive to work every day.
• She doesn't come very often.
• The games usually start at 8.00 in the evening.
• What do you usually have for breakfast?
In these examples, we are talking about facts.
• Water freezes at 0° C or 32° F.
• I have three children.
• What does this word mean?
• I don't have any of my original teeth left.
In these examples, we are talking about future facts, usually found in a timetable or a chart.

LESSON THREE – PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE AND PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE 1

 • The plane leaves at 5.00 tomorrow morning.
• Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year.
• Ramadan doesn't begin for another 2 weeks.
• Does the class begin this week or next?
In these examples, we are talking about our thoughts and feelings at the time of speaking. Notice that,
although these feelings can be short-term, we use the present simple and not the present continuous.
• I think you are wrong.
• She doesn't want to do it.
• They don't agree with us.
• Do you understand what I am trying to say.

A. EXERCISE 1 – COMPLETE THE SENTENCES.

1. We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . our friends very often. (not / visit)
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . your homework at night? (you / always / do)
3. When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .? (Diana / usually / get up)
4. I can't go now. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . your dinner. (I / cook)
5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . her teeth at the moment. (she / clean)
6. Ratna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . her mother. (never / help)
7. Excuse me, but . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . on my foot. (you / stand)
8. Where . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .? It's only six o'clock! (you / go)
9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TV in the afternoon? (you / watch)
10. Wahyu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in London. (not / live)
11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . books in your free time? (you / read)
12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to Bali every summer. (we / go)

B. EXERCISE 2 – ASK “YES” AND “NO” QUESTION.

1. Joko gets up at six o'clock. ...................................
2. You like cats. ....................................
3. They live in England. ....................................
4. She watches TV in the evenings. ....................................
5. They help their parents a lot. ....................................
6. Aida goes to school. ....................................
7. Affan works in a bank. ...................................
8. You play football. ....................................

LESSON THREE – PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE AND PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE 2

C. EXERCISE 3 – MAKE SENTENCES USING THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE
1. When / you / finish /work?
2. We / like / football.
3. Dini / often / help / her mother.
4. It / often / rain / in England?
5. They / not / start / school at eight.
6. I / live / in London.
7. They / get up / at five?
8. You / always / go / to bed at eight?
9. He / not / sleep / in the afternoon.
10. Where / Fauzi / work?
D. EXERCISE 4 – MIX AND MATCH
1. Do you get up at ten?
2. Where is Nisa going?
3. Does he work at night?
4. When does Joe go home?
5. Are they writing a letter?
6. Where does your sister work?
7. Are you watching TV?
8. What are you doing?
E. EXERCISE 5 – WRITE NEGATIVE SENTENCES.
1. Their mother collects postcards.
2. You play the guitar.
3. They work in a bank.
4. Wafa likes football.
5. They have breakfast at home.
6. You live in London.
7. They sleep in the afternoon.
8. Your brother starts work at six.
9. Wiwin gets up at six.
10. We have lunch at 12.
LESSON THREE – PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE AND PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE
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....................................
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....................................
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I'm going home.
She's going home.
She works at home.
At half past four.
No, they are sleeping.
No, I'm having dinner.
No, he works in the afternoon.
No, I get up at nine.
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3
F. EXERCISE 6 – COMPLETE THE SENTENCES USING THE PRESENT CONTINOUS
TENSE
1. He . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . He will be here in a moment. (come)
2. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for Huda. He is not in his office. (look)
3. He . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to Nisa about it. (talk)
4. Hurry up. They . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for us. (wait)
5. Oh no. It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . again. (rain)
6. Quiet, I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to the news. (listen)
7. She . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . her e-mail. (check)
8. We are very busy at the moment. We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the budget for next year. (calculate)
9. What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ? (do)

G. EXERCISE 7 – WRITE NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE SENTENCES

1. Can you help me? The printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . working.
2. He is very late. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . waiting any longer. Let’s start without him.
3. I don’t need my umbrella. It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . raining now.
4. Oliver called to apologize. I’m afraid he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . coming.
5. Raw material costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . raising very fast so we must increase our prices.
6. The economic situation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . getting any better and I think next year will be just
as bad.
7. The market is improving. We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . selling more and more of our top of the range
product than before.
8. The production line has stopped. One of the injection machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
working.
9. We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . looking for a new supplier. The last one has become too unreliable.
10. We . . . . . . . . . . . . developing a new range of clothes for the teenage market but for the under
12s.

