The Present Progressive (Continuous) Tense

Exercise 1

Translate into Russian and comment on the use of the Prеsent Progressive Tense.

1. He looked at her. 'You're shaking. Are you all right?'

2. The rain is just beginning.

3. You can't talk to him. He is having dinner now.

4. It’s snowing. Don't go out.

5. He isn't playing football this season.

6. 'I'm sorry’, I said, ‘I’m being clumsy'.

7.Hello. Агe you enjoying the party? 8. His French is getting better.

9. You are forgetting yourself, young man.

10. He isn't doing very well at school, is he?

11. He frowned at her. 'Being funny? Or are you trying to pretend nothing's going on?'

12. I'm revising for my spring English exam. Please try not to bother me.

Exercise 2

Make the following sentences: - negative

- interrogative.

1. The secretary is typing a letter.

2. The sun is shining brightly.

3. The cat is running along the wall.

4. My mother is cooking a meal.

5. My father is reading a book.

6. They are having a German lesson now.

7. She is constantly forgetting phone numbers. 8. The doctor is feeling her pulse.

9. She is running home.

10.You are walking too quickly.

11.Margie is typing very fast.

12.You are making a lot of noise.

13. The lecturer is explaining some new material now.

14. The wind is blowing outside.

15. The children are singing a new song.

16. My brother is listening to some new record.

17. You are driving too slowly.

Exercise 3

Put the verbs in brackets into Present Continuous.

This is London airport. Many people 1) … are waiting… (wait) to go on holiday. The women at the check in desk 2) ……………….. (take) the passengers’ tickets and she 3) …………………. (ask) them some questions. At “Passport Control” a man who 4) …………….. (wear) a uniform 5) …………………… (look) at everyone’s passports. Some people 6) ………………….. (sit) on chairs and while they 7) …………………… (wait) they 8) …………………….. (read) books and magazines. There is a café where a man 9) ………………… (serve) tea and coffee. Outside, a plane 10) ……………………… (take off) and another one 11) …………….… (come down). Some men 12) ……………….. (put) the passengers’ bags onto another plane. A man who 13) ………………… (leave) 14) ……………… (say) goodbye to his family.

Exercise 4

Use the Present Progressive Tense instead of the infinitives in brackets.

1. Look! It (to rain).

2. Why you (not to wear) your coat today'? It's so cold.

3. Excuse me, I (to look for) the post-office. Is there one near here?

4.You (to make) a lot of noise. 5. They (to quarrel) again.

6. He is on holiday. He (not to work) today.

7. You (to read) any English books now?

8. They (to have) an English lesson. The teacher (to write new words on the blackboard and (to explain) their meanings. The students (to sit) at the tables and (to make notes. Through the window we see the school yard. The school children (to run about) there. They (to have) an interval between their lessons.

9. What you (to talk) about?

10. Jim (to lake) his driving test now.

11. 'What you (to do) at the moment? Can you help me with my project?’

'Oh, I'm busy just now. I (to fix) my mixer, but if you can wait…’

'Yes, I can. We (to write) several projects this semester. I don't know what to do about this one.'

12. 'What you (to play)? Is it something that I know?'

‘It’s mine’

‘You to play) wonderfully.’

13. What Tom (to do)? Why he (not to practice)?'

‘He (to have) some rest.’

Exercise 5

Change the following sentences according to the pattern:

Pattern: He usually has breakfast at seven, but today he is having

breakfast at eight.

1. She usually drinks coffee in the morning, but today she ... tea.

2. They usually play tennis on Sundays, but today they ...football.

3. I usually read books in the evening, but today now I ... a newspaper

4. 'Usually you skate alone’

'But today I … with my friends'.

5. She usually washes the dishes at night, but tonight she ... dishes, she ... a book.

6. Brian usually has breakfast very early, but today he … breakfast late.

7. They usually have lunch in the canteen, but today they ... lunch in the café.

8. I usually watch TV after dinner, but today I ... TV, I ... a newspaper.

9. Faith usually drinks tea with sugar, but today she ... tea without sugar. She's on a diet.

10.I usually do my morning exercises every day, but today I ... my morning exercises. I'm not well.

11.’Usually you type your essays.'

'Yes, but today I ... it. Something's wrong with my computer.'

12. Martin usually drives to college, but today he… .

Exercise 6

Ask questions to the following sentences beginning with the words in brackets.

1. They are writing a composition now. (What? Who?) 2. He is translating an English article. (Who? What? What kind of?) 3. The dog is running after a cat. (What? What ... after?)

4. He is having dinner in the canteen now. (Who? Where?)

5. Shy is looking for her glasses. (Who? Where? What .. for? Why?)

6. I'm learning this poem by heart. (Who? What? How?)

7. They are building a new school in our street. (What? Where?)

8. She is opening a letter from her mother. (What? What kind of?)

9. She is constantly nagging her husband. (Why? When?)

10. Tony is painting a new picture. (Who? What? What?)

11. You are talking too fast. (How? Why?)

12. My parents are redecorating our dining-room now, because they never liked its style. (Who? What? What? Why?)

Exercise 7

Ask questions to the underlined parts of the following sentences.

