The present continuous (progressive)tense

BE (AM, IS, ARE) + V _ING

A

a +			I	am		standing	at the	table	now.
b -			I	am	not	standing	at the	table	now.	I am = I'm
c ?		Am	I			standing	at the	table	now?	Yes, I am. No, I am not.
	Where	am	I			Standing?				At the table.

B

a +			He She It	is is is		studying sitting sleeping	grammar at the	desk	now. now. now.	He is=he's She is=she's It is=it's
b -			He She It	is is is	not not not	studying sitting sleeping	grammar at the	desk	now. now. now.	Is not=isn't
c ?		Is Is Is	he she it			studying? sitting? sleeping?				Yes, he is. No, she isn't.
	What Where	is is	he she Who	is		studying? sitting? studying	grammar?			Grammar. At the desk. He is.

Exercise 1. Comment on the use of the Present Continuous in the following sentences. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. Please, don’t make much noise. I’m studying. 2. Why are you sitting at my desk? 3. I’m living with Jack and Peggy at the moment. 4. I’m always forgetting people’s names. 5. You’re spending a lot of money these days. 6. John is taking dancing lessons this winter. 7. Computers are becoming more and more important in our lives. 8. Get the teabags. The water is boiling. 9. Professor Mikes is writing a book on Byron. 10. She’s eating her breakfast now. 11. I’m working in the Accounts Department just for this week. 12. Max isn’t playing football this season. He wants to concentrate on his studies. 13. Mr. Young is talking on the phone at the moment. Could you phone back later? 14. Look, it’s raining! 15. My father is forever losing his keys. 16. He is constantly asking me for money.

Execise 2. Use the correct form of the verb to be in the following sentences.

1. Jean ... doing her home work now. 2. Charles ... taking psychology this semester. 3. Do not switch off the TV. I ... watching it. 4. Your children ... growing very quickly. 5. My son is very busy. He ... getting ready for his final exams. 6. Look! The bus ... stopping. 7. The students ... listening to the speaker very attentively. 8. We ... concentrating on French this semester. 9. The child ... crying because he is hungry. 10. He ... always saying stupid things. 11. You can’t speak to Mary now, because she ... having a bath. 12. It’s 8.30. Tom and Ann ... having breakfast. 13. I ... wearing shorts because the sun ... shining today. 14. I cannot understand what you ... saying, the traffic ... making too much noise. 15. I ... examining all the third- year students this week. 16. Harry ... looking for a new house.

Exercise 3. Make the following sentences a) negative and b) interrogative.

Model: They are talking about their trip abroad.

a) They are not talking about their trip abroad.

b) Are they talking about their trip abroad?

1. I am expecting a call from John. 2. We are taking American literature this year. 3. The secretary is looking through the files. 4. Reter is behaving very strangely these days. 5. Mrs. Brown is always blaming other people for all her failures. 6. The committee are considering a very serious matter now. 7. The population of the world is rising very fast. 8. Right now George is talking on the telephone. 9. The children are sleeping now. 10. They are living in a rented house at the moment. 11. My husband is working on an invention. 12. Mike is trying to fix the TV set. 13. John is writing a grammar test at the moment. 14. We are having an English lesson. 15. We are swimming across the river in a boat. 16. Jane is wearing a new hat today.

Exercise 4. Use the Present Continuous instead of the Infinitive in brackets.

1. He (not to work), he (watch) the TV programme. 2. Look! The sun (rise). 3. It (rain)?  Yes, it (rain) very hard. 4. Why Ann (not to wear) her new dress? 5. My brother always (worry) about his wife’s health. 6. It (get) dark. The wind (blow), the sun (not to shine). 7. Somebody (talk) in the next room. 8. Why you (type) so fast? You (make) a lot of mistakes. 9. The children are very quiet. Go and see what they (do). 10. Somebody (knock) at the door. 11. Our neighbours always (have) arguments. 12. Tom can’t have the newspaper now because his aunt (read) it. 13. Susan (work) this week?  No, she’s on holiday. 14. She always (lose) her glasses and (ask) me to look for them. 15. The baby (cut) a tooth. That’s why she (cry). 16. What a noise! The boys (fight)!

