Lesson 11

Grammar
Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense is used for the following
Usage Example
To show an action being done at that moment
To show a future action
To show a habitual action. It is used with words
like ‘always’, ‘after’, ‘constantly’, ‘frequently’,
‘continually’
To refer to an action that is repeated many times
 Jack is washing the car.
 Mother is cooking dinner now.
 Rita is playing tennis this evening.
 Sean is leaving for Taiwan tomorrow.
 She is looking after the baby.
 My mother is always scolding the maid.
 Ain is frequently changing the curtains.
 My dog is always barking at the
neighbour.

Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the simple present tense or the present continuous tense of the verb in the brackets.
1 Monica (sleep) at 11 p.m.
2 We (clean) the drain at the moment.
3 Michael (look) after his sister.
4 Father (paint) the house every five years.
5 Mother says that she (get) older.
6 My uncle (do) well as a salesman.
7 The cheap sale (attract) a large crowd.
8 The rangers (search) for the lost tourist.
9 Annie (enjoy) baking.
10 They (play) football every evening.
11 Peter (write) an essay now
12 There has been no rain. The water in the river (dry) up.

Grammar errors

Read the text below and correct the underlined errors.

The construction on the Great Wall of China (0) begun in 475 BC. Numerous small walls were
(1) constructs during the reign of various Chinese emperors. (2) Moreover, during the Ming Dynasty,
between 1368 AD and 1644 AD, (3) rebuilt was carried out and watchtowers and cannons were (4)
addition. As a result, the small walls no longer exist. In the first part of construction, workers (5)
using stone, earth and wood. During (6) a Ming Dynasty, bricks, tiles and limestone were used.
According to past records, it (7) taken more than 300,000 soldiers (8) but 500,000 commoners to
build this 6300-km long structure making it the longest structure ever built (9) with humans. Many
workers lost their lives building this wall. The (10) high part of the wall is about 26 feet while the
wildest part is about 30 feet.

Answer
(0) began

1 3 5 7 9
2 4 6 8 10

Revision
Complete the dialogue with the Past Simple of the verbs in brackets.
Marion Hi, Amanda. Wow! I (1 don’t know) you (2 have) a new laptop.
Amanda I (3 buy) it last Friday.
Marion It looks pretty cool.
Amanda Thanks
Marion What’s wrong? You don’t look very excited about it.
Amanda Well yesterday, I (4 decide) to download the latest software updates for it. So, (5
search) the internet and (6 find) all the software I (7 need).
Marion (8 you/install) it?
Amanda Yes, and that’s when my nightmare (9 start)! Now my laptop is full of viruses.
Marion No way! (10 you/call) the Customer Service Department?
Amanda Well, unfortunately they (11 not be) very helpful so now I don’t know what to do.
Marion Oh no.

Answer
1 4 7 10
2 5 8 11
3 6 9 12

Writing
Descriptive composition

Fill in the blanks with suitable words.

It was a sunny day. My brother, Sean and I were on our way home after school. We were both
(1) hungry and could not wait to get home to our mother’s home-cooked lunch. As we passed-by a
(2) stall, we (3) a group of students having lunch there and one of them is my classmate. He called
out to me and invited me to join them for lunch.
My brother and I went to their table for a (4) chat. I could not (5) the nice aroma of nasi lemak.
So, I (6) to join them for lunch. Sean had noticed the flies (7) around the food which was left
uncovered. He warned me against eating at the stall as it looked very (8). However, I was too
hungry and decided to (9) a deaf ear.
That evening, I felt sick and started to (10). I was rushed to the hospital and was (11). The
doctor confirmed that I was suffering from food-poisoning. It took me two days to recover. I (12) for
not listening to my brother’s advice. I promised myself that in future I would be extra careful about
eating at the hawker stall.

Answer
1 4 7 10
2 5 8 11
3 6 9 12

Lesson 12

Grammar

Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense is used for the following

Usage Example

To show an action being done at that moment  Jack is washing the car.
 Mother is cooking dinner now.

To show a future action  Rita is playing tennis this

evening.
 Sean is leaving for Taiwan
tomorrow.

To show a habitual action. It is used with words like ‘always’,  She is looking after the baby.
‘after’, ‘constantly’, ‘frequently’, ‘continually’  My mother is always scolding
the maid.

To refer to an action that is repeated many times  Ain is frequently changing the
curtains.
 My dog is always barking at the
neighbour.
 

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the simple present tense or the present continuous tense of the verb
in the brackets.
1 Monica (sleep) at 11 p.m.  

2 We (clean) the drain at the moment.  

3 Michael (look) after his sister.  

4 Father (paint) the house every five years.  

5 Mother says that she (get) older.  

6 My uncle (do) well as a salesman.  

7 The cheap sale (attract) a large crowd.  

8 The rangers (search) for the lost tourist.  

9 Annie (enjoy) baking.  

10 They (play) football every evening.  

11 Peter (write) an essay now  

12 There has been no rain. The water in the river (dry) up.  

Grammar errors

Read the text below and correct the underlined errors.

         The construction on the Great Wall of China (0) begun in 475 BC. Numerous small walls
were (1) constructs during the reign of various Chinese emperors. (2) Moreover, during the Ming
Dynasty, between 1368 AD and 1644 AD, (3) rebuilt was carried out and watchtowers and cannons
were (4) addition. As a result, the small walls no longer exist. In the first part of construction,
workers (5) using stone, earth and wood. During (6) a Ming Dynasty, bricks, tiles and limestone
were used. According to past records, it (7) taken more than 300,000 soldiers (8) but 500,000
commoners to build this 6300-km long structure making it the longest structure ever built (9) with
humans. Many workers lost their lives building this wall. The (10) high part of the wall is about 26
feet while the wildest part is about 30 feet.

 Answer

(0) began 

1 3 5 7 9

2 4 6 8 10
 

Information transfer

 Malaysia’s National Tree

          The Merbau tree is Malaysia’s National Tree. It was selected as the national tree in 2019 by
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. It is a symbol of national pride due to its hardy nature. It is also a
symbol of the importance of forests to the country’s industries and the economy. These trees grow
in coastal regions forest and they will grow up to a height of 850 metres.

         The Merbau is an indegenious rainforest tree. It has a majestic and hardy appearance. The
bark is pinkish-grey. The roots can grow up to four metres. Merbau leaves reach their lengths of up
to 25 cm. Its flowering shoot is up to 10 cm long, with pale yellowish flowers. The fruits are brown or
black when ripe.

         The Merbau tree is suitable for planting in parks. The bark and leaves are used medicinally
and also to make various brown and yellow dyes. The wood is the main source of the commercial
timber known as merbau. The young seedlings are edible too.

         Today, illegal logging had reduced the species. To prevent the merbau tree from extinction,
new ways of commercial planting needs to be researched and tested especially since this tree is
now our national tree.

 Complete the following table with no more than three words and/or a number from the
text.

Name national tree 1

Tree chosen by 2

Symbol of national pride due to its 3

Type of tree 4

Maximum height of tree 5

Colour of flowers 6

Parts of tree can be used to make 7

Threat of extinction because of 8

Writing
E-mail writing
Read the email from your sister, Mei Lee.

Hi Mei,

How are you? Our brother Jin Han, is about to leave for Australia to further his studies. I’m
thinking of getting him a present. I’m not sure what to get him. I’m thinking of a smart phone, a
laptop or a tablet.

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions?

 Mei Lee