Present tenses

1. Present simple
Example: I live in Fribourg.

1.1. Form
Auxiliary : do / does
3rd person singular (he/she/it) : + s

He walks
Subject + infinitive
She writes
It lies
I walk
+
You write
!! Sometimes, you have to add or
We forget
change a letter before the “s”
They lie
He misses
She carries
Do not / don’t or does not / doesn’t + infinitive

I don’t walk
You don’t walk
- He doesn’t walk
She doesn’t write
It doesn’t
We don’t forget
They don’t lie
Start with the auxiliary (do/does) or with a question word + subject +
infinitive
Where do you walk?
? Does she write?
Doesn’t he walk?
What do we forget?
Why don’t they lie?

1.2. Use

 Habits / Things that are always true:

- She doesn’t eat fish
- They watch TV at night
- He drinks tea at breakfast
- Alice works for an insurance company
- I don’t smoke
- The sun rises in the east
- Water boils at one hundred degrees
  Things that happen all the time, repeatedly, often, sometimes, never, etc.:
- We go to France every year
- I go to school by bus every morning
- I play tennis every Wednesday

1.3. Helping words

usually: I don’t usually wear dresses.
always: I always listen to some music when I go to school.
every day/week/month/year…: I visit my parents every week.
never: I never eat fish.
on Mondays/Tuesdays/…: On Wednesdays we wear pink.

2. Present continuous
Example: I am working at the moment.

2.1. Form
Auxiliary : am/are/is

Auxiliary + -ing form of the verb

I am working
You are living
+ He/she/it is explaining
We are trying
They are cutting

Auxiliary + not + -ing form

I am not working
You are not living
-
He/she/it is not explaining
We are not trying
They are not cutting
Start with the auxiliary or with a question word
Am I working?
Are you living?
?
Is she not explaining?
What are you trying?
Why are they not cutting?
2.1.1. Spelling
Some rules regarding the -ing forms
 Most verbs just add -ing: helping, waiting, wanting, working, sleeping, trying
 Verbs ending in -e drop the end and add -ing: hope  hoping, make 
making
 Verbs ending in -ie change the end to y and add -ing: lie  lying
 Short verbs ending in one vowel and one consonant double the last letter and
add -ing: run  running, stop  stopping

2.1.2. Stative verbs

We don’t normally use the present continuous with stative verbs. Stative verbs
include:
- Verbs of thinking and feelings : believe, like, dislike, know, love, hate,
prefer, realise, recognize, remember, suppose, think (=believe),
understand, want, wish
- Others: agree, be, belong, disagree, need, owe, own, possess

2.2. Use
Continuous = in progress
 Things that are happening now:
- My sister’s living with me just now.
- Look! Ann’s walking her dog.
- Phil is not working at the moment.
- Why are you crying?

 Temporary situations:
- He is working in a bar until he finds a new job.
- I am reading a book.

 Something changing, growing, developing:

- The children are growing up quickly.
- Your English is improving.

 Annoying habits used with the adverb “always”

- It’s always raining in London!
- You are always correcting me!

2.3. Helping words

Right now, at the moment, now
Exercises

Exercise 1. Write the third person singular of the present simple of these verbs.
brush ______________ buy ______________ complete ______________

cry______________ defend______________ expect________________

guess ______________ look ______________ rush ______________
spend______________ want ______________ watch ______________

Exercise 2. Write the -ing form of these verbs.

break __________________ come __________________ die ________________

enjoy __________________ get __________________ hit __________________

live __________________ make __________________ put __________________

rob __________________ shop __________________ sit __________________

stand __________________ turn __________________ write __________________

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the present simple form of the verbs in
brackets.
1. Julia (not/drink) _________________________ tea very often.
2. What time (the bank / close _________________________ here?
3. I have a car but I (not / use) _________________________ it much.
4. Where (Maria / come) _________________________ from? Is she Spanish?
5. ‘What (you / do) _________________________?’ ‘I’m an electrician.’
6. Look at this sentence. What (this word / mean) _______________________?
7. David isn’t very fit. He (not / do) _________________________ any sport.
8. It (take) _________________________ me an hour to get to work in the
morning. How long does (it / take) _________________________ you?
9. How often (you / play) _________________________ tennis?
10. Look at this sentence. What (this word / mean)
_________________________ ?
Exercise 4. Complete the sentences with the present continuous form of the verbs in
brackets.
1. Please don’t make so much noise. I (try) _________________________ to
work.
2. Let’s go out now. It (not / rain) _________________________ anymore.
3. You can turn off the radio. I (not / listen) _________________________ to it.
4. Kate’s on holiday with friends. She (have) _________________________ a
great time.
5. Andrew started evening classes recently. He (learn)
_________________________ Japanese.
6. Who are those people? What (they / do) _________________________ ?
7. Paul and Sarah have had an argument and now they (not / speak)
_________________________ anymore.
8. We’re not in a hurry. Why (you / walk) _________________________ so fast?
9. I (look) _________________________ for Sophie. Do you know where she
is?
10. I haven’t seen you in ages. What (you / do) _________________________
these days?

