Housing in America

Nowadays, fewer and fewer single families own large houses. Large older houses __________ (be) too expensive now, and today's smaller families ___________ (need / not) so much space. As a result, many people today ___________ (buy) condominiums or duplexes, or they ___________ (stay) in rented apartments longer instead of buying homes. Others __________ (try) creative alternatives. For example, two young families, the Johnsons and the Lords, ___________ (purchase) a large home and ____________ (share) the cost. Single people also ___________ (get) together with friends or relatives to buy houses. They __________ (see) the advantages of owning a home, but they ______________ (need) several incomes to pay the mortgage.

Communicative activity: Tell a little about housing in your home town or country. Do people own their own homes or do they rent? Is this changing? Are people trying alternatives?

Ex.28 Complete the passage with Simple Present or Present Continuous forms of the verbs in parentheses. Add adverbs when indicated.

A u.S. Commuter

Dave Peterson ________________ (wake / normally) up at 5:45 a. m. If he _______________(get) into the shower first, he ________________ (be) ready for breakfast by 6:30. If he ____________ (be / not) too late, he _______________ (eat) some breakfast. Ten minutes _____________ (be / usually) enough for him to gulp down some coffee and a piece of toast while he ______________ (scan) the newspaper. Dave _____________ (run) out the door at a quarter to seven and _______________ (have) just enough time to make the express train. The brisk ________________ morning walk _______________ (do) him wonders because it __________________ (wake) him up a bit. He _______________ (pick / always) up a copy of The

Wall Street Journal near the station and ________________ (fold) it neatly in quarters, lengthwise. Dave________________(read / usually) it while he _______________ (stand) on the train.

As a rule, he ________________ (arrive) at the office a few minutes before 8:30. Most of his co-workers _______________ (get / rarely) there before 9:00. Dave ________________ (have / not) to be in until 9:00 either, but it _______________ (look) good to the boss if he ____________ (work) before 9:00.

Five days a week, fifty weeks a year, that _________________ (be) how Dave's day ______________ (begin), just like clockwork.

Communicative activity: Tell about a typical morning for you. When do you get up? Do you ever wake up late? Do you always eat breakfast? When do you leave home?

Ex. 29. Find and correct the errors in the following sentences. All of the mistakes are in verb tense form and usage.

1. The bank lent us money for a downpayment; so now we are owning the house we used to rent.

2. Look at Joan. She bites her fingernails. She must be nervous.

3. He won’t let anyone see the painting until it will be finished.

4. I am feeling that you don’t want to join us.

5. These shoes are feeling tight.

6. He is owing an apology and an explanation to us.

7. The other big island, which is lying to the west of Great Britain, is Ireland.

8. This box is weighing a lot. It is too heavy for me to lift.

9. Juan! What’s the matter with your hand. It bleeds.

10. I think about the verbs in this grammar practice right now. I am thinking all of my answers are correct, but I’ll use the answer key to check them when I’ll finish, just to make sure.

Ex.30. Underline the correct form: Present Simple or Present Continuous.

a) A: What language are you speaking/ do you speak?

B: English, French and Italian.

b) A: Do you hear these people? What language are they speaking/ do they speak?

B: It seems to me, it is Chinese.

c) A: What’s that song you listen to / you are listening to?

B: It’s called “Angels”. Good, isn’t it?

d) A: What are you reading/do you read?

B: It’s an article about holidays in Switzerland.

e) A: Do you smoke/ are you smoking?

B: No, thank you. I stopped smoking two years ago.

f) A: Why are you laughing/do you laugh?

B: It’s your face. You look so funny.

g) A: Does your brother play/ Is your brother playing any sport?

B: Yes. Football in the winter, tennis in the summer and swimming all year.

h) A: Paul. PAUL!!! Are you listening/ Do you listen to me?

B: Hmm? What? Sorry?

Ex.31 Complete the passage with appropriate forms of the verbs in parentheses. Use the Present Simple or the Present Continuous. Add adverbs when indicated.

Family Responsibilities

Household chores can be tedious. All of us in the Peterson household ___________ (have) busy schedules, so we ___________ (try) to share our chores. Our plan _____________ (work/ seldom) out though!

For example, our son Dan ____________ (do / usually) the dinner dishes, but tonight he

_______________ (study) for an exam. So, guess who _____________ (wash) the dishes tonight?

Me! Our daughter Sue _____________ (take care of / normally) the laundry, but she ____________ (visit) friends out of town. So, guess who _______________ (do) the laundry this week? Me! My husband and I ______________ (alternate) cooking, as a rule, but he _____________ (meet) with an important client this evening. So, guess who ______________ (make) dinner again? Me! I ______________ (mind / not) doing all these chores; in fact, I ______________ (enjoy) them. Time _____________ (be) my problem, however; I _____________ (work) forty hours a week

in a lab at the university, and I _____________ (have / often) to stay late when I ____________ (work) on a special project. It _____________ (seem) that I ______________ (be) the only one in the family who ______________ (hold down) two full-time jobs!

Communicative activity: Tell about responsibilities in your family. Who normally takes care of the house or apartment? Who usually cleans? Who cooks? Who does the laundry?

Ex. 32. Use either the Simple Present or the Present Continuous of the verbs in the list to complete the sentences. Use each verb only one time.

to retire to go fishing to be to name

to exaggerate to expect need to prefer

to suppose to walk to get over to see to (to repair)

to fight to feel to shrink to stand

to overhear not to do to contain to prepare

to depend to burn to realize to go

1. Pete was ill, but he…………….. his illness now.

2. People traditionally……..……… coloured eggs at Easter.

3. “Write and tell her you won’t come on Thursday, Tell her you …..……….… it isn't right.”

4. My two children don’t get along. It seems they always…….……..….

5. The plumber is here. He ………….…… that leak in our tank.

6. At the further end of the village………….… the medieval church.

7. That sweater won’t fit you if you wash it in hot water. Wool …………. in hot water.

8. I…………….. that she will phone tonight.

9. Norah see that there…………….... enough champagne for the guests.

10. “Tell her to come and see me if she …………………… a medical attention or a friend.”

11. Stay by the door and make sure that nobody ………………..… us.

12. My car has broken down, so I …………….… to work these days.

13. That’s the best we can hope for, I………………..

14. I hear our boss ……………….… tomorrow.

15. If all ……………..… well, I shall finish it in a fortnight.

16. “If you feel so strongly”, she said, “Why ……………..… you it?”

17. “Will you come?” – “That …………….…, will Sue be there?”

18. Come on! Tell me everything. I ………………… with curiosity to know what happened to you yesterday.

19. I think I’ll buy this atlas. It ………………… forty maps.

20. In nine cases out of ten children ……………..… chocolate ice-cream.

21. If you always …………………… people will no longer believe you.

22. “And how about you? ……… you still …………….. on Saturday mornings?”

23. “Ladies and gentlemen, I ……………..… this ship “Victory.”

24. ………….. you …………….… that we have been here for six months already?

Ex. 33. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses: Simple Present or Present Continuous

1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) __________ her kids to football practice. 2. Usually, I (work) __________ as a secretary, but this summer I (study) _________ French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.

3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) __________ .

4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) __________ .

5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) __________ .

6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) __________ because everybody (talk) __________ so loudly. 7. Justin (write) __________ a book about his adventures in Tibet now. I hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.

8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?

Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) _________ to a movie tonight with some friends.

9. The business cards (be, normally) __________ printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be) __________ inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.

10. This delicious chocolate (be) __________ made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.