Unit 1. Present Simple and Present Continuous .ING

Unit 1. Present Simple and Present Continuous

1. Present Simple

The present simple is used to talk about things that happen on a regular basis. Use the present simple:

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• For habits or things that you do every day or week.

• To express universal truths.

1.1. Uses

The conjugation of the present simple is very simple. You only have to choose a subject and a verb in the infinitive form:

The present simple is formed using:

1.2. Rules

Activity 1

Write negative sentences. Use contractions.

1. I love animals – I don’t love animals.

2. You study English -

3. He works every day -

4. Mary drives very well -

5. My brother goes to the gym -

Activity 2

Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs. Use contractions.

GO – STUDY – NOT LISTEN – LOVE

I always 1 to the gym with Amy. Amy is my best friend and she 2 medicine at the university. We 3 to the same music because she 4 rock and I prefer metal.

Activity 3

Write interrogative sentences.

1. I love animals – Do I love animals?

2. You study English -

3. He works every day -

4. Mary drives very well-

5. My brother goes to the gym -

Practice: Present Simple

Sometimes we use adverbs of frequency with the present simple in order to describe how often things happen. Adverbs of frequency range from 100% frequency (always) to 0% (never). For example: I never go to the beach in December.

Adverbs of frequency are placed before the main verb, except when this is the verb to be, when it goes after it.

Adverbs of frequency include: always, sometimes, usually, hardly ever and never, amongst others.

1.2.1. Adverbs and expressions of frequency

Expressions of frequency are a set of words that together express frequency, just like adverbs, but they are a set of words. These include, for example, every day, twice a year, …). They are generally placed at the end of the sentence. For example: I study English every day.

1.2.2. Expressions of frequency

2. Present Continuous

The present continuous is formed using:

2.2. Rules

If you have doubts about when to use present continuous or present simple, remember:

2.3. Present simple vs present continuous

Activity 4

Transform these sentences to present continuous. Use contractions whenever possible.

1. I play tennis – I am playing tennis.

2. I study English -

3. He drives -

4. You don’t run -

5. They call him -

Activity 5

Write the verbs in brackets in the present continuous.

1. I visit my mother every Monday, but today I (study) for my next exam.

2. He can’t help me because he (work) at this moment.

3. Marta and Joss are busy this week because they (paint) the walls of their new house.

4. Hello Jenny, can I call you later? I (drive) now.

Activity 6

Use the present continuous to complete the dialogue between two friends.

• MARK: Hi! What are you doing? (do).

• PHIL: I 1 (study) for the exam at this moment.

• MARK: Oh, I see. I 2 (go) to the cinema tonight, would you like to come?

• PHIL: I can’t, because I 3 (visit) my grandmother tonight.

• MARK: I am going with Mary and she 4 (work) until late, so we can wait for you.

• PHIL: Ok! Well, and what 5 (do) now?

• MARK: I 6 (read) the film review.

• PHIL: Ok! I’ll see you tonight. Bye!

Practice: Present Continuous

2.1. Uses

There are some rules that you have to keep in mind:

• For the subjects of the third person singular (he, she, it), add an ‘–s’ at the end of the verb. For example: I live – he lives.

• With verbs ending in ‘-o’, ‘-sh’, ‘-ch’, ‘-ss’, ‘-x’, ‘-z’, add ‘-es’ instead of ‘-s’. For example: I wish – she wishes.

• The verbs that end in consonant + ‘y’ make the 3rd person with ‘-ies’. For example: I fry – he fries.

• The verbs ending in vowel + ‘y’ form the third person singular ending in ‘ys’. For example: I enjoy – he enjoys.

• To create the negative form, use the auxiliary verb ‘do’ or ‘does’ in the negative (do not or does not) after the subject and before the verb. For example: You do not like German.

• To make questions, use the auxiliary verb ‘do’ or ‘does’ before the subject. For example: Do you like pop-corn?

• For the third person singular (he, she, it) use ‘does’ instead of ‘do’ and don’t add any ‘–s’ ‘–ies’ to the verb. For example: He does not like ice-cream. NOT he doesn’t likes ice-cream.

• You can use the short form ‘don’t’ instead of ‘do not’ and ‘doesn’t’ instead of ‘does not’.

Activity 1

Write negative sentences. Use contractions.

1. I love animals – I don’t love animals.

2. You study English - You don’t study English.

3. He works every day - He doesn’t work every day.

4. Mary drives very well - Mary doesn’t drive very well.

5. My brother goes to the gym - My brother doesn’t go to the gym.

Activity 2

Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs. Use contractions.

GO – STUDY – NOT LISTEN – LOVE

I always 1 go to the gym with Amy. Amy is my best friend and she 2 studies medicine at the university. We 3 don’t listen to the same music because she 4 loves rock and I prefer metal.

Activity 3

Write interrogative sentences.

1. I love animals – Do I love animals?

2. You study English - Do you study English?

3. He works every day - Does he work every day?

4. Mary drives very well- Does Mary drive very well?

5. My brother goes to the gym - Does my brother go to the gym?

Unit 1 Key

Use the present continuous:

• For things that are happening now, at this moment.

o Example: I’m studying English grammar now.

