GRAMMAR:

VERB FORMS
Week 1 – I work, I am working
Talking about things you do every
day
 I go to school every day.
 She usually reads a book after dinner.

Form:
 I, you, we, they + verb  I work
 he, she, it + verb + -s  he works
Spelling difficulties (Appendix 6)
 do and go: verb + -es 
he does, he goes
 verbs ending in -s/-ss/-sh/-ch/x: verb + -es 
he kisses, he washes, he boxes
 verbs ending in -y: -y  -ies 
he hurries, he studies, he tries

 But -ay/-ey/-oy/-uy just get -s 

he plays, he enjoys, he buys
Other uses for this form
 To talk about things that are true in general
 I work at Hogeschool Utrecht.
 I teach English for a living.
 To talk about things that are true all the time
 The earth goes around the sun.
 Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Words related to this form
 Words saying how often you do something
 often, usually, normally, daily, every …, … times a …
Talking about current actions
 He is getting dressed.
 He is looking around.

Form:
 I + am + verb + -ing  I am working
 he, she, it + is + verb + -ing  he is working
 you, we, they + are + verb + -ing  you are
working
Spelling difficulties (Appendix 6)
 Verbs ending in -ie (die, lie, tie): -ie  y 
I am dying, you are lying, he is tying
 Verbs ending in vowel + consonant (stop, plan, rub)
double the consonant 
I am stopping, you are planning, he is rubbing
 verbs ending in -e (hope, dance, smile): leave out -e
I am hoping, you are dancing, he is smiling
More examples
 Current actions
 I am teaching at the moment.
 Limited duration
 I am working at a pizza place this summer.
 Actions around the time of speaking
 She is reading Fifty Shades of Grey.
Words related to this form
 Words indicating a current action:
 (right) now, at the moment, look!, listen!
 Words indicating a period around now:
 today, this week, this year
Comparing the two forms
 Water freezes at 0  It is freezing outside.
degrees Celsius.  It is raining. Let’s
 It rains a lot in the stay in.
Netherlands.  I am living with some
 My parents live in friends until I find a
London. flat.
 He is working very
 He works hard most hard today.
of the time.
Exercise: fill in the correct form
1. Ron is in London at the moment. Heis________
staying (stay) at the Park Hotel.
He (always/ stay)
always
___________
stays there when he is in London.

am starting to feel tired.

2. Can we stop walking soon? I (start)__________

finish
3. Normally I (finish) _________ work at 5.00, but this week I (work)
____________
am working until 6.00 to earn some more money.

is looking (look) for a place to live. She (stay) ___________

4. Sonia __________ is staying
with her sister until she finds somewhere.