H. EXERCISE 8 – FIND THE CORRECT ANSWER USING THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE
1. A : What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .? (read)
B : The Wall Street Journal. It’s a very good newspaper.
2. A : How long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .? (stay)
B : Just a couple of days and then I am going back.

LESSON THREE – PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE AND PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE 4

 3. A : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the conference? (enjoy)
B : Yes, very much. It is very interesting.
4. . . . . . . . Marry still . . . . . . . . . . . . in Human Resources? I know she’s only there on a
temporary basis. (work)
5. A : Who . . . . . . . . . is Andy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . with? (deal)
B : He is dealing with John Martin from Trans TV.
6. A : Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for? (wait)
B : Mark. He will be here in a minute and then we can start.
7. A : Why . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the presentation? (give)
B : Because you are the best person to give it.
8. A : Where . . . . . . . . Helen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .? I need to call her at her hotel. (stay)
9. A : Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna while she is on holiday? (replace)
B : Maria, I think.

I. EXERCISE 9 – MIX AND MATCH

1. We are losing a lot of - a few problems at the moment.
2. His new CD is - Everybody can hear him.
3. I am afraid the market is - selling very well at the moment.
4. Why is he shouting? - They are talking about his work.
5. We are reorganizing - I am still working on it
6. We are having - He is just making a quick call.
7. He’ll be with you in a moment - the distribution network.
8. Look at the weather - shrinking. We’ll have to diversify.
9. Jim is in Eric’s office now. - money on this project.
10. I’m sorry it’s not finished - It’s snowing.

J. EXERCISE 10 – PUT IN ORDER

1. do – your – how – check – you – email – often - ?
2. does – bank – time – what – close – the - ?
3. your – sell – products – you – where – do - ?
4. down – it – how – break – often – does - ?
5. do – what – use – you – software - ?
6. does – arrive – when – mail – the - ?
7. you – what – don’t – understand -?

LESSON THREE – PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE AND PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE 5

 8. sales – does – working – in – Gareth – like - ?
9. how – hours – do – many – work – you -?

K. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES USING THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE

1. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to the dentist often enough. I must go more often. (not, go)
2. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to Paris once a week. Usually to London. (go)
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . they work on Sundays?
4. Aditya . . . . . . . . . . . . home at 7 or 8 o’clock quite often. (go)
5. Maria . . . . . . . . . . . . . very hard. She’s our employee of the month. (work)
6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gladis go to Cairo every year?
7. Rosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . out for lunch very often. Usually she has a sandwich. (not, go)
8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . she work in Human Resources?
9. This machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . very well. We have a lot of problems. (not, work)
10. We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . with any American distributors, only one in Canada. (not, work).

L. EXERCISE 11
1. Alex? I think he is smoking - a cigarette outside
2. Cigarettes? No, Gary smokes - is dealing with it
3. The other team is working on - deals with unpaid invoices
4. They work - stay there
5. The Radisson is the best. I often - a new type of packaging.
6. If you want to call him, he’s - with a few local suppliers
7. Sandra never - staying at The Hilton.
8. The Foster contract? Bob - cigars

M. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

1. Every Monday, Rohmat (drive) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . his kids to football practice.
2. Usually, I (work) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Arabic at a language school in Cairo. That is why I am in Cairo.
3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! Little Mary (sleep) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LESSON THREE – PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE AND PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE 6

 6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . because everybody (talk) . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . so loudly.
7. Justin (write, currently) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he
can find a good publisher when he is finished.
8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?
Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to a movie tonight with some
friends.
9. The business cards (be, normally) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . printed by a company in New York.
Their prices (be) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.
10. This delicious chocolate (be) . . . . . . . . . made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.

N. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER

1. I always. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my best.
a. try b. am trying
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to me?
a. Are you talking b. Do you talk
3. I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to the mountains this weekend.
a. Go b. am going
4. What time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lunch?
a. do you normally eat b. are you normally eating
5. I have to go to bed early tonight because my train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at 6:00 AM tomorrow
morning.
a. is leaving b. leaves
6. We normally eat lunch at noon, but today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at 1.
a. we're eating b. we eat
7. I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the flu.
a. have b. am having
8. P1: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a good time? P2: Yes, I'm really enjoying this.
a. Are you having b. Do you have
9. We normally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . breakfast at 7:00 AM every morning.
a. eat b. are eating
10. Don't talk so loudly. Brian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to sleep.
a. tries b. is trying

LESSON THREE – PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE AND PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE 7