1.2. Present Continuous

Exercise 8. Translate into Russian and comment on the use of the Present Continuous Tense.

1. He looked at her. “You’re shaking. Are you all right?”

2. Nowadays people are getting concerned about the food they eat and the air they breathe.

3. Hello. Are you enjoying the party?

4. Why is that girl standing on the table?

5. My friends are coming next week.

6. The tap is running. Can you fix it?

7. Look! Santa Claus is coming in his sleigh.

8. The phone line is busy because Kate is surfing the Internet at the moment.

9. Life is great in England. I’m getting exciting life experience at the moment.

10. Tom is picking me up at 7 tonight.

Exercise 9. Change the following sentences according to the pattern.

Example:

He usually has breakfast at seven, but today …  … but today he is having breakfast at eight.

1. She usually drinks coffee in the morning, but today she …

2. They usually play tennis on Sundays, but today they …

3. I usually read books in the evening, but today now I …

4. Brian usually has breakfast very early, but today he …

5. They usually have lunch in the canteen, but today they …

6. I usually watch TV after dinner, but today I …

7. Faith usually drinks tea with sugar, but today she …

8. I usually do my morning exercises every day, but today I …

9. “Usually you type your essay.” – “Yes, but today I …

10. Martin usually drives to college, but today he …

Exercise 10. Make the following sentences interrogative and then negative.

1. The sun is shining brightly.

2. The cat is running along the wall.

3. My mother is cooking a meal.

4. She is constantly leaving his cell phone at home.

5. The doctor is feeling her pulse.

6. She is running home.

7. You are walking too quickly.

8. You are making a lot of noise.

9. The wind is blowing outside.

10. You are driving too slowly.

Exercise 11. Ask questions to the following sentences beginning with the word(s) brackets.

1. They are writing a new musical composition now. (Who?)

2. The cat is running after a dog. (Who?)

3. Peter is having dinner with his bank manager in the canteen now. I am keeping my fingers crossed. (Why?)

4. She is looking for her glasses. (Why?)

5. Phil is working in Japan at the moment (What company … for?).

6. You are talking too fast. (What … about?)

7. My parents are redecorating our dining-room now. (Why?)

8. We are working hard these days. (What … at?)

9. He is always making a fuss about nothing. (Who?)

10. Kate is becoming a very good pianist. (Whose help … with?)

Exercise 12. Use the best tense (Present Simple or Present Continuous).

A

1. Vegetarians are people who (don't eat / are not eating) meat.

2. Look out! My husband (comes / is coming).

3. Some people still think the sun (goes / is going) round the earth.

4. I (play / 'm playing) tennis every weekend.

5. Who (sits / 's sitting) in my chair?

6. What (happens / is happening) in golf if you lose the ball?

7. An alcoholic is a person who (drinks / is drinking) too much and can't stop.

8. Look! (She wears / She's wearing) the same shoes as me.

B

9. 'What (are you looking / do you look) at?' 'A strange bird.'

10. I (stay / 'm staying) with John fora few weeks until my flat's ready.

11. We (usually stay / 're usually staying) with Peggy when we go to Chicago.

12. Can you explain why water always (runs / is running) downhill?

13. What (do you do / are you doing) with my coat?

14. Nobody (gets / is getting) up early for fun.

15. Not many passenger planes (fly / are flying) faster than sound.

Exercise 13. Here are some exchanges from an interview between an American journalist and a French film star. Choose the best tense (Present Simple or Present Continuous).

1. 'How do you start work on a film?'

'I (read) the script and (make) notes.'

2. 'I (make) notes of our interview. I hope you don't mind.'

'No, that's OK.'

3. 'What languages (you speak)?'

'English, French and Spanish. I'm glad we (do) this interview in English. My French isn't very good.'

4. 'Who (play) that guitar?'

'My son, when he has time.'

5. 'Who (play) the piano upstairs?'

'My sister. She's got a concert tomorrow.'

6. 'What (she play)?'

'I think it's a piece by Mozart.'

7. '(She play) anything else?'

'The violin. She's very musical.'

8. 'Your daughter's very keen on sport, isn't she?'

'She (play) tennis.'

9. 'Where is she now?'

'She (play) tennis, as usual.'

10. 'What's that delicious smell?'

'My husband (cook).'

11. 'Is that usual?'

'Yes, normally I (shop) and my husband (cook).'

12. 'What a lovely clock!'

'It (not work), I'm afraid — it's been broken for years.'

13. 'Could I use your phone?'

'I'm afraid it (not work) at the moment.'

Exercise 14. Use each verb twice, once in Present Simple and once in Present Continuous, to complete the sentences.

1. have

He _____ four cars, all of them Rolls-Royces.

I _____ lunch with my mother tomorrow.

2. think

What _____ you _____ of Stephen Spielberg's latest film?

You're day-dreaming. What _____ you _____ about?

3. expect

I _____ an important phone call from America. Could you tell me when it comes?

I _____you're hungry after so much hard work. Shall I get you something?

4. appear

He _____ to understand what you say to him, but when you ask him a question, he isn't so sure.

Roy Pond _____ at Her Majesty's Theatre in the role of King Lear.

5. smell

Something _____ good in the kitchen. What's cooking?

Why _____ you _____ the meat? Do you think it's gone off?

6. weigh

I need to know how much the meat _____ to know how long to cook it for.

