Present Continuous or Present Indefinite?

Exercise 99

Which of these ideas do you associate with the Present Indefinite (PI) and which with the Present Continuous (PC)?

regular activities …	6. permanent and factual situations…
2. temporary situations …	7. a present arrangement for the future …
3. fixed timetables …	8. mental states …
giving instructions …	9. trends and changing situations …
5. an event in progress …	10. doing by saying …

Study these sentences and decide which example corresponds to each of

1-10 above.

a) I'm replacing Bill because he's off sick.

b) The scheduled flight leaves next Monday at 8.15 from JFK.

3. The technician is mending the photocopier so you can't use it right now.

4. I'm seeing Bill Sykes tomorrow afternoon, I've got it in my diary.

5. The conference room measures 164 square metres.

6. I admit there has been a mistake.

g) I understand they have gone bankrupt.

8. Enter PIN number, select menu, choose language and press OK.

i) With the Internet the world is getting smaller.

10. We have a planning meeting once a month.

Exercise 100

Put the verb in the correct form, the Present Continuous or the Present Indefinite.

Example:

• Let's go out. It __________ (not / rain) now.

• Let's go out. It isn't rainingnow.

• Julia is very good at languages. She ______ (speak) four languages well.

• Julia is very good at languages. She speaksfour languages well.

1. Hurry up! Everybody ___________ (wait) for you.

2. "__________ (you / listen) to the radio?" "No, you can turn it off."

3. "__________ (you / listen) to the radio every day?" "No, just occasionally."

4. The River Nile __________ (flow) into the Mediterranean.

5. Look at the river. It __________ (flow) very fast today - much faster than usual.

6. We usually __________ (grow) vegetables in our garden but this year we __________ (not / grow) any.

7. "How is your English?" "Not bad. It __________ (improve) slowly."

8. Ron is in London at the moment. He _________ (stay) at the Park Hotel. He __________ (always / stay) there when he's in London.

9. Can we stop walking soon? I __________ (start) to feel tired.

10. "Can you drive?" "I __________ (learn). My father __________ (teach)

me."

11. Normally __________ I (finish) work) at 5.00, but this week I _________

(work) until 6.00 to earn a bit more money.

12. My parents _________ (live) in Bristol. They were born there and have

never lived anywhere else. Where __________ (your parents / live)?

12. Sonia __________ (look) for the place to live. She __________ (stay)

with her sister until she finds somewhere.

12. "What __________ (your father / do)? "He's an architect but he

__________ (not / work) at the moment."

15. The train is never late. It __________ (always / leave) on time.

16. Jim is very untidy. He __________ (always / leave) his things all over the

place.

Exercise 101

Choose the correct item.

Example:

• I see / am seeingthat the situation is out of control.

• I see that the situation is out of control.

1. The sausages are tasting / tastedelicious.

2. Do you enjoy / Are you enjoyingthis party?

3. You haven't said a word this morning. What are you thinking / do you

thinkabout?

4. He has / is havinga Siamese cat.

5. These flowers are smelling / smellnice.

1. I don't know / I am not knowingwhere she keeps the keys.

2. Why are you feeling / do you feelyour pockets? Have you lost anything?

3. Why do you smell / are you smelling the milk? Do you think it has gone

off?

4. Anna is Italian. She is coming / comesfrom Italy.

10. That dress looks / is lookingnice on you.

11. Paul listens / is listeningto a new record in his room.

12. If you don't look / aren't lookingat that comic book, I'd like to see it.

13. Joan weighs / is weighing50 kilos.

14. Mary is / is beingvery naughty these days.

Exercise 102

Choose the correct item.

1. Look at him! He ….. c) …..a boat.
a) rows	b) rowing	c) is rowing
2. He usually ……….tennis in the afternoon.
a)plays	b)play	c)is playing
3. What………. in the kitchen , Mum?
a)do you	b)are you doing	c)you do
4. She ………. dinner now.
a) is having	b) have	c) has
5. He ………. a comic every day.
a) read	b) is reading	c) reads
6. Be quiet! The baby ………. .
a) sleep	b) sleeps	c) is sleeping
7. I ………. a letter now.
a) write	b) am writing	c) writes
8. Look! The dog ………. with the ball.
a) play	b) is playing	c) are playing

Exercise 103

Find the mistakes, then correct them.

Today is Saturday and we is at the shopping centre. Every Saturday my mother is taking me shopping with her. She is wanting to buy a new skirt but she not like the one that the lady showing her. I am hating shopping with my mother. She never know what to buy. I look at some lovely trousers now and I want to buy them but i am not having enough money.

1. …are …	3. …………..	5. …………..	7. …………..	9. …………..
2. …………..	4. …………..	6. …………..	8. …………..

Exercise 104