• For temporary things that are happening now, this week (trends).

o Example: Unemployment is rising these days.

• For imminent future situations. It is recommended to use present continuous when you are going to use expressions that indicate when or when an action is going to happen, like ‘tomorrow’, ‘this weekend’, ‘next summer’, ‘on Friday’...

For example:

• I am driving to Madrid on Monday.

• He is meeting me at the airport tonight.

• She is not leaving the university until next year.

There are some spelling rules you need to know about the present continuous:

• Add –ing to the verb to form the present continuous. For example: ‘I am studying’.

• If the verb ends in ‘e’, cut the final ‘e’ and add –ing. For example: ‘drive’ -> ‘driving’.

• If the verb has 1 syllable and ends in consonant + vowel + consonant, double the final consonant and add –ing. For example: ‘win’ -> ‘winning’.

• To form the negative, use the negative form of verb to be. For example: ‘I am playing’ -> ‘I am not playing’

• To form the interrogative, put verb ‘be’ at the beginning. For example: ‘I am playing’ -> ‘Am I playing?’

Video: Present Simple and Present Continuous

Activity 4

Transform these sentences to present continuous. Use contractions when it is possible.

1. I play tennis – I am playing tennis.

2. I study English - I am studying English.

3. He drives - He is driving.

4. You don’t run - You aren’t running.

5. They call him - They are calling him.

Activity 5

Write the verbs in brackets in the present continuous.

1. I visit my mother every Monday, but today I am studying / ‘m studying for my next exam.

2. He can’t help me because he is working / ‘s working at this moment.

3. Marta and Joss are busy this week because they are painting / ‘re painting the walls of their new house.

4. Hello Jenny, can I call you later? I am driving / ‘m driving now.

Activity 6

Use the present continuous to complete the dialogue between two friends.

• MARK: Hi! What are you doing? (do).

• PHIL: I 1 am studying (study) for the exam at this moment.

• MARK: Oh, I see. I 2 am going (go) to the cinema tonight, would you like to come?

• PHIL: I can’t, because I 3 am visiting (visit) my grandmother tonight.

• MARK: I am going with Mary and she 4 is working (work) until late, so we can wait for you.

• PHIL: Ok! Well, and what 5 are you doing (do) now?

• MARK: I 6 am reading (read) the film review.

• PHIL: Ok! I’ll see you tonight. Bye!

Unit 1 Key

1. I football every Sunday.

a) play

b) plays

c) am playing

d) am plaing

2. You can’t play because you now.

a) studying

b) studies

c) are studying

d) don’t study

3. Lucas tennis?

a) does - play

b) does - plays

c) do - plays

d) does - playies

4. They today because it is Sunday.

a) not working

b) don’t work

c) not are working

d) are not working

5. What are you doing?

a) I read a book.

b) I am reading a book

c) I reads a book

d) Read a book

6. They tired.

a) never are

b) never not are

c) never

d) are never

7. John at half past three.

a) finishes

b) finishs

c) finishies

d) finisies

8. The correct form to say ‘I sing a song’ in present continuous is:

a) I singing a song

b) I am not singing a song

c) I am singing a song

d) Am I singing a song?

9. Choose the sentence in present simple:

a) He is not listening to music every day.

b) He is listening to music every day.

c) Is he listening to music every day?

d) Does he listen to music every day?

10. Choose the sentence in present continuous:

a) We buying are something for Mikel’s birthday.

b) For Mikel’s birthday we are something buying.

c) We buying something for Mikel’s are birthday.

d) We are buying something for Mikel’s birthday.

Evaluation test

1. I football every Sunday.

a) play

b) plays

c) am playing

d) am plaing

2. You can’t play because you now.

a) studying

b) studies

c) are studying

d) don’t study

3. Lucas tennis?

a) does - play

b) does - plays

c) do - plays

d) does - playies

4. They today because it is Sunday.

a) not working

b) don’t work

c) not are working

d) are not working

5. What are you doing?

a) I read a book.

b) I am reading a book

c) I reads a book

d) Read a book

6. They tired.

a) never are

b) never not are

c) never

d) are never

7. John at half past three.

a) finishes

b) finishs

c) finishies

d) finisies

8. The correct form to say ‘I sing a song’ in present continuous is:

a) I singing a song

b) I am not singing a song

c) I am singing a song

d) Am I singing a song?

9. Choose the sentence in present simple:

a) He is not listening to music every day.

b) He is listening to music every day.

c) Is he listening to music every day?

d) Does he listen to music every day?

10. Choose the sentence in present continuous:

a) We buying are something for Mikel’s birthday.

b) For Mikel’s birthday we are something buying.

c) We buying something for Mikel’s are birthday.

d) We are buying something for Mikel’s birthday.

Evaluation test

What will you learn?

• To describe actions that you do every day/week/year.

• To describe things which are generally true.

• To describe things that are happening at this moment.

• To describe trends.

Did you know that…

• Adverbs of frequency generally go before the main verb.

• Expressions of frequency usually go at the end of a sentence.

• In present simple, ASI or QUASI can help you to remind the order to make questions:

Question word – Auxiliary – Subject – Infinitive

What do you think?

Resources and links

• Explanation about Present Simple and Present Continuous: Link