Time Words Used with Continuous Tenses

Exercise 138

Choose a time expression from the list to complete each sentence.

at the moment all day yesterday tonight always

from morning till night at 6 p.m. tomorrow when the teacher came in when mother was cooking

when he comes now in a minute when I met him

1. He is working _____________________________________________.

2. Was Peter sitting __________________________________________?

3. She is playing the piano _____________________________________.

4. We are watching a film on television ____________________________.

5. It will be raining ____________________________________________.

6. They will be having supper ______________________________ home.

7. I was walking home _________________________________________.

8. __________________________________, Kate was cleaning the room.

9. John is never satisfied. He is ________________________ complaining.

10. Don't call me ________________________________. I will be writing a

composition.

11. He was working in the garden ________________________________.

12. What are you doing __________________________? I am visiting my

grandparents.

Verbs Not Used in Continuous Tenses

Mind the use of nonprogressive verbs with the Continuous tenses.

Nonprogressive (Stative) Verbs (a) Bob knows this grammar.		Some verbs are nonprogressive: they are not used in any of the Continuous tenses. These verbs describe states (i.e., conditions that exist); they do not describe activities that are in progress. In (a): "Bob knows" describes a mental state that exists.
Progressive Verbs (b) Kim is reading about this grammar.		COMPARE: In (b): " Kim is reading" is an activity in progress. The Continuous tenses can be used with the verb read but not with the verb know.
Common Nonprogressive Verbs
MENTAL STATE	know realize understand recognize		believe feel suppose think *	imagine doubt remember forget	want need prefer mean
EMOTIONAL STATE	love like appreciate		hate dislike	fear envy	mind care
(3) POSSESSION	possess		have *	own	belong
(4) SENSE PERCEPTIONS	taste * smell *		hear feel*	see *
(5)Other EXISTING VERBS	seem look * appear *		cost owe weigh *	be * exist	consist of contain include

Verbs with an asterisk ( * ) are also commonly used as progressive verbs, with a difference in meaning, as in the following examples:

	Nonprogressive (Stative) Verbs (existing state)	Progressive Verbs (activity in progress)
think have taste smell see feel look appear weigh be	I think he is a kind man. ( = he believes) He has a car. ( = he owns, he possesses) This food tastes good. ( = What' s its flavour?) These flowers smell good. ( = the have the smell) Do you see what I mean? ( = Do you understand?) The cat's fur feels soft. ( = it has a soft texture) She looks cold. I'll lend her my coat. ( =she seems to be cold) He appears to be working. ( = he seems to be) A piano is heavy. It weighs a lot. (= its weight is) Luciano is naughty. (=His character is bad.)	I am thinking about this grammar. ( = I'm considering) I am having lunch. ( = I'm eating) She is having a good time. The chief is tasting the sauce. ( = he's testing the flavour) Ann is smelling the roses. ( = she is trying the smell of) The doctor is seeing the patient. ( = he's examining him) Sue is feeling the cat's fur. ( =she's touching) I am looking at the painting. ( = she's viewing it) The opera singer is appearing on stage tonight. ( = he will make an appearance) He is weighing the bananas. ( = he is finding out the weight of) Suzy is being very naughty. ( = she is misbehaving)

Note: Certain adjectives can be used with "be" in the Continuous form to express a temporary characteristic. These are: careful, foolish, kind, lazy, nice, patient, (im)polite, rude, silly, etc.

• John is usually careful, but today he's being careless.

• You are being very foolish. (normally used as a warning)

Exercise 139

Fill in with the Present Indefinite or the Present Continuous.

1.	A: B:	I 1….. am thinking ….. (think) about visiting jane this afternoon. I wouldn't bother. I 2 ………. (think) she's away on holiday.
2.	A: B:	Mr. Jones 3 ………. (have) a telephone message from his wife. Can it wait? He 4 ………. (have) a business meting and I don't want to disturb him.
3.	A: B:	The police 5 ………. (still / look) for fingerprints left in the room. It 6 ………. (look) as they won't find the criminal.
4.	A: B:	I 7 ………. (love) breathing in clean, country air! So do I. I 8 ………. (love) every minute of this walking trip.
5.	A: B:	I 9 ………. (see) my boss about a pay rise this afternoon. I 10 ………. (see). That's why you're wearing a suit and tie.
6.	A: B:	Why 11 ………. (you / taste) the soup? Is there anything wrong with it? Yes, it 12 ………. (taste) too sweet. I think I've used sugar instead of salt.
7.	A: B:	Why 13 ………. (you / feel) the baby's forehead, mum? I think she's got a temperature. She 14 ………. (feel) rather hot.
8.	A: B:	John 15 ………. (be) a very rude person, you know. I know. Sheila 16 ………. (be) very rude these days too, although she's usually polite.
9.	A: B:	It 17 ………. (look) as if it's going to rain this afternoon I know. I 18 ………. (look) for my umbrella to take out with me.
10.	A: B:	Why 19 ………. (you / smell) the inside of your car? Because it 20 ………. (smell) of petrol and I want to check for leaks.
11.	A: B:	How much 21 ………. (your new baby / weigh)? I don't know yet. The nurse 22 ………. (weigh) him at the moment.

Exercise 140

Underline the correct item.

1. John is / is being 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.

6. Jack is / is being very nice to me at the moment. I wonder why?

7. You'll like Jill when you meet her. She is / is being very nice.

8. Normally you are very sensible, so why are you /are you being so silly about this matter?

9. Why isn't Sarah at work today? Is she / Is she being ill today?

10. I can't understand why he is / is being so lazy. He isn't usually like that.

Exercise 141

Complete each sentence with a suitable form of the verb given. Use the Present Indefinite or the Present Continuous, or the Past indefinite or the past Continuous.

1. I remember the day you got engaged. We ….. were having….. tea in the

garden when you came out of the house and told us. (have)

2. I tried to explain the situation to my parents, but they just ………… what i was talking about. (not / understand)

3. What have you put in this sauce? It ………… absolutely disgusting. (taste)

4. Peter always claimed that he was innocent, but for many years no one ………… him. (believe)

5. It's a lovely shawl, I know, but unfortunately it ………. to me. I'm just borrowing it for the party this evening. (not / belong)

6. Why ………. that thin dress? You'll freeze to death in this cold wind! (you / wear)

7. Molly's fed up because she injured her ankle when she ……….. this morning, so she can't dance. (jog)

8. While I was admiring the view, someone stole the bag which ………. all my traveller's cheques. (contain)

9. Look! ………. that man standing beside the cash desk? I'm sure he's planning to steal something. (you / see)

10. Tea or coffee? I'm making both, so just say which you ………. . (prefer)

11. The boys didn't want to come shopping with us because they ………. the

football on television. (watch)

Exercise 142

Use either the Present Indefinite or the Present Continuous of the verbs in brackets.

1. I can't afford that ring. It (cost) costs too much.

2. Look. It (begin) __________ to rain. Unfortunately, I (have / not)

__________ my umbrella with me.

3. I (own / not) __________ an umbrella. I (wear) __________ a waterproof hat on rainy days.

4. Right now I (look) __________ around the classroom. Yoko (write) _________ in her book. Carlos (bite) __________ his pencil. Wan-Ning (scratch) __________ his head. Ahmed (stare) __________ out the window. He (seem) __________ to be daydreaming, but perhaps he (think) __________ hard about verb tenses. What (think / you) __________ Ahmed (do) _____?

5. There's a book on my desk, but it (belong / not) __________ to me.

6. Dennis (fix) __________ the roof or his house today, and he (need) __________ some help. Can you help him?

7. Barbara (tutor / often) __________ other students in her math class. This afternoon she (help) __________ Steve with his math assignment because he (understand / not) __________ the material they (work) __________ on in their class this week.

8. Right now I (look) __________ at Janet. She (look) __________ angry, I wonder what's the mater. She (have) __________ any fun right now.

9. A: Who is that woman who (stand) __________ next to the window?

B: Which woman? (Talk / you) __________ about the woman who (wear)

__________ the blue and gold dress?

A: No, I (talk / not) __________ about her. I (mean) __________ the

woman who (wear) __________ the blue suit.

B: Oh, I (know / not) __________. I (recognize / not) __________ her.

10. A: Close your eyes. Now listen carefully. What (hear / you)

__________? What (do / I) __________?

B: I (believe) __________ you (rub) __________ the top of your desk

with your hand.

A: Close, but not exactly right. Try again. (listen / you) __________

carefully?

B: Aha! You (rub) __________ your hands together.

A: Right!

Exercise 143

Read the following sentences. Change each verb to the Future Continuous if you can. If the verb does not take a Continuous tense, repeat the sentence as it is.

1. The tornado will move quickly.

2. The family will see the tornado in time.

3. They will rush into the storm cellar.

4. They will all be safe there.

5. The mother will hold the baby.

6. The boys will have their animals.

7. The family will hide from the dangerous wind.

8. Everybody will listen to the storm.

9. They will hear the sound of the wind.

10. They will think about their home.

11. The farm will look very different.

12. It will rain very hard.