2023 SPRING Week 1

P1-S &P2-S Main Course

PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Present Simple Tense is used for Present Continuous Tense is used for

- scientific facts - actions happening at the time of speaking

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. At the moment, the children are playing upstairs.

- routine and habits - actions happening around the time of speaking

The birds return to the island every spring. Nowadays, I’m reading a really interesting book.
I go for a run every morning. I want to get into shape, so nowadays, I am leading a more
She attends Spanish lessons three times a week. active life.

- permanent situations - temporary situations

I live in a flat in the city center. I moved to Istanbul last week, and I’m living with a friend
She works for an international law firm. for the time being.
Normally I drive to work; however, this week I am taking
the bus as my car is at the mechanic’s.

- narrating events - changing situations, or trends (usually with comparative

At a party, Romeo sees Juliet and falls in love with her. structures)
In the movie, the burglars break into the bank through The earth is getting warmer as a result of a number of
the air vents. factors.
Smart phones are becoming more and more expensive with
every passing day.
- timetabled events (also has future meaning) People are becoming more and more dependent on their
The drama club meets every Thursday at 7:30. smart phones.
Our morning classes start at 9:00.
My plane leaves in half an hour. (future meaning) - future arrangements
The bus from Baltimore arrives at 10:45. (future They are giving a birthday party next month.
meaning) I am flying to Madrid for a budget meeting on Monday.

- annoying repeated actions /complaints (always +

- newspaper headlines (past meaning) present continuous tense)
Three die in plane crash. My sister is always wearing my clothes without asking my
Old apartment collapses after the 6.8 earthquake. permission.
He is always making fun of me! Tell him to stop!

Time Expressions

every day / week now, at present, at the moment, right now

once a day / twice a month / three times a year nowadays, today, these days
on Sundays, in the morning, in winter this week / month / term
tonight, tomorrow, next week / month
on Saturday, in two days
 Frequency Adverbs Frequency Adverb: always
(almost) always, (very) often, usually / generally, always + Present Continuous Tense for annoying repeated
often / frequently, sometimes / occasionally, rarely / actions /complaints (see examples above)
seldom, hardly ever / almost never, never

Watch Out For The Word Order!

My son sometimes feels nervous before the exams.
My son is sometimes nervous before the exams.

STATE VERBS
Some verbs are not usually used in the Present Continuous Tense. These verbs express states rather than actions
and they are called “State / Stative verbs”.

1. STATE OF BEING
be* resemble sound contain
look* appear include consist of
look like exist
2. MENTAL STATE
think* suppose believe imagine
realize notice recognize know
understand feel* doubt remember
forget want need prefer
3. EMOTIONAL STATE
love hate like dislike
appreciate care for fear envy
adore mind desire wish
forgive miss respect
4. POSSESSION
have* possess own belong to
owe

5. SENSES
see* hear smell* taste*
feel* hurt
6. MEASUREMENTS
weigh* measure cost equal

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 VERBS WITH STATE AND ACTION MEANINGS
* Some state verbs can be used in the Present Continuous Tense, but the meaning is different.

STATE (Non-Progressive) ACTION (Progressive)

 do
What do you do? (What’s your job?) What are you doing? (explain your actions)
 be
This house is over 100 years old. (general state) He is being very silly. (temporary state – This is not his
personality. He doesn’t normally act like this. )
 have
Do you have a car? (possession) She can’t come to the phone right now; she is having
I have three sisters and a brother. a meeting with the board members now. (activity in
progress)
 think
I think it will rain in the afternoon. (This is my opinion.) What are you thinking about right now? (mental
Some scientists think that there are intelligent life forms process – What is on your mind?)
on other planets. (This is their opinion.) My sister is thinking of / about changing her job. (She
What do you think of my new hair style? (What is your is planning to change her job.)
opinion about it?)
 see
Right now, I see lots of people in the street. (referring to I’m seeing my dentist this afternoon. (appointment – I
the sense – There are lots of people in my view.) have an appointment with my dentist.)
 smell
These flowers smell very nice. (referring to the sense) Look! My mother is smelling the flowers. (referring to
Your perfume smells of roses. (It has the smell of roses.) the activity)
 taste
The steak tastes of fresh herbs. (It has the taste of fresh Look! The judges are tasting my dish right now. I can’t
herbs.) wait to hear the results. (referring to the activity –
The soup tastes delicious. (referring to the sense) The judges are trying my dish at the moment.)
 feel
This pillow feels very hard. (referring to the sense) I am feeling this fabric; it is so soft. (I am touching it.)
The baby’s skin feels very smooth. (It has a smooth I feel better now. / I am feeling better now. (Both can
texture.) be used.)
I feel (that) he was not completely honest with us. (This
is my opinion.)

 look
That ladder doesn’t look safe. (seem) What are you looking at? (referring to the activity)
You look very tired. What happened? (seem) They are looking at their wedding photos.

 weigh
This bag weighs more than 25 kilos. (referring to state) The nurse is weighing the baby. (referring to the
activity) (The nurse is putting the baby on the scale to
see how heavy it is.)