Exercise 5. Change the following according to the model.

Model: He usually shaves at 7, but today he ... at 8.

He usually shaves at 7, but today he is shaving at 8.

1. She usually drinks tea in the morning, but this morning she ... coffee. 2. They usually play in the garden in the afternoon, but this afternoon they ... in the park. 3. She usually washes dishes at night, but tonight she ... clothes. 4. He usually reads his newspaper after breakfast, but today he ... a book. 5. She usually drinks tea alone, but today she ... tea with her friends. 6. Mrs. Green usually does her shopping on Monday, but this week she ... the shopping on Friday. 7. He generally speaks Greek, but he ... English today. 8. Mr. Rock usually goes to his office in his car, but this week he ... by bus. 9. John usually plays chess very well, but today he has a headache and ... chess badly. 10. The teacher usually speaks English in class, but today she ... Russian. 11. They usually watch TV in the evening, but today they ... it in the afternoon. 12. The Browns always go to the country in summer, but this year they ... abroad. 13. Richard usually drives the car himself, but this morning his wife ... it. 14. We usually play cards after supper, but this evening we ... dominoes. 15. Peter usually waits for Helen in the hall, but today he ... for her at the bus stop. 16. Miss Green generally types very fast, but this morning she ... very slowly.

Exercise 6. Add question tags to the following sentences.

1. Bob isn’t behaving himself these days. 2. The Baxters are travelling about France. 3. John’s cousin is not playing the piano now. 4. The weather isn’t getting colder. 5. Peter is having breakfast now. 6. The boys are playing football in the yard. 7. Helen is listening to the latest news on the radio right now. 8. You are always leaving the lights on. 9. The children are eating cheese. 10. I’m talking to Lucy. 11. George is not working at the moment. 12. The children are playing with the new toys. 13. The sun is shining today. 14. Peter and John are fighting again. 15. I’m trying to open the drawer. 16. The old woman is smoking a cigarette.

Exercise 7. Make alternative questions from the following sentences.

Model: The students are working in the library. (in the laboratory)

Are the students working in the library or in the laboratory?

1. Mike is reading a newspaper.(a magazine) 2. The children are playing volley-ball.(tennis) 3. Mrs. Jones is cooking lunch.(dinner) 4. George is going to Columbia University.(Cornel University) 5. You are studying English.(Norwegian) 6. John is trying to find a telephone number in his note-book.(in a telephone directory) 7. Arthur is studying for a master’s degree.(a bachelor’s degree) 8. Paul is finishing his third year at the Institute.(begin) 9. She is always showing pictures of her children.(her grandmother). 10. The students are writing a test.(a dictation) 11. The chidren are crossing the street. (the square) 12. Alice is talking to our German guests.(French) 13. Mr. Well is shouting at his wife.(his son) 14. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are eating dinner at a restaurant.(lunch) 15. Frank is sleeping.(watch TV) 16. Judy is playing the piano.(the guitar)

Exercise 8. Ask questions to the following statements. Begin with the given interrogative word.

1. Jonh is waiting for someone.(who) 2. They are talking about their trip to London.(what) 3. He is speaking to the Headmaster.(who) 4. Jane is typing a very important document.(what) 5. This semester I’m taking maths classes. (when) 6. Joanna is still trying to give up smoking. (who) 7. The man is trying to open the door of our car.(what) 8. My children are always misbehav-ing.(whose) 9. Mary is looking for her bag.(what) 10. Lucy is dancing with Paul.(who) 11. We are celebrating our granny’s birthday.(whose) 12. They are planning to go to Moscow during their winter holidays.(where) 13. Robert is having a shower in the bathroom.(what) 14. Helen is washing her hair again. (who) 15. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are decorating their flat.(whose) 16. My cousin is washing his car in front of the garage.(where)

