EXERCISE: The Present Continuous and Present Simple Tenses

Put the verb in brackets in the correct form, either the Present Simple Tense or the Present Continuous Tense.

1. I ---readam reading a very interesting book.
   
2. Joanne ---worksis working eight hours a day.
   
3. Tonight we ---seeare seeing a play at the thereatre.
   
4. Who ---do you speakare you speaking to?
   
5. I ---don't knowam not knowing him very well.
   
6. What will you do if she ---comesis coming late?
   
7. My wife ---prefersis prefering coffee for breakfast.
   
8. What ---do you usually haveare you usually having for breakfast?
   
9. Your train ---leavesis leaving at 17.25 from platform 3.
   
10. What ---does Josephine dois Josephine doing? She's a student.

Answers:

1. I ---readam reading a very interesting book.
   
2. Joanne ---worksis working eight hours a day.
   
3. Tonight we ---seeare seeing a play at the thereatre.
   
4. Who ---do you speakare you speaking to?
   
5. I ---don't knowam not knowing him very well.
   
6. What will you do if she ---comesis coming late?
   
7. My wife ---prefersis prefering coffee for breakfast.
   
8. What ---do you usually haveare you usually having for breakfast?
   
9. Your train ---leavesis leaving at 17.25 from platform 3.
   
10. What ---does Josephine dois Josephine doing? She's a student.

GRAMMAR: The Present Continuous and Present Simple Tenses

Permanent (usual) and Temporary (now, around now) actions. We use the Present Continuous tense to speak about things which are happening now or things which are temporary.I am not working now. I am on holiday. Sally is listening to a new CD. Who are you phoning? The Present Simple tense describes usual, repeated and permanent things - for example, always, usually, often, sometimes, never.I work as an accountant. John doesn't know German. How often do you play tennis? Compare how these two tenses are used.Why are you walking to work? Don't you usually go by bus? I live in Kharkiv, but now I am living in Moscow. Usually we have dinner at 7, but today we are having it at 9.

Some verbs are not normally used in the Continuous Tense. They are called "state" verbs. If you need to practice such verbs, visit English Action and State Verbs page.

Present Continuous and Present Simple to talk about the future.

• We use the Present Continuous Tense for plans and arrangements.What are you doing tonight?
  I'm seeing a very important customer in my office at 4 o'clock.
  We are going to the see for our holiday.
  Where are you staying in Vienna?
  I'm not going anywhere. It is final.
• We use the Present Simple in the conditional clauses after if, when, as soon as, until etc, and when we talk about timetable, schedules, itineraries etc.What will you do if you fail your exam?
  We will wait, until she comes.
  
  My plane takes off at 9.00.
  The President arrives in Norway on 17 September.
  What time does your train leave?

EXERCISE: English Action and State verbs

Choose the correct form of the verb depending on whether in this meaning it is an action or a state verb. If both the Present Continuous and the Present Simple tenses are possible, use the Present Continuous tense.

1.    a) Why are you smelling the soup?
      b) Why do you smell the soup?
   
   
2.    a) She was feeling his arm on her shoulder.
      b) She felt his arm on her shoulder.
   
   
3.    a) Are you having an English dictionary?
      b) Do you have an English dictionary?
   
   
4.    a) What are you thinking about?
      b) What do you think about?
   
   
5.    a) I am feeling much better today.
      b) I feel much better today.
   
   
6.    a) What are you looking at?
      b) What do you look at?
   
   
7.    a) I am not hearing you.
      b) I can't hear you.
   
   
8.    a) What are you thinking of me?
      b) What do you think of me?
   
   
9.    a) I am feeling we should go home now.
      b) I feel we should go home now.
   
   
10.    a) This bread is tasting funny.
       b) This bread tastes funny.

Found via: Electricenglish.

English Action and State verbs

In English language there are verbs that are not normally used in the Continuous Tense, because they describe rather state than an action. They are called state verb (stative verbs, non-progressive verbs). The verbs that can be used in the Continuous Tense are called action verbs (dynamic verbs). Some verbs can be both state and action verbs depending on their meaning. Here are some verbs that are not normally used in the Continuous Tense. like dislike love hate prefer remember forget believe mean seem understand want need know belong own Here are some a few verbs that can be both state and action verbs depending on their meaning. I think you made a mistake. think = believe I am thinking about my mum now. think = mental process I have two cars. have = possess, own I am having my lunch now. have = eat I am seeing my friend tomorrow evening. see = meeting with I see what you mean.See = understand

These English verbs are action verbs, state verbs, or can be both action and state verbs.

enjoy	---actionstateboth		read	---actionstateboth
weigh	---actionstateboth		feel	---actionstateboth
mind	---actionstateboth		prefer	---actionstateboth
smell	---actionstateboth		hear	---actionstateboth
play	---actionstateboth		burn	---actionstateboth
matter	---actionstateboth		measure	---actionstateboth
contain	---actionstateboth		agree	---actionstateboth
look	---actionstateboth		worry	---actionstateboth

Found via: Electricenglish.

