The Continuous Tense

1. Read the poem, translate it into Russian and find the cases of the Present Continuous:

Poor mother

Your father is working

All day, without shirking,

To pay for the clothes that you wear;

Your mother is mending

All day, and attending

To you, with the kindness of care.

And so, while you are playing,

Think of your father, who’s paying,

And mother, who’s working so hard.

(By Gelett Burgess)

II. Translate the given sentences into Russian:

1. The man is waiting for you.

2. The children are playing in the garden.

3. The people are hurrying to the stadium to see the football match.

4. He is coming to the University later today.

5. They are arriving in Moscow tomorrow.

6. You are going to the cafeteria.

7. Mary is doing her lessons now.

8. His parents are leaving next week.

9. The students of group 5 are writing a test.

10. Mr. Black is speaking over the telephone now.

III. Put the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous Tense:

1. My father (to work) in the garden.

2. Ann and John (not to lie in the sun)

3. She (to learn) new words.

4. We (to have) an English class. We (to learn) English at the moment.

5. I (to go) to the Institute now.

6. She (to play) the piano at the moment.

7. The children (to prepare) their homework.

8. Our teacher (to give) the lesson now.

9. The gardener (to cut down) the tree.

10. Her friends (to talk) about the party.

IV. Make the sentences negative and interrogative:

1. Helen is skating now.

2. They are playing chess.

3. The students are going home.

4. Mother is washing dishes in the kitchen.

5. Tom is watching TV now.

6. He is walking to school now

7. Pupils are listening to their teacher.

8. John is coming home alone.

9. I am having breakfast now.

10. She is coming back to London in three days.

V. Put the verb in brackets in the Present Continuous Form:

1. … you (to speak) Russian?

2. … you (to set) or (to stand)?

3. … you (to repeat) the words after her?

4. … the teacher (to ask) you questions?

5. … he (to read) the text?

6. … you (to listen to) what the teacher … (to say)?

VI. Put the questions to the underlined parts of the following sentences:

1. Lucy is taking her exam now.

2. Many students are going to the canteen for lunch.

3. She is looking at the picture.

4. He is answering the teacher’s question.

5. They are speaking about their work.

6. They are working in the garden at this moment.

VII. Put the questions to the missing parts of the following sentences:

1. They are going to see … .

2. … brother is learning English now.

3. Pupils are discussing … .

4. She is coming back to London … .

5. We are waiting for them because … .

6. Children are going to … .

7. They are sitting in … .

8. … is writing a letter now.

9. Pupils are having English … .

VIII. Put the verbs in brackets in the Present, Past or Future Continuous:

1. He (to write) a letter when I (to see) him.

2. Harry (to do) his work while his brothers (to play) games.

3. I am afraid it (to snow) all day tomorrow.

4. My hat (to blow) off while I (to cross) the bridge.

5. How long you (to stay) at your parents?

6. Children (to listen) to the teacher when they (to hear) the noise in the street.

7. He (not to wait) for us at 6 o’clock tomorrow.

8. He (to lose) his pocket book while he (to see) the sights of Rome.

9. Don’t phone me at night, I (to sleep).

10. I expect you (to cook) dinner while I stay with your child.

9. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form:

It (be) a fine day today. There (be) some clouds in the sky, but the sun (shine). Mr. Jones (be) with his family. They (walk) over the bridge. There (be) some boats on the river. Mr. Jones and his wife (look) at them. Sally (look) at a big ship. The ship (go) under the bridge. Tim (look) at an aeroplane. The aeroplane (fly) over the river.

10. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Indefinite or the Present Continuous Tense:

1. You can’t see Tom now: he (have) a bath.

2. He usually (drink) coffee but today he (drink) tea.

3. The last train (leave) the station at 11.30.

4. He usually (speak) so quickly that I (not understand) him.

5. I (wear) my sun-glasses today because the sun is very strong.

6. How you (get) to work as a rule? – I usually (go) by bus.

7. Why you (put) on your coat? – I (go) for a walk.

8. You always (write) with your left hand?

9. Tom and Jack (have) a long conversation I wonder what they (talk) about.

10. He never (listen) to what you say. He always (think) about something else.

11. I (to read) a very interesting book.

12. Every day Julie (take) the bus to go to her office.

13. Our cousins (come) to see us next Sunday.

14. She (speak) three languages: English, French and Spanish.

15. Can you hear those people? What … they (talk) about?

1. Translate into English:

1. Что вы сейчас делайте? – Читаю.

2. Завтра я буду работать весь вечер.

3. Кто стоит у доски? – Преподаватель.

4. Студенты сидят за столами и пишут контрольную работу.

5. По вечерам я обычно читаю, но сегодня я смотрю телевизор.

6. В полночь он все еще работал.

7. Кто сейчас отвечает на вопрос? – Я.

8. Вы идете в институт? – Нет. Куда вы идете? – Я иду в библиотеку.

9. Кого вы ждете? – Я жду свою подругу.

10. Завтра мы идем в театр.

11. Что ты делаешь? – Я делаю домашнее задание.

12. Не шумите. Студенты сдают экзамены.

13. Позвоните позже, она сейчас занимается.

14. Завтра я буду гулять в парке с 7 до 8 вечера.

15. Я не понимаю, вы говорите очень тихо.

16. Студенты занимаются в лаборатории три раза в неделю, а сегодня они слушают английские тексты.

17. Говорят, что они приезжают завтра.

18. Они смотрят интересную программу по телевизору.

19. На следующей неделе в это время я буду купаться в море.

20. Мы познакомились, когда сдавали экзамены.