Grammar Notes: Forms and Patterns.

1. The Present Simple Tense and the Present Continuous Tense

The difference between the two present tenses

1. We use the Simple Present to talk about:

• things that are always true or true for a long time;

e.g. The earth goes round the sun.

• a habit and things that happen often, usually, sometimes, etc.

e.g. I usually study from five to seven o’clock.

2. We use the Present Continuous tense to talk about:

• things that are happening now or around now;

  e.g. The water’s boiling. I’ll make coffee. I’m studying very hard just now.

• plans for the future.

e.g. What are you doing tomorrow?

(с) State Verbs. We use some verbs only in the Present Simple, not in the Present Continuous. They are:

verbs of thinking: verbs of feeling: verbs of senses: other verbs:				believe, think, understand, know, forget, remember, suppose, imagine, mean; like, dislike, love, hate, want, wish, prefer; see, hear, smell, taste, feel; have/=possess/, contain, belong to, need, cost, be, seem, own.
		e.g.	I think you’re right. I like this music. This spaghetti tastes delicious.
2.	Quantitative Pronouns:				many, much and a lot few, little, a few, a little

1. We use «many, (a) few» with countable nouns.

e.g. Few students are present. (= not many)

A few students are present. (= some, indefinite)

We use «much, (a) little» with uncountable nouns.

e.g. He drinks little beer. (=not much)

There’s a little wine left. (=some, indefinite)

2. We usually use «much/many» mainly in the negative sentences and questions.

e.g. Are there many people there?

We haven’t got much time.

In positive sentences «a lot (of)/lots (of)/plenty of» are more usual.

e.g. We spend a lot of money.

She’s got a lot of friends.

We can also use these words without nouns.

e.g. How much does it cost?

I think about you a lot.

But: In positive sentences after «too, so, as, very» we use «many» and «much».

e.g. We’ve got too much milk.

I’ve got so many jobs to do today.

Drills

Drill 1.

Do you like apples? No, I don’t like apples.

Does she ask a question? No, she doesn’t ask a question.

1. Do you like bananas?

2. Does she like potatoes?

3. Do they know the answer?

4. Do we understand them?

5. Do you speak German?

6. Does he play the piano?

7. Do they like to dance?

8. Does George like coffee?

Drill 2.

Does he drink beer? Oh, no! He never drinks beer.

1. Do they speak English?

2. Does he watch television?

3. Do you play tennis?

4. Does she swim in the sea?

5. Do they sell brooms and mops?

6. Do you eat ice-cream?

7. Does he listen to the radio?

8. Do they play games?

Drill 3.

Does he drive a car? Yes, he always drives a car.

Is he happy? Yes, he is always happy.

1. Does your mother clean the floor?

2. Are they late?

3. Does John sit at home?

4. Does she day-dream at the lessons?

5. Do they watch television?

6. Does he look at the ceiling?

7. Does he wash his car himself?

8. Are they angry?

9. Is he lazy?

10. Do we calculate quickly?

Drill 4.

Look! He is washing the car. Of course! He washes the car every day.

1. Look! She is cooking the potatoes.

2. Look! He is walking to school.

3. Look! I am waiting for you.

4. Look! She is learning her lessons.

5. Look! You are using my guitar.

6. Look! The secretary is using a typewriter.

7. Look! The porter is carrying the bags of the travellers.

8. Look! He is showing the hotel guests to their rooms.

9. Look! The chef is baking bread.

10. Look! The businessman is preparing the report.

11. Look! The construction worker is carrying bricks.

12. Look! Musicians are playing together in an orchestra.

13. Look! Fashion models are showing us the newest styles of clothes.

14. Look! Mr Emmons is holding Buster.

15. Look! Mr Emmons is picking up a new supply of brooms.

Drill 5.

They have dinner at 7 o’clock. Look! They are having dinner now.

1. He works in the garden every afternoon.

2. They visit us in the summer.

3. We listen to the radio in the evening.

4. Nancy does her homework after school.

5. Harold writes to his cousin every week.

6. Mr Parker drives to work every morning.

7. Musicians play together in an orchestra every day.

8. The teacher usually explains lessons.

9. Mr Emmons sells brooms and mops every day.

10. Mr Emmons visits each house every four months.

11. They play in the park on Sundays.

12. He listens to music in the evening.

Drill 6.

Does he smoke a lot? I don’t know. But he is smoking now.

1. Do they work hard?

2. Does she sing every day?

3. Does he often cry?

4. Do they always laugh?

5. Does she talk a lot?

6. Does he often drink?

7. Do they sleep all day?

Drill 7.

Tom’s making a lot of mistakes! He doesn’t usually make mistakes.

1. Tom’s answering the telephone!

2. He’s taking the children to school!

3. He’s helping his wife!

4. He’s walking the dog!

5. He’s cleaning the windows!

6. They’re spending their holidays at home!

7. They’re working late!

8. The dog is sleeping on your bed!

9. She’s driving the car!

10. She’s stopping at the traffic lights!

Drill 8.	Do they have lunch at one o’clock? usually Yes, they usually have lunch at one o’clock.
	Is Frank working in the garden? still Yes, Frank’s still working in the garden.

1. Do they have morning coffee at 11.30? usually

2. Are they talking about their husbands? still

3. Does it rain in autumn? generally

4. Is it raining outside? still

5. Do they have a break at one o’clock? always

6. Are they having a break? still

7. Does Frank watch TV in the evening? usually

8. Is Frank watching a football match on TV? still

9. Does Tom phone from Paris in the evening? usually

10. Is Susan talking to Tom? still

Drill 9.

We often go to the theatre. Do you often go to the theatre?

He is watching TV now. Is he watching TV now?

1. The wind blows papers far away.

2. They are working together in groups.

3. They usually go to Trafalgar Square by bus.

4. He is selling brooms in this part of the city now.

5. They usually walk from house to house.

6. They are talking to people now.

7. He usually shows the hotel guests to their rooms.

8. He is carrying the bags of the travelers.

Drill 10.	I am watching that bird now. (see) I see that bird now.
look at hear listen to like		call want buy own	feed remember think about know

Drill 11.

play tennis// play chess Does he often play tennis? Yes, he does. But he isn’t playing tennis now. He’s playing chess.

1. speak Spanish// speak English

2. shop at C&A// shop at BHS

3. drink coffee// drink tea

4. wash the car// wash the dog

5. listen to Russian music// listen to Spanish music

6. use black ink// use blue ink

7. watch TV// read a book

8. wear jeans// wear a suit

9. sit next to Darlene// sit next to Diane

10. save money// buy a motorcycle

Drill 12.

Are there many books in the bookcase? Yes, there are a lot of. No, there aren’t. There are few.

1. Are there many flowers in the vase?

2. Are there many windows in your flat?

3. Are there many trees in your garden?

4. Are there many children in the hall?

5. Are there many police cars in the street?

6. Are there many double-deckers in the street?

7. Are there many papers in the file cabinet?

8. Are there many drawings in the book?

9. Are there many musicians in the orchestra?

10. Are there many pictures of models in the magazines?

Drill 13.

Is there much snow in the street? Yes, there is a lot of. No, there isn’t. There is little.

1. Is there much water in the glass?

2. Is there much coffee in your cup?

3. Is there much traffic in the street?

4. Is there much litter on the ground?

5. Is there much money in the pocket?

6. Is there much work to do?

7. Is there much food in the fridge?

8. Is there much milk in the glass?