Scribd
Upload
75 views

Present Continuous and Present Simple Advanced Grammar in Use

The document discusses the use of the present simple and present continuous tenses in English. It provides examples of how each tense is used in narratives, jokes, sports commentaries, introductions of news, newspaper headlines, descriptions of book/film contents, emphasizing characteristics, and describing regular activities. The present continuous can be used instead of the present simple to sound especially friendly when asking questions. Exercises are then provided to practice using these tenses in different contexts.

Uploaded by

Ann O'van
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
75 views

Present Continuous and Present Simple Advanced Grammar in Use

The document discusses the use of the present simple and present continuous tenses in English. It provides examples of how each tense is used in narratives, jokes, sports commentaries, introductions of news, newspaper headlines, descriptions of book/film contents, emphasizing characteristics, and describing regular activities. The present continuous can be used instead of the present simple to sound especially friendly when asking questions. Exercises are then provided to practice using these tenses in different contexts.

Uploaded by

Ann O'van
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Unit

2 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:
□ 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 m ile...
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 be used to highlight an event. Often it is used
after past tenses and with a phrase such as suddenly or all of a sudden:
□ I was sitting in the park, reading a newspaper, when all o f 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, 1 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, 1 heard):
□ I gather you’re worried about Ken. n Jane tells me you’re thinking of emigrating.
□ Professor Otto is at the conference and I hear she’s an excellent speaker.

The present simple is often used newspaper headlines to talk about events that have
recently happened:

QUAKE HITS CENTRAL IRAN 1 F O R E IG N M IN IS T E R R E S IG N S


J
SCIEN TISTS FIN D B R IG H T E ST STAR j FIRE BREAKS OUT IN HOTEL ROOM
■ J

We can use the present simple to refer to the contents of books, films, newspapers, etc:
□ 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.
□ 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 it is characteristic of a person, group or thing:
□ A: I think I’ll stay here after all. B: You are constantly changing your mind.
□ Tony is a really kind person. He’s alw ays 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 adverhs (e.g. Was Kath alw ays asking you for money, too?).

We can use the present continuous to describe something we regularly do at a certain time:
□ 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/1 was just
wondering whether you counted them all? (m ore p olite than ‘I just wonder...?’)

4 Gram m ar review : present continuous -» A1-A2; present simple -» A3 AS


Exercises Unit 2
2.1 Complete these sentences using the verbs in brackets. Choose the present simple or present
continuous. (A ft B)
1 Beckham ...p^ss&s^ to Giggs w h o ........________ just over the bar. Manchester United
____ __........... much more in this half... (pass - s h o o t - attack)
2 A m a n _______ ____ home late one night after the office Christmas party. His wife
........ ....,....... for him, and s h e ......................... to him ... (arrive - w ait - say)
3 I went to a concert yesterday in the Town Hall. In the middle of it, while the orchestra
............... .....this man suddenly......................... . on his seat a n d ______ ____ ^ to conduct them.
(play - stand - start)

2.2 Complete what each person says about the news they have read or heard using the present
tense phrases in C. (C)
see the j'ov( rijm e n t s g iv ing >-.......
Government gives health service billions
lions^j servljce. a Ink more, movipxi

Vegecorp are going to _______


Ve^ecorp to sack 10QD workers,
■rs.J

3 I --------------------------- > we’re going to have


y In a surprise move yesterday President Cartman
J announced a new public holiday on his birthday, |
i August 6th. He made the announcement... \

M
........Tony’s ..... .............. .................. „.....
Did you hear that Tony’s
crashed his car again?

......... she’s ____ _______ ______ ___


,Vj I’ve got a new j°b . J

... they’ve found ---- -------------.....


Scientists from Newtown University
claim to have produced a
[ vaccination to prevent malaria.

2.3 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 always/t'funpl ai n/h andwriting
1 A: I can’t read this. B: You’re clLkjoujs comDLfliLnin^ CLbqut mu h a r ,d jw r ik a

2 A: Can I borrow £10? B: You’re .-------- ------. ....... ........ ....... — ------------
3 A: That was a dangerous thing to do. B: You’re --------------- ----------
4 a: I think I’ll stay here after all. B: You’r e ......................... ............. ...... ...
5 A: I had a bad day at the office again. B: You’re .............................. ............ ..

2.4 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 X to add any words outside the spaces. (D-F)
1 a I ....................... 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?’ ‘Hmm, I ......................... .’
2 a ‘Shall I phone at 6 .0 0 ?’ ‘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 They constantly .................... . loud music until the early hours of the morning.
4 a I normally the children to school at half eight. Perhaps we could meet at nine,
b In his 1954 book, Wall . . . a controversial view of Britain’s role in the war in
Europe.

You might also like