English grammar

Present simple vs continuous _____

Contents:

Present simple + continuous exercises page

▪ Affirmative 2
▪ Questions 5
▪ Negative forms 7
▪ Answer keys 10

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Present simple and continuous
Affirmative
Exercise 1. Choose the correct present simple or continuous form. ________

I ....................................... a letter now.

• write • am writing • am writting

Susan .............................. the garden at the moment.

• is diging • digs • is digging

Jane ............................... to bed at 10 o'clock on weekdays.

• goes • is going • go

I am in London this summer. I .................................. English.

• learn • am learning • learning

We ............................... our friends very often.

• are seeing • seeing • see
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My brothers .............................. basketball every Saturday.
• plays • are playing • play

The bus sometimes .................................. in the morning.

• is arriving • arrive • arrives

James is a student. But he ................................ this week.

• works • work • is working

Lions ............................. in Africa.

• are living • live • is living

Our train ................................... the platform.

• just leaves • just leave • is just leaving

My parents ................................... TV now.

• are watching • watch • watching

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Exercise 2. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. ___________
Example:
Mary ........................... in Germany. (live) - Mary lives in Germany.

Look. I think he ............................................... to us. (listen)

We ................................... at a hotel in the mountains this week. (stay)

I .................................. to bed early on Saturdays and Sundays. (go)

My mum is at the shop. She .................................. a new dress for my younger sister. (buy)

Jill ................................... a lot of money because she is hard-working. (have)

They usually ............................... on Sunday evening. (leave)

Please, slow down a little bit! You .............................. so fast! (drive)

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We ................................. in Berlin for a school reunion each year. (meet)

We .................................... to discos with my classmates on Fridays. (go)

He normally .................................... on time to our meetings. (come)

I can't hear you, Betty! I .................................... a shower. (have)

Sam .......................... his English homework late at night. (do)

I usually wash up and my brother Bill ........................... the dishes. (dry)

I'm afraid my grandma is ill. She .............................. in bed all day. (lie)

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Exercise 3. Make sentences with the words in brackets. _________________
Example:
(live/here/I) - I live here.

(make/a phone call/Peter/now)

....................................................................................................................................................................

(my car/I/on Saturdays/wash)

....................................................................................................................................................................

(daily/practise/Joe and Bill)

....................................................................................................................................................................

(I/at Oxford/study/this summer)

....................................................................................................................................................................

(long hours/work/my brother)

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....................................................................................................................................................................

(just/dinner/have/Jill)

....................................................................................................................................................................

(move/very often/we)

....................................................................................................................................................................

(at the moment/Jim and Susan/watch TV)

....................................................................................................................................................................

(teach/she/in New York/these days)

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Present simple and continuous
Questions
Exercise 4. Complete the present simple and continuous questions. _______

Example:
Where do you work? - I work in Leeds.

What time ........................................................... every day?

I start work at 7 every day.

......................................................................... at weekends?
No, I don't work at weekends.

What ............................................................ at the moment?

Well, I am not doing anything at the moment.

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................. your wife .......................................................... ?
No, she does not go to work.

And what ..................................................................... now?

She is doing some shopping, I think.

Where ................................................................................. ?
She usually does the shopping at a shopping centre.

Who ..................................................... with shopping bags?

Our son helps her.

..................................................................... together today?

No, they aren't shopping together today.

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Exercise 5. Make questions with the words in brackets. _________________
Example:
(where/work/you) - Where do you work?

(make/lunch/Joyce/at the moment)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(travel/London/every week/they)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(you/what/do/right now)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(where/your brother/work)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(want/you/some cake)
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.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(help/teacher/your/need)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(Simon/why/now/cry)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(just/my parents/come)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(go out/your friends/at weekends)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

(do/at the moment/you/anything)

.................................................................................................................................................................. ?

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Present simple and continuous
Negative
Exercise 6. Make the sentences and questions negative. _________________

Example:
I like chocolate.
I don't like chocolate.

Susan looks very good.

.................................................................................. very good.

Why do you read such magazines?

Why ................................................................ such magazines?

I'm doing housework at the moment.

......................................................... housework at the moment.

We go swimming on Tuesdays.

.............................................................................. on Tuesdays. 7
My Spanish penfriend sends me postcards.

............................................................................. me postcards.

Why are you listening to us?

Why................................................................................. to us?

What does Jack do?

What ....................................................................................... ?

She's sitting over there.

................................................................................. over there.

They have a house in the mountains.

....................................................................... in the mountains.

We're having fun.

............................................................................................ fun.

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Exercise 7. Make negative answers. __________________________________
Example:
Do you work at night?
I don't work at night.

Is your best friend sitting next to you?

.............................................................................................. next to me.

Does your father get up at 9 every day?

........................................................................................ at 9 every day.

Are you drinking milk right now?

....................................................................................... milk right now.

Are your parents still sleeping?

................................................................................................ anymore.

Does your neighbour love you?

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......................................................................................................... me.

Do your friends play cricket on Fridays?

................................................................................. cricket on Fridays.

Does your mother come from Brixham?

....................................................................................... from Brixham.

Is your partner watching you at the moment?

................................................................................. me at the moment.

Am I writing this test with you?

................................................................................... this test with me.

Do all people in your country speak English?

................................................................................................. English.

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Present simple and continuous
Mixed forms
Exercise 8. Choose correct forms of the present simple or continuous in
each pair. _______________________________________________________

1. a) Oh, no! Look! What is he doing?

b) Oh, no! Look! What does he do?

2. a) She wears a new jumper this week.

b) She is wearing a new jumper this week.

3. a) Does your father and mother speak Japanese?

b) Do your father and mother speak Japanese?

4. a) Don't give him this book. I am reading it.

b) Don't give him this book. I read it.

5. a) Who does want this ticket?

b) Who wants this ticket?

6. a) Is your girlfriend having a good time at this party?

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b) Has your girlfriend a good time at this party?

7. a) We spend a month at the seaside each year.

b) We are spending a month at the seaside each year.

8. a) Excuse me. What times do the early

morning trains leave on Fridays?
b) What times are the early morning trains
leaving on Fridays?

9. a) I can see Jane over there. She talks to Bill.

b) I can see Jane over there. She is talking to Bill.

10. a) Steve and I doesn't go out together.

b) Steve and I don't go out together.

11. a) I moved to Canada last year. I live in an apartment.

b) I moved to Canada last year. I am living in an apartment.

12. a) Is not your grandpa coming tonight?

b) Isn't your grandpa coming tonight?

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Answer keys
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Present simple and continuous affirmative _____________

Exercise 1
I am writing a letter now.
Susan is digging the garden at the moment.
Jane goes to bed at 10 o'clock on weekdays.
I am in London this summer. I am learning English.
We see our friends very often.
My brothers play basketball every Saturday.
The bus sometimes arrives in the morning.
James is a student. But he is working this week.
Lions live in Africa.
Our train is just leaving the platform.
My parensts are watching TV now.
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Exercise 2
I think he is listening to us.
We are staying at a hotel in the mountains this week.
I go to bed early on Saturdays and Sundays.
She is buying a new dress for my younger sister.
Jill has a lot of money because she is hard-working.
They usually leave on Sunday evening.
Please, slow down a little bit! You are driving so fast!
We meet in Berlin for a school reunion each year.
We go to discos with my classmates on Fridays.
He normally comes on time to our meetings.
I can't hear you, Betty! I am having a shower.
Sam does his English homework late at night.
I usually wash up and my brother Bill dries the dishes.
I'm afraid my grandma is ill. She is lying in bed all day.

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Exercise 3
Peter is making a phone call now.
I wash my car on Saturdays.
Joe and Bill practise daily.
I am studying at Oxford this summer.
My brother works long hours.
Jill is just having dinner.
We move very often.
Jim and Susan are watching TV at the moment.
She is teaching in New York these days.

Present simple and continuous questions _______________

Exercise 4
What time do you start work?
Do you work at weekends?
What are you doing now?
Does your wife go to work?
And what is she doing now?
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Where does she do the shopping?
Who helps her with shopping bags?
Are they shopping together today?

Exercise 5
Is Joyce making lunch at the moment?
Do they travel to London every week?
What are you doing right now?
Where does your brother work?
Do you want some cake?
Does your teacher need any help?
Why is Simon crying now?
Are my parents just coming?
Do your friends go out at weekends?
Are you doing anything at the moment?

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Present simple and continuous negative ________________

Exercise 6

Susan doesn't (does not) look very good.

Why don't you (do you not) read such magazines?
I'm not (I am not) doing housework at the moment.
We don't (do not) go swimming on Tuesdays.
My Spanish penfriend doesn't (does not) send me postcards.
Why aren't you (are you not) listening to us?
What doesn't Jack (does Jack not) do?
She's not (isn't) (is not) sitting over there.
They don't have (do not have) (haven't) (have not) a house in the mountains.
We're not (aren't) (are not) having fun.

Exercise 7

My best friend isn't (is not) sitting next to me.

My father doesn't (does not) get up at 9 every day.
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I'm not (I am not) drinking milk right now.
My parents aren't (are not) sleeping anymore.
My neighbour doesn't (does not) love me.
My friends don't (do not) play cricket on Fridays.
My mother doesn't (does not) come from Brixham.
My partner isn't (is not) watching me at the moment.
You aren't (are not) writing this test with me.
All people in my country don't (do not) speak English.

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Present simple and continuous mixed forms ____________

Exercise 8

1. a) Oh, no! Look! What is he doing?

2. b) She is wearing a new jumper this week.
3. b) Do your father and mother speak Japanese?
4. a) Don't give him this book. I am reading it.
5. b) Who wants this ticket?
6. a) Is your girlfriend having a good time at this party?
7. a) We spend a month at the seaside each year.
8. a) Excuse me. What times do the early
morning trains leave on Fridays?
9. b) I can see Jane over there. She is talking to Bill.
10. b) Steve and Claire don't go out together.
11. a) I moved to Canada last year. I live in an apartment.
12. b) Isn't your grandpa coming tonight?

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