Present continuous and present simple (1) ‘We can use the present continuous with some state verbs (e.g, attract, like, look, love, sound) ‘when we want to emphasise that a situation is temporary or for a period of time around the present. Compare: 10 Jean stays with us quite often. The children love having her here. and © Jean’s with us at the moment. The children are loving having her here. State verbs which we rarely use with the present continuous include believe, consist of, doubt, own. (For more examples see GR:A4.) Some verbs have different meanings when they are used to talk about states and when they describe actions. With their ‘state’ meanings, they usually take simple rather than continuous forms. With their ‘action’ meanings, they may take simple or continuous forms, depending on context. Compare: © The new treatment for influenza doesn’t appear to work. (appear: state = seem) and Cl Madonna is currently appearing in a musical on Broadway, She often appears in musicals, (appear: action = take part) © Do you think it’s a good idea? (think: state = about an opinion) and © I'm thinking of going in August./ Your trouble is you think too much. (think: action = consider) Other verbs like this include anticipate, cost, expect, feel, fit, have, imagine, measure, weigh. With some verbs describing mental states (e.g. find, realise, regret, think, understand) we can use the present continuous to emphasise that we have recently started to think about something or that we are not sure about something. Compare: © I regret that the company will have to be sold. about it) and 1 Y'm regretting my decision to give her the job. (= I am increasingly aware that it was the wrong decision) Thave made the decision and I am sorry ‘When it means ‘think carefully about’ the verb consider is only used with the present continuous: © He's considering taking early retirement. (not He considers taking early retirement.) Some other verbs describing preferences and mental states (e.g. agree, believe, conclude, know, prefer) are rarely used with the present continuous: © I believe you now. (nof I’m believing you now.) ‘We use the present simple with verbs which perform the action they describe: © Ladmit I can’t see as well as I used to. 1D We apologise for not replying earlier. Other verbs like this (sometimes called performatives) include acknowledge, advise, beg, confess, congratulate, declare, deny, forbid, guarantee, name, order, permit, predict, promise, refuse, remind, request, thank, warn. Some verbs used as performatives in affirmative (= positive) sentences (apologise, deny, guarantee, promise, suggest) have a similar meaning with either the present simple or the present continuous in negative sentences: I don’t deny/ I’m not denying taking the books, but Andy said it would be okay. Note that we can use modals with performatives, often to make what we say more tentative or polite: 1 We would advise you to arrive two hours before the flight leaves. © I must beg you to keep this a secret. resent continuous —> A1~A2; present simple —» A3-AS | Grammar review:Exercises Unit 1 1 12 Complete the sentences with the verbs given, using negatives or questions where necessary. Use ‘the same verb for each sentence in the pair. Choose the present continuous if possible; if not, use the present simple. Use £ to add any words outside the space and use contracted forms where appropriate, as in 1. (A & B) attract consist of doubt feel fit have like look measure sound 1 a Theat you're having your house repainted. How it l00ki"g..2 (or HoW {if lack») b I bought this new dress today. How Look 2 2 a A: What are you doing with that ruler? 8: T aum-m-mom the area of the kitchen, b The garden... 12 by 20 metres. 3 @ Tovmusnmmnn Whether Pll get another chance to retake the exam. b suppose she might be at home tonight, but Twm-wwwmmwe~ it 4 2 The new science museum currently «n-ne» 10,000 visitors a month, b Flowers u-nenew bees with their brightly coloured petals. 5 a Mike won't work at the top of the 20-storey building because he uuu heights b a: How's the new job? a: Well, at the moment, [seme it at all 6 a My car's in the garage today. They —nunin-— new brakes. b Tbought this jumper for Sue, but it u--om-—non- het $0 T'l have to take it back. 7 a What's your shirt made from? It su--mmmmun like sill b Twontt be coming to work today. Fm-umm—ow Very wel. 8 a The roof of the house ...