Why _____ you _____ yourself? Do you think you’ve put on weight?

7. see

I _____ what you mean, but I don't agree.

She _____ a solicitor about her aunt’s will.

8. have

I usually pick up languages quickly, but I _____ difficulties learning Chinese.

He _____ more clothes than a department store.

9. look

It _____ as it it’s going to rain.

What are you doing on your hands and knees? _____ you _____ for something?

10. think

What _____ you _____ of doing when you leave here?

How much _____ you _____ it would cost to fly to Australia?

Exercise 15. Choose the best tense (Present Simple or Present Continuous).

1. A: I (think) about visiting Jane this afternoon.

B: I wouldn't bother. I (think) she's away on holiday.

2. A: Mr Jones (have) a telephone message from his wife.

B: Can it wait? He (have) a business meeting and I don't want to disturb

him.

3. A: The police (still/look) for fingerprints left in the room.

B: It (look) as if they won't find the criminal.

4. A: I (love) breathing in clean, country air!

B: So do I. I (love) every minute of this walking trip.

5. A: I (see) my boss about a pay rise this afternoon.

B: I (see). That's why you're wearing a suit and tie.

6. A: Why I (you/taste) the soup? Is there anything wrong with it?

B: Yes - it (taste) too sweet. I think I've used sugar instead of salt.

7. A: Why (you/feel) the baby's forehead, Mum?

B: I think she's got a temperature. She (feel) rather hot.

8. A: John (be) a very rude person, you know.

B: I know. Sheila (be) very rude these days too, although she's usually

polite.

9. A: It (look) as if it's going to rain this afternoon.

B: I know. I (look) for my umbrella to take out with me.

10. A: Why (you/smell) the inside of your car?

B: Because it (smell) of petrol and I want to check for leaks.

11. A: How much (your new baby/weigh)?

B: I don't know yet. The nurse (weigh) him at the moment.

Exercise 16. Choose the proper item (Present Simple or Present Continuous).

1. John is / is being usually rude, but today he is / is being polite to his colleagues.

2. Ann is / is being usually patient, but today she is / is being impatient.

3. Sam is / is being rude to his mother now, but he is / is being normally pleasant to her.

4. John is / is being a kind man, but at the moment he is / is being selfish.

5. Julie is / is being silly at the moment, although I know she is / is being really very sensible.

Exercise 17. Put in the correct tense (Present Simple or Present Continuous).

1. I (think) he's away.

2. You (know) what I (mean).

3. She (always complain).

4. We (always start) at nine.

5. While the butter (melt), you (take) three eggs and (break) them into a bowl.

6. I (think) about your father.

7. Scientists (believe) the weather (change).

8. I (not see) what the problem is.

9. Why (you look) at me like that?

Exercise 18. Put the story in order and use in the correct forms of the verb (Present Simple or Present Continuous).

• The man (take) another orange out of his bag and (start) opening the window.

• `But there are no elephants in these mountains,' (say) the woman.

• Suddenly the man (open) the window, (throw) out the orange and (close) the window again.

• `Because we (go) through the mountains. Oranges (keep) the elephants away.

• A woman (sit) in a railway carriage when she (notice) that the man opposite her (hold) an orange in his hand and looking out of the window.

• `You see?' says the man. 'It (work). '

• `Excuse me,' the woman (ask) 'but why did you do that?'

Exercise 19. Correct the verbs in bold type if the tenses are wrong.

A

1. The clock is striking, it’s time to finish your studies.

2. They are understanding the problem now.

3. Where is John? – He does his classes; he usually does them at that time.

4. They are glad to know that their son is coming home next week.

5. The evening is warm, but you are shivering. Is anything the matter? – Nothing serious, I am feeling cold.

6. Can I see Mr. Green? – I am sorry, you can’t, he has dinner.

7. The soup is tasting delicious.

8. Now I am seeing what you are driving at.

B

9. He believes in God and is always going to church on Sundays.

10. They are being so nice to me at present. I am feeling they are liking me.

11. Look! Somebody tries to open your car.

12. Oh, I won’t take this dish. It is smelling awful.

13. How can I recognize him? I haven’t met him. – He is wearing a yellow leather jacked and green jeans.

14. She usually drinks tea in the morning, but today she drinks coffee.

15. The last train is leaving the station at 11.50.

16. He is wanting to buy a car, but first he must learn to drive, so he is taking his driving lessons.

Exercise 20. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Я никогда не принимаю ванну по утрам.

2. Почему ты идёшь так быстро? – Я боюсь опоздать на поезд. Обычно я выхожу из дома раньше.

3. Почему они так смотрят на нас?

4. Почему он сегодня такой заботливый? Странно, обычно он ведёт себя по-другому.

5. Мистер Томпсон сейчас живёт в Праге. – Что он там делает? – Он преподаёт английский.

6. Сегодня идёт снег. Обычно зима здесь тёплая, и снег идёт редко.

7. Я не могу больше с вами разговаривать. Почему вы всегда критикуете всё, что я делаю?

8. Что с тобой? Ты очень бледная. Как ты себя чувствуешь? – У меня сильно болит голова.

9. Когда они улетают в Нью-Йорк? – На следующей неделе.

10. Что ты делаешь? Зачем ты кладёшь соль в кофе?

11. Сейчас кризис, и цены растут очень быстро.

12. Как вкусно пахнет кофе! Сделай мне чашечку, только без сахара.