Exercise 5. Circle the correct verb form.

1. I think / am thinking you’re right.
2. What do you look / are you looking at?
3. Do you know / Are you knowing that woman’s name?
4. I don’t understand / am not understanding this letter.
5. Why do you drive / are you driving so fast? You are going to crash!
6. What do you mean / are you meaning ?
7. I hate / am hating this music.
8. Do you talk / are you talking to me?
9. I don’t remember / am not remembering Andrea’s phone number.
10. How often do you go / are you going to the cinema?
11. Vegetarians are people who don’t eat / are not eating meat.
12. Look out! My husband comes / is coming.
13. Some people still think the sun goes / is going round the earth.
14. I play / I’m playing tennis every weekend.
15. Who sits / is sitting in my chair?
16. What happens / is happening in golf when you lose the ball?
17. I stay / I’m staying with John for a few weeks until my flat’s ready.
18. We usually stay / are usually staying with Peggy when we go to Chicago.
19. What do you do / are you doing with my coat?
20. Nobody gets up / is getting up early for fun.

Exercise 6. Here are some exchanges from an interview between an American

journalist and a French film star. Complete them with the present simple or the
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.’
4. ‘I’m glad we (do) ____________________ this interview in English. My French
isn’t very good.
5. ‘Who (play) ____________________ that guitar?’ ‘My son, when he has time.’
6. ‘Who (play) ____________________ the piano upstairs?’ ‘My sister. She’s got
a concert tomorrow.’
7. ‘What (she play) ____________________?’ ‘I think it’s a piece by Mozart.’
8. ‘(she play) ____________________ anything else?’ ‘The violin. She’s very
musical.’
9. ‘Your daughter’s very keen on sport, isn’t she?’ ‘She (play)
____________________ tennis.’
10. ‘Where is she now?’ ‘She (play) ____________________ tennis.’
11. ‘What’s that delicious smell?’ ‘My husband (cook) ____________________.’
12. ‘Is that usual?’ ‘Yes, normally, I (shop) ____________________ and my
husband (cook) ____________________.’
13. ‘What a lovely clock!’ ‘It (not work) ____________________ I’m afraid – it’s
been broken for years.’
14. ‘Could I use your phone?’ ‘I’m afraid it (not work) ____________________ at
the moment.
Exercise 7. Underline the correct sentence for each situation.

1. You want to invite a friend to your party on Friday. You say:

a. I have a party on Friday. Do you want to come?
b. I’m having a party on Friday. Do you want to come?
2. You find a wallet on your desk and ask the people nearby:
a. Who does this wallet belong to?
b. Who is this wallet belonging to?
3. A friend invites you to a snack bar at lunch time. You say:
a. Thanks, but I always go home.
b. Thanks, but I’m always going home.
4. A friend opens the door and says: ‘What are you doing?’. You reply:
a. I work as a secretary.
b. I’m repairing the computer.
5. You haven’t decided yet about buying a new bike. You say:
a. I think about it.
b. I’m thinking about it.
6. A friend asks: ‘Do you like lemon tea?’. You reply:
a. I prefer tea with milk.
b. I’m preferring tea with milk.
7. A friend asks you if you have finished the book she lent you. You say:
a. Sorry, I still read it.
b. Sorry, I’m still reading it.
8. It’s a hot day, but a friend has a heavy coat on. You ask:
a. Why do you wear a heavy coat?
b. Why are you wearing a heavy coat?

Exercise 8. Match each sentence (1-8) with a suitable response (a-h).

1. What do you usually do on your birthday? ____

2. Would you like to meet again on Saturday? ____
3. What do you usually do at the weekend? ____
4. Have you finished your homework? ____
5. What are you doing? ____
6. What are you doing on Friday? ____
7. Are you in the school basketball team? ____
8. What do you do? ____
a. I have a party.
b. I go out cycling with my friends.
c. I work in a travel agency.
d. Yes, we play every Friday.
e. I’m still doing it.
f. It’s hot in here. I’m opening some windows.
g. I’m going back to Canada tomorrow.
h. I’m having a party.