1. It is raining heavily outside.

2. They are trying to translate this exercise.

3. He is drinking tea in the garden.

4. Cinema audiences are declining now.

5. She's listening to the rock music.

6. You are trying to persuade him, but he won’t listen.

7. They’ve moved to a new house and are buying new furniture.

8. You are constantly mispronouncing this word, because you're inattentive.

9. None of them is taking part in the discussion: they are not ready.

10. Ellen is reading a book on the veranda.

11. No one is trying to help him: he doesn’t like it.

Exercise 8

Translate into English.

1.- Хто зараз здає іспит?

- Моя подруга.

2.- Чому ви не дивитесь телевізор?

- Я готуюсь до занять.

3. У тебе все ще тремтять руки.

4. Завжди вона із кожним свариться!

5. Вона працює в іншому місці, і справи в неї йдуть добре.

6. - Чим займається твій племінник?

- Він працює в саду.

7. – Чому вона плаче?

- Я не знаю. Я намагаюсь її заспокоїти.

8. – Звідки ви йдете?

- Із крамниці.

9. У них зараз урок німецької мови.

10. Ми сидимо біля вікна, яскраво світить сонце, повз нашого будинку поспішають люди...

11. Студенти слухають пояснення викладача.

12. Куди ви поспішаєте?

13. – Що ти шукаєш?

- Я шукаю свій годинник.

14. Чому ти завжди бурчиш?

15. – Про що ти думаєш?

-Я думаю про канікули.

16. Що ти про нього думаєш?

- Я думаю, що він добрий співрозмовник.

17. - Скільки розділів в цій книжці?

-Десять. Зараз я читаю сьому. Ви хочете взяти її?

- Так, якщо можна.

18. Він поводить себе жахливо.

19. Я сподіваюсь, що він не запізниться.

20. Я знаю , що ти не любиш ходити по крамницях.

21. Зараз ми наближаємось до церкви 14 сторіччя. Кожного року тисячі туристів приїжджають до нашого міста, щоб помилуватися нею.

Exercise 9

Choose the correct form.

Example:

Look outside! It’s snowing! It snows!

1. It’s snowing/ It snows quite often in Britain during the winter.

2. I’m going/ I go to bed now. Goodnight.

3. Normally, I’m going/ I go to bed around 11.30 every night.

4. ‘Where’s Simon?’ ‘He’s cooking/ He cooks the dinner.’

5. There is something wrong with Lynne’s car at the moment so she’s going/ she goes to work by bus this week.

6. The River Thames is flowing/ flows through London.

7. Sarah has got an exam soon, so she’s working/ she works very hard at the moment.

Exercise 10

Use the Present Simple or the Present Progressive Tense instead of the infinitives in brackets.

1. I (to think) you (to behave) rather foolishly, honey.

2. I (to think) about your behavior. What you (to think) you (to do)?

3. Your German (to get) better?

4. I (to see) that you (to have) some problems with this computer. Can I be of any help?

5. He (to understand) the rule, but he still (to make) mistakes too often.

6. 'You (to believe) his story?'

'Oh no, I never (to believe) him. He always (to tell) lies.

7. How many parts this text (to consist of)?

8. 'Listen! You (to hear) that noise?'

That's our neighbors. They (to shout) again. They never (to tire) of it.’

'They always (to shout) like that?'

9. Now I (to see) everything clearly. You (to try) to swindle.

That won’t do!

10.Who this house (to belong) to?

11.'Hello there! Where you (to think) you (to go)?'

'I (to want) to go to the disco.'

'No. You (to do) your lessons now. And I (to mean) it.'

12.'Where' s Mom?'

'She's in the kitchen. She (to cook) dinner.'

'I (to think) I'll go and give her a hand.'

'Don’t! She (to be) sulky today. She (not to want) to anyone.

13. 'Why he (to look) so gloomy?'

'Oh, he (to have) a toothache.'

14.'What you (to look) at?'

'I (to look) at the girl over there. You (not to think) he dress is wonderful?'

15.’What you (to think) about?’

'I (to think) that I won't really enjoy the party tonight.'

‘You (to say) that I must go alone? You (to go) with me and that's that'

16. Tony (to feel) something's wrong, but he can't say what.

‘Well, I (to believe) we'll soon learn everything.

17. 'What we (to wait for)?'

‘We (to wait for) Mother. She (to choose) presents. She (to think) that one, of those dresses will do for Jessie, so now she (to look over) them and (to feel) the fabric.’

18. 'What Esther (to think) about it?'

'She (to find) it all very strange.’

19. You (to believe) in Santa Claus?

20. Gerry always (to find fault with) me.

21. Your letters (to be) very welcome, but he (to want) to know everything at first hand.

Exercise 11

Explain your actions using Present Indefinite and Present Continuous.

Example:

- Where are you drinking cold water?

- I am drinking cold water because I am hot.

- When do you drink water?

- I always drink water when I am hot.

1. Why are you crying? - … (to be sad). 2. Why is he walking in the park now? - …(to be tired). 3. Why is she going to the doctor? - … (to be ill). 4. Why are they shouting? - … (to be angry). 5. Why are you going to the dining-room? - … (to be hungry).