1. Complete the rules. Write present simple or present continuous.
We use the:
1) _______ for something that happens regularly, always or never.
2) _______ for something happening at this moment.
3) _______ for something happening around this time.
4) _______ for a fact that is always true.
5) _______ with certain verbs that we don’t usually use in continuous tenses, e.g. believe, know, etc.
Show answers
1) present simple 2) present continuous 3) present continuous 4) present simple 5) present simple
2. Match the sentences (a-h) with the rules in exercise 1. Write 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
a This week dad is working in London.
b I’m wearing a blue T-shirt.
c School finishes at four o’clock.
d Do you understand this word?
e I don’t want a sandwich.
f The sun comes up in the east.
g We usually walk to school.
h Why are you smiling?
Show answers
a 3 b 2c 1 d 5 e 5 f 4 g 1 h 2
3. Complete the email. Use the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
To: mel@email.com
Hi Mel,
What 1) _____ (you / do) at the moment?
I 2) _____ (sit) in Mario’s café.
I 3) _____ (drink) a milkshake. This café 4) _____ (make) the best milkshakes in town!
I 5) _____ (often / come) here after school with friend Sally. In fact, 6) _____ (wait) for her now. She’s always late. I 7) _____ (not understand) why! Anyway, can I borrow your geography textbook? I 8) _____ (need) it for that test next week. I can’t find mine. Oh, Sally 9) _____ (come) into the café now.
Bye, see you later!
Dan
Show answers
1) are you doing 2) ’m sitting 3) ’m drinking 4) makes
5) often come 6) ’m waiting 7) don’t understand
8) need 9) is coming
4. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the present simple in one gap and the present continuous in the order.
1) Tom often __________ trainers to school, but today he __________ shoes. (wear)
2) We __________ a DVD at the moment, but we __________ TV most evenings. (watch)
3) I usually __________ a sandwich for lunch, but today I __________ some soup. (have)
4) mum __________ in an office in Manchester, but his month she __________ in Glasgow. (work)
5) It hardly ever __________ here, but it __________ at the moment. (snow)
6) Jason and Tilly __________ their bedrooms right now, but they usually __________ them at the weekend. (tidy)
Show answers
1) Tom often wears trainers to school, but today he’s wearing shoes.
2) We’re watching a DVD at the moment, but we watch TV most evenings.
3) I usually have a sandwich for lunch, but today I’m having some soup.
4) mum works in an office in Manchester, but this month she’s working in Glasgow.
5) It hardly ever snows here, but it is snowing at the moment.
6) Jason and Tilly are tidying their bedrooms right now, but they usually tidy them at the weekend.
5. Complete the sentences with the verbs below. Use the affirmative or negative form of the present simple or the present continuous.
have know laugh like prefer sing watch
1) Which __________ you __________, history or geography?
2) ‘Where’s George?’ ‘He __________ a shower.’
3) I __________ this pizza. It’s horrible!
4) ‘We __________ the answer to this question.’ ‘Well, ask the teacher.’
5) ‘What’s that terrible noise?’ ‘Kate __________!’
6) ‘Why __________ Ben __________?’ ‘Because he __________ a funny film.’
Show answers
1) do, prefer 2) ’s having 3) don’t like 4) don’t know
5) is singing 6) is, laughing, ’s watching
6. There are mistakes in five of these sentences. Find the mistakes and write the five sentences correctly.
1) ‘Are you wanting an ice cream?’ ‘No, thanks.’
____________
2) Right now I do homework.
____________
3) I’m reading a really good book about Cristiano Ronaldo.
____________
4) Josh and Sam are hating maths.
____________
5) I don’t believe in ghosts.
____________
6) I’m sometimes play the guitar in bedroom.
____________
7) It’s sometimes raining a lot in Scotland.
____________
Show answers
1) Do you want an ice cream?
2) Right now I’m doing homework.
4) Josh and Sam hate maths.
6) I sometimes play the guitar in bedroom.
7) It sometimes rains a lot in Scotland.
7. Complete the sentences with the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs below.
buy go not go out not like make not want not wear work
1) I ________. a skirt for the party, but it isn’t finished.
2) I ________. this shop. It’s expensive.
3) Tina usually ________. clothes shopping with her friends.
4) sister’s at the shopping centre. She ________. a dress for her friend’s wedding.
5) Tony’s cold. He ________. a coat.
6) brother ________. to buy new trousers. He’s happy with his old jeans.
7) We’re tired. We ________. tonight.
8) People in clothes factories in Bangladesh ________. very long hours.
Show answers
1) ’m making 2) don’t like 3) goes 4) ’s buying 5) isn’t wearing
6) doesn’t want 7) aren’t going out 8) work