Present simple form Present simple: meaning Explanations a The present simple is formed with the bare infinitive form of the verb. We add s in the third person singular he/she/ie. Tike You like He/She/It likes We like They like Some verbs are irregular: have, be Thave You have He/She has We have They have Tam Youare He/She is. Weare — They are 2 Spelling problems Verbs ending in o, 5, cl, sh, x add -¢s for the third person singular He goes She misses She watches He wishes He relaxes = Questions Yes/No questions are formed with do and the bare infinitive form of the verb. The third person singular uses does. Do you like Italian food? Does she like Italian food? We also use do/does when we form questions with when, what, why, where, how ete. What do you want? Where does she live? a Negatives Negatives are formed with do mot and the bare infinitive form of the verb. The third person singular uses does not. I do not like that. She does not like that In speech and informal writing, do not becomes don't, and does not becomes doesn't. I don’t like that. She doesn’t like that. & We use the present simple to describe: Habitual actions. Tusually get up at 7.30. Actions and situations that are generally or usually true Liz plays in the school basketball téam, We like ice-cream: Facts which are always true. The sun rises in the east. a The present simple also has some future meanings.INTERMEDIATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE Present simple: pronunciation Present continuous: form Present continuous: meaning Verbs which end in /z/, |dz/, /s/, /sh/, /tsh/ and /ks/ make an extra syllable in the third person, pronounced /1z/. watches misses relaxes After /f/, /kJ, fp/, It, third person sound is /s/. hits /iuts/ Other third person /s/ are pronounced Does is normally pronounced /diaz/ Jal. sees Isiz a The present continuous is formed with the auxiliary verb be and the -ing form of the main verb. 1am relaxing. You are relaxing He/She is relax We are relaxing. They are relaxing a Spelling problems Verbs ending -¢ drop the -e when they add -ing like liking decide deciding write writing Verbs with one syllable, ending in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant when they add -ing sit sitting swim swimming dig. digging Verbs ending -ie change -ie to 4 lie lying tie tying die dying = Contractions In speech and informal writing, the verb be is contracted: I'm writing. You're writing. He’s/She's writing. We're writing. They're writing. 8 Questions Yes/No questions are formed by inverting the subject and the auxiliary be, Am E writing? Are you writing? Is he/she writing? Are we writing? Are they writing? Wh: questions follow the same pattern What are you writing? Why are we writing? a Negatives Negatives are formed with the verb be + not. This is contracted in speech and informal writing. I’m not writing. He's not writing. They're not writing. a We use the present continuous to describe: Actions in progtess at the present moment. Sorry, [can't speak to you, I’m washing my hair Actions happening ‘around now’, even though not at the moment of speaking, I'm reading The Lord of the Rings. = The present continuous also has some SEE ALSO future meanings. Grammar 3: Present time Grammar 8: Future 1 Grammar 9: Future 2GRAMMAR 2 PRESENT TIME 1 Practice Underline the correct phrase in each sentence. a) What time go you/do you go to bed on Saturdays? b) Why are you waiting/do you waiting outside the door? ©) Don’t ask Tim. He doesn’t know/not knows the answer 4) I having/t'm having my lunch at the moment. €) When you leave/do you leave the house in the morning? f) [don’t understand. What is happening/is happen? g) Excuse me, does you know/do you know the time? h) This is a great party. nt having/Am I having a lovely time. Read the answers and then complete the questions. a) Where ..49¢¢., Sie. hive? Sue? She lives at the end of Axwell Road. b) Do .. Jim? No, [don’t know him, c) What At the moment? I’m doing my homework. d) Are .. Here? No, I’m sitting over there. e) Do..... Here? No, we change trains at the next station. ) Why .. I’m wearing two pullovers because I feel cold! Rewrite each sentence so that the verb in italics is a negative contraction. a) Naomi and Bill are watching television. i Naomi and Bill arent watching television. b) Peter likes chocolate cake. ©) I'm using this pencil at the moment. d) The children are having lunch in the kitchen. ©) L get up early on Saturday. f) Elena is writing a novel.INTERMEDIATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE 4 Complete each sentence with a present simple or present continuous form, usinc the words in bold. ay ..Rg..yoH, like Z cheese sandwiches you like b) What time « the sun rise ©) What .. at the moment you read ) Sorry, I can’t talk. ™ = a batt Ihave e) We not watch videos at schoo f) Look out of the window! it snow g) This is an examination! Why you talk hy Ann to school by bus every day go Des ite as soninneness @ UNIFORM at your schoo! you wear j) Pat has got an interesting hobby. «cee a boal she build 5S Choose the correct spelling from each pair of words. a) Gwriting/writting b) diging/digging ©) takeing/taking d) deciding/decideing @) swiming/swimming f) having/haveing g) lying/lieing hy readding/reading i) using/useing i) waiting/waitting k) washeing/washing D) riding/rideing m) flyeing/flying | n) studing/studying | 0) going/goeing