Exercise 9. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Почему ребенок плачет? 2. Члены комиссии ждут вас в вашем кабинете. 3. С кем разговаривает ваш муж? 4. Студенты сидят за столами и пишут контрольную работу. 5. Их компания строит новый автомобиль. 6. Я не знаю, почему я плачу. 7. Она всегда жалуется на своего сына. 8. Он занят. Он что-то пишет. 9. Они обсуждают что-то интересное. 10. Она вечно опаздывает на работу. 11. Кто-то стучит в дверь. Откройте, пожалуйста. 12. Что вы сейчас читаете?  Я читаю детективный роман. 13. Почему вы курите здесь? В комнате спит ребенок. 14. Что делают студенты?  Они отвечают на вопросы преподавателя. 15. Я не могу вам сейчас дать газету, потому что я ее читаю. 16. Послушайте, как хорошо она поет. 17. Они сейчас обсуждают очень серьезный вопрос. 18. О чем ты говоришь? 19. Разве ты не видишь, что они смеются над нами? 20. Я слушаю вас очень внимательно.

Exercise 10. Comment on the use of the Present Simple and the Present Continuous in the following sentences.

1. She has a dog and two cats. 2. He is having breakfast at the moment 3. I’m seeing the manager tomorrow morning. 4. Do you see that man over there? 5. What do you think will happen? 6. I’m thinking of giving up my job. 7. Listen! Can you hear the hoise? 8. The leader of the orchestra is busy. He is hearing a pianist who has come from the Conservatoire. 9. I weigh 70 kilos. 10. I am weighing myself. 11. I am tasting this soup to see whether there is enough salt in it. 12. The coffee tastes bitter. 13. This perfume smells horrible.  Well, stop smelling it then. 14. She is very witty. 15. He is being witty. 16. I’m hungry. I want something to eat. 17. Do you understand what I mean? 18. She prefers the theatre to the cinema. 19. This book belongs to you, I think. 20. Philip likes gin at lunch time, and whisky in the evening.

Exercise 11. Choose the right alternative.

1. She says she didn’t take the money, but I don’t believe/I’m not believing her. 2. Tom thinks/is thinking of emigrating. What do you think/are you thinking of the idea? 3. Why do you smell/are you smelling the milk? Does it smell/is it smelling sour? 4. What does this word mean/is this word meaning? 5. I’m sorry, but I don’t remember/I am not remembering his new telephone number. 6. Do you like/Are you liking this painting? 7. He has/is having lunch now, so he may be late for the meeting. 8. I have/am having a headache, so I don’t want to go to the meeting anyway. 9. Cats see/are seeing in very dim light. 10. We are leaving tomorrow. Bill sees/is seeing us off at the airport. 11. Jill is interested in politics but she does not belong/is not belonging to a political party. 12. Who is that man? What does he want/is he wanting? 13. George says he’s 80 years old, but nobody believes/is believing him. 14. She told me her name, but I don’t remember/is not remembering it now. 15. The soup tastes/is tasting good. 16. He wants/is wanting to tell you something. 17. I used to drink a lot of coffee, but these days I prefer/am preferring tea. 18. Air consists/is consisting mainly of nitrogen and oxygen. 19. I can’t understand why he is/is being selfish. He isn’t usually like that. 20. This suitcase weighs/is weighing too much, I can’t carry it.

Exercise 12. Put the verbs into the correct form: present simple or present continuous.

1. I (smoke) a lot these days because I (study) for my final examinations. I always (smoke) a lot when I (study). 2. I (not to like) garlic when I (smell) it but I (love) it when I (taste) it. 3. What time she (come) here as a rule? 4. Our car is very unreliable. It always (break down). 5. How is your English?  Not bad. It (improve) slowly