EXERCISE: Present continuous

Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Exercise 1: Positive sentences

Example: I (listen) to you.

1. The train to Glasgow (leave) from platform 8.
2. I (begin) to understand the Present Continuous now.
3. Sue (work) tonight.
4. Listen! The telephone (ring).
5. Ms. Johnson (see) a customer at 3 o'clock.

Answers

1. The train to Glasgow ---is leaving (leave) from platform 8.
2. I ---'m beginning (begin) to understand the Present Continuous now.
3. Sue ---is working (work) tonight.
4. Listen! The telephone---'s ringing (ring).
5. Ms. Johnson ---is seeing (see) a customer at 3 o'clock.

Exercise 2: Negative sentences
Example: We the television.

1. My Dad (not have) his lunch now.
2. The kids (not study) tomorrow.
3. It (not rain) today.
4. I (not study) German.
5. We (not go) to Egypt on summer holiday.

Answers

1. My Dad ---isn't having (not have) his lunch now.
2. The kids ---aren't studying (not study) tomorrow.
3. It ---isn't raining (not rain) today.
4. I---'m not studying (not study) German.
5. We ---aren't going (not go) to Egypt on summer holiday.

Exercise 3: Questions sentences

Example: (you listen) to me?

1. (it start) to rain?
2. (Sue study) to become a doctor?
3. (you take) your daughter with you?
4. (the dog play) with the kids?
5. (they come) tonight?

Answers

1. ---Is it starting (it start) to rain?
2. ---Is Sue studying (Sue study) to become a doctor?
3. ---Are you taking (you take) your daughter with you?
4. ---Is the dog playing (the dog play) with the kids?
5. ---Are they coming (they come) tonight?

Exercise 4: Information questions

1. What company (you work) for?
2. What class (they study) in?
3. Who (John shake) hands with?
4. What time (your friends come)?
5. What country (they visit) at the moment?

Answers

1. What company ---are you working (you work) for?
2. What class ---are they studying (they study) in?
3. Who ---is John shaking (John shake) hands with?
4. What time ---are your friends coming (your friends come)?
5. What country ---are they visiting (they visit) at the moment?

EXERCISE: Present Continuous

What uses of the Present Continuous Tense do these sentences have?

• Now
• Around now
• Future

1. I am playing football tonight. 
2. I can't play with you now. I am finishing my homework. 
3. Where are you studying? 
4. What are you doing these days? Working? 
5. Sally is taking a bath. 
6. What are you doing at the weekend? 
7. Peter and Mary are going out. They met at Adam's party last week. 

Answers:
1. Future
2. Now
3. Around now
4. Around now
5. Now
6. Future
7. Around now

GRAMMAR: The Present Continuous Tense

1. We use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about activities happening now.

Examples 
   The kids are watching TV.
   I am sitting down, because I am tired.
   I am not learning German, because this is an English class.
   Who are you writing to?

2. We can also use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about activities happening around now, and not necessarily this very moment.

Examples 
   Sally is studying really hard for her exams this week.
   I am reading a really interesting book now.
   How are you brushing up on your English for the trip?
   We aren't working hard these days.

3. The Present Continuous Tense is also used to talk about activities happening in the near future, especially for planned future events.

Examples 
   I am seeing my dentist on Wednesday.
   Polly is coming for dinner tomorrow.
   Are you doing anything tonight?
   We aren't going on holiday next week.



 Positive Sentences

---

We make the Present Continuous tense with the correct form of the verb to be (am/is/are) and the ing form of the main verb. I 'm playing football. You 're standing up. He 's listening to music. She 's swimming. It 's playing with the ball. We 're going home. They 're running.

Negative Sentences

---

I 'm not playing football. You aren't standing up. He isn't listening to music. She isn't swimming. It isn't playing with the ball. We aren't going home. They aren't running.

Yes/No Questions

---

Am I doing it right? Are you listening to me? Is he working today? Is she speaking Chinese? Is it working? Are we going home now? Are they watching TV?

 Information Questions

---

Information questions are also sometimes called "Wh" questions.

What	am	I	doing?
Where	are	you	living now?
Who	is	he	speaking to?
When	is	she	coming?
What	is	it	doing here?
When	are	we	having the test?
What	are	they	watching?

Found via: Electricenglish.

The Present Continuous Tense - The ING Form Of The Verbs

1. Usually we add ing

work	working
stand	standing
learn	learning

speak                       speaking

go                            going
listen                       listening
eat                          eating
wear                        wearing
study                       studying


2. When the verb ends in an e, we drop the e and add ing

come	coming
have	having
write	writing

skate                        skating
smile                        smiling
take                         taking
live                          living
leave                       leaving

* but see  seeing

2. If a one syllable (with only one vowel sound) verb ends in one consonant (for example p, t, r) that follows one vowel (for example a, o, e), we double the consonant.

swim	swimming
get	getting
stop	stopping

run                            running
sit                             sitting
begin                        beginning
 

3. Some verbs have irregular ing form

lie	lying
die	dying
travel	Br. travelling Am. traveling

ski                             skiing
chat                          chatting