THE PRESENT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOS

THE PRESENT

Present Simple

The present simple is used:

to talk about something that happens habitually or regularly (often with adverbs of time: always, usually, every, never...).

· We go out every Saturday night.

To talk about something which remains true for a long time or for a scientific fact.

· He lives in Greece.

· The Earth travels around the sun.

To give instructions.

· First you follow the main road into the city, then you turn left at the traffic lights.

To describe events in jokes, stories or news items to make them seem more dramatic.

· The Pope visits Tokyo today.

· A gorilla goes into a bar and asks for a beer...

With the following verbs: believe, understand, imagine, suppose, hear, see, taste, love, hate, need, want, prefer, seem, appear, belong and deserve.

· I don’t like your shoes, they smell horrible!

Present Continuous

The present continuous is used:

to talk about events that are in progress at the present time.

· Look, they are coming out of the cinema.

To describe events which have already begun but which are not complete, especially in stories or jokes.

· A man is standing on the pavement when suddenly and alien appears.

With ‘always’ to show surprise or disapproval when an action is repeated.

· It is always raining here!

To talk about a near future action.

· I am going on holiday to Italy next week.

Exercises:

Complete the following sentences using either the present simple or the present continuous.

1. He (not like)....................... his job so he (think) ......................about changing it.

2. I (want)................ to see the new film as I (hear)................... it is very good.

3. I (love).................. the roses you sent me. They (smell) .......................wonderful.

4. She (prefer)........................ tea to coffee because it (not taste)......................... so bitter.

5. I (doubt)............................. if they will understand what you (talk).............................. about.

6. It (appear)................................that the house now (belong)....................... to Mrs Johnson.

7. I (see)............................from your report that you (meet)............................... the manager tomorrow.

8. He (work).............................. very hard at the moment and (deserve).................................. to do well.

9. She (say)...........................she (feel) ............................ a bit better now.

10. I (measure)..................................the room to see what size carpet we need.

Complete the following letter using either the present simple or the present continuous.

Dear Sally,

I (write)......................................... just to let you know that I’ve arrived and that everything (be).............................. fine.

At the moment I (stay) ............................... in a hotel in Athens and I (do)................................ quite a lot of sight seeing. Next week I (move)......................................... to the island of Crete which is where most of the people from the company (live)...................................... I (rent)...................................... a villa there for the summer which should be nice.

The weather is not particularly good – as a matter of fact it (rain)............................ at the moment! However, it should improve and I am sure it will be fantastic when you (come)........................... in the sumer. I (look forward)...................................... to it already.

The job (not seem)..............................................to be too difficult. Most of the time I (make) .........................bookings and (answer) ............................the telephone. I (suppose)................................ it will be different when the tourist season (start).......................................... properly. Things (begin).........................................to get busy already.

Speak to you soon,

Love,

Jenny