-u only plastic sheets nailed down in a few places. bb Theie school uniform au. nium black trousers and a dark green jumper 9 a Simon has been practising the song for days. It .um-—-enm quite good, but he doesn't think he's ready yet to perform it in public bb a: What's that noise? a: It... lke a bird stuck in the chimney. 10 2 Thad a postcard from Joanne on holiday in Spain, It sounds like she wwvwvo-ewe» a fall ood time. b My sister —.. a long blonde hair. You're bound to recognise her. Cross out any improbable answers. (C & D) 1 I'm understanding! I understand biology a lot better now that we've got a new teacher. 2 Lwent to see a Formula One race last week, but I admit/ I'm admitting that I don’t know much about cars. 3 Do you find/ Are you finding it difficult to concentrate on your work with this music on? 4 Well do our best to get the computer repaired by next week, but we're not guaranteeing/ we don't guarantee it. 5 Pve just started to learn how to drive. Now I’m knowing/ I know how difficult itis, I'l never ctiticise your driving again. 6 She says that she wasn’t in the kitchen when the bottle smashed, but I refuse/ I’m refusing to believe her. 7 I’m certainly agreeing! I certainly agree with you that people shouldn't drink and drive. T know the company has made a loss this yeas, but I’m not apologising/ I don't apologise for that. 9 Ies very difficult for us to get jobs here, so we're considering/ we consider emigrating to Canada.Unit : : yz} Present continuous and present simple (2) _ ‘We often use the present simple and present continuous in stories and jokes in informal spoken English to create the impression that events are happening now. This can make them more direct and exciting and hold people’s attention: G She goes up to this man and looks straight into his eyes. He’s not wearing his glasses, and he doesn’t recognise her.. © This man’s playing golf when a kangaroo bounds up to him, grabs his club and hits his ball about half a mile... The main events are usually described in sequence using the present simple and longer background events are described using the present continuous. In narratives and anecdotes the present simple can bé used to highlight an event. Often it is used after past tenses and with a phrase such as suddenly or all of a sudden: Gi I was sitting in the park, reading a newspaper, when all of a sudden this dog jumps at me. ‘We also use the present simple and present continuous in live commentaries (for example, on sports events) when the report takes place at the same time as the action: © King serves to the left-hand court and Adams makes a wonderful return. She’s playing magnificent tennis in this match... We can use the present simple in phrases such as It says here, I hear, I gather, I see, I understand and They say, (Someone) says, (Someone) tells me to introduce news that we have heard, read, seen (e.g, on television), or been told. We can also use past tenses (e.g. It said here, I heard): 0 I gather you're worried about Ken. 1 Jane tells me you're thinking of emigrating, 0 Professor Otto is at the conference and I hear she’s an excellent speaker. The present simple is often used in newspaper headlines to talk about events that have recently happened: QUAKE HITS CENTRAL IRAN FOREIGN MINISTER meas | SCIENTISTS FIND BRIGHTEST STAR ) FIRE BREAKS OUT IN HOTEL ROOM eee We can use the present simple to refer to the contents of books, films, newspapers, etc: 15 Thompson gives a list of the largest European companies in Chapter Six, © At the beginning of the book, three men find $4 million in a crashed plane. G In the film, Joan Smithson takes the role of a private detective. ‘We can use the present continuous with adverbs such as always, constantly, continually or forever to emphasise that something is done so often that itis characteristic of a person, group or thing: © A: I think Pll stay here after all. B: You are constantly changing your mind, 0 Tony is a really kind person. He’s always offering to help me with my work. ‘We often use this pattern to indicate disapproval. The past continuous is used in a similar way with these adverbs (e.g. Was Kath always asking you for money, too?). ‘We can use the present continuous to describe something we regularly do at a certain time: G At 8 o'clock I’m usually driving to work, so phone me on my mobile. © 7 o'clock is a bit early. We're generally eating then. ‘We can use the present (or past) continuous rather than the present (or past) simple with the verb wonder if we want to be especially friendly or polite, particularly if we are unsure about the other person's feelings towards something or how they will react to what we say: © You said that there were only 50 books in the boxes. I’m just wondering! I was just wondering whether you counted them all? (more polite than ‘I just wonde: Grammar review: present continuous > a1-A2; present simple + A3-A5Exercises Unit 2 24 22 23 24 Complete these sentences using the verbs in brackets. Choose the present simple or present continuous. (A & B) 1 Beckham ...242928... to Giggs Who nn just over the bar. Manchester United --v-nnnsnns much more in this half... (pass~ shoot ~ attack) 2 Aman ............- home late one night after the office Christmas party. His wife covnsnnmnnee £0 him, ANd Sh€ cenenenenewn tO him... (arrive ~ wait ~ say) 3 Iwent to a concert yesterday in the Town Hall. In the middle of it, while the orchestra ~ this man suddenly ——---emm OM his seat and to conduct them. (play - stand — start) Complete what each person says about the news they have read or heard using the present tense phrases in C. (C) 1 - - _-l..see.the government's giving te Government gives health service billions } “Yenith service a, ot more moved, 2) mga akin cea) oe ea ‘Vegecorp are going to .... soon We're going t0 have In a surprise move yesterday President Cartman announced a new public holiday on his birthday, ‘August 6th. He made the announcement... 4 @QX_S Pid you hear that Tonys oe << » cxashed his car again? Scientists from Newtown University claim to have produced a vaccination to prevent malaria, Expand one of the sets of notes below to complete each dialogue. (E) continually/change/mind _forever/moan/work forever/ask me/money constantly/criticise/driving aba! mapas 1 A:Ican’t read this. B: You're ..aLmaus. complaining about. my. handuritin 2 A: Can I borrow £10? B: YOU're veenenm 3. A: That was a dangerous thing to do. B: You're . 4 A: Tthink Pll stay here after all. 8: YOU'TC momen 5 a:Thad a bad day at the office again. m: You're Complete the sentences with appropriate verbs, using negatives or questions where necessary. Use the same verb for each sentence in the pair with either the present continuous or the present simple. Use < to add any words outside the spaces. (D-F) La Tnenncmnnnenn Whether you could help me. You see, my car's broken down outside your house and I need to phone a garage. b ‘Do you think Philip would be good at the job?” “Hmmm, Teneo? a ‘Shall I phone at 6.00?” ‘No, we usually dinner at that time.’ b I. -- lamb, thanks. I'm a vegetarian. 3 a Gielman Henry V in the latest production at the Royal Theatre. b a b They constantly —------n-m loud music until the early hours of the morning. T normally ern the children to school at half eight. Pechaps we could meet at nine, In his 1954 book, Wall. a controversial view of Britain’s role in the war in Europe.i 1 1d 2 a ‘m (am) measuring measuces 3a doubt b doubr 2 4 a is currently attracting {Cartract’ is also possible) » attract 3 Sa doesn't like b 'm (am) not liking ‘don. lik’ is also possible) 6 4 “re (are) fing 4 doesn’e fi 7a feels _b'm (am) not feeling (don’t feel” is also possible) 8. a consists of (consists only ‘of would also be possible); » consists of 9 a's (is) sounding (sounds is also possible) b sounds 10 a 's(is) having b has, 12 1” Tm understanding/ I understand (both possible) 2 Ladmit ts 3 Do you find/ Are you finding (both possible) 4. we're noe guaranteeing! we don’t guarantee (both possible) st Tknow 6 Trefuse/ 2 oT Leercainly agree 8m not apologising/ I don’t apologise. (both possible) 9 we're considering/ we consider UNIT 2 24 1" shoots, are attacking 2. arrives, is waiting, says 3 is playing (‘was playing” is also possible), stands, starts 2.2 Possible answers 2 gather Vegecorp are going t0 sack a thousand workers. 3 Tunderstand we're going to have a new public holiday for the President's birthday. 4 Ed tells me Tony's crashed his ‘car again. 5. Julie says she's gor a new job. 6 They say they've found a new scinaiont preven against 2” You're forever asking me for money. 3. You're constantly criticising my driving. 4 You're continually changing your mind. 5. You're forever moaning about (your) work. xercises 2.4 The most likely verbs are given 1 Pm (am) wondering/ Iwas wondering (I wonder" ‘I wondered’ are also possible) b wonder we're (are) usually eating (we usualy eat” is also possible) don’t eat 4 plays (is playing’ is also possible) b ‘re (are) constantly playing (play” is also possible) a Pm normaly taking (T normally take is also possible. Ie would suggest, however, thae this i the time they leave home, Present continuous suggests that they are on the way t0 school at 8.30) b takes