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Exercise 1. Complete the text with the Present Simple or Present Continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

1. Some kinds of fish ______________ (contain) high levels of dangerous metals.

2. What ______________ you ______________ (think) of Kate’s new hairstyle? It’s unusual, isn’t it?
3. Loud music can be really detrimental to the ears. Some people ______________ (not realize) its harmful effects.
4. A package holiday ______________ (cost) less than going on holiday on your own.
5. Technicians report that they ______________ (have) difficulty about the new computer system at the moment.
6. No wine for me! I ______________ (take) antibiotics for an ear infection.
7. Don’t worry about your dog! The vet ______________ (feel) his legs to check that nothing is broken right now.
8. The National Theatre ______________ (think) of putting a new production of Hamlet.
9. ______________ this wallet ______________ (belong) to you?
10. Everybody ______________ (know) that the world’s rainforests ______________ (disappear) day by day.
11. We ______________ (see) the bank manager this afternoon. We have an appointment.
12. Fresh strawberries ______________ (always, taste) good. They ______________ (remind) me of home.
13. That girl ______________ (look) like your sister.
14. I ______________ (not understand) you. Could you speak more slowly?
15. A: ______________ you ______________ (think) you have any chance of winning this chess match?
B: Yes, I ______________ (see) a number of good moves that I can make from this position.

Exercise 2. Circle the correct option.

Omar's Visit
My friend Omar owns/is owning his own car now. It's brand new. Today he 2drives/ is driving to a small
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town in the north of the city to visit his aunt. He 3loves/is loving to listen to music, so the CD player 4plays/ is playing
one of his favorite CDs loudly. Omar is very happy: he 5drives/is driving his own car and listen to loud music. He
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looks/is looking forward to his visit with his aunt.

Omar 7visits/is visiting his aunt once a week. She's elderly, and she 8lives/is living alone. She 9thinks/is
thinking Omar is a wonderful nephew. She 10loves/is loving his visits. Omar 11tries/is trying to be helpful and
considerate in every way. His aunt 12doesn’t hear/isn’t hearing well, so Omar 13speaks/is speaking loudly and clearly
when he's with her. When he's there, he 14fixes/is fixing things for her around her apartment and 15helps/is helping
her with her shopping. He 16doesn’t stay/isn't staying with her overnight. He usually 17stays/is staying for a few
hours, and then he 18heads/is heading back to the city. He 19kisses/is kissing his aunt good-bye and 20gives/is giving
her a hug before he 21leaves/is leaving. Omar is a very good nephew.

Exercise 3. Read the text and write the correct form of the verbs.

Do you worship celebrities?

Do you wake up every night thinking of your favorite singer? Or do you wonder what a TV presenter
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___________ (have) for breakfast in the morning? If so, you may have a newly identified psychological condition:
Celebrity Worship Syndrome (CWS). Following a recent study, psychologists at the University of Leicester now
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___________ (believe) that one in three of us are obsessed with celebrities, and the number 3___________ (go up)
day by day.
One theory is that our modern lives 4___________ (become) more and more dominated by TV, so modern
celebrities often 5___________ (take) the place of relatives, neighbors, and close friends for many people.
The study of around 700 people aged 18 to 60 6___________ (show) that there are three types of Celebrity
Worship Syndrome. The largest number of people - 22 percent of the study- only 7___________ (have) a small
problem and they are likely to be extroverts with a passion for talking about their chosen celebrity. Another 12
percent have an intense personal type of relationship with their idol, while the third group, with the most extreme
CWS 8___________ (think) their celebrity knows them. These people are often introverts, antisocial, and insensitive.
Fortunately, most people’s interest in the rich and famous is perfectly normal and healthy. Dr John Maltby of
Leicester University says, “It is not necessarily a bad thing. Many people are interested in celebrities.” However, says
Dr Maltby, ‘We 9___________ (begin) to define CWS for the first time and research is suggesting that, generally,
people with CWS 10___________ (replace) normal relationships with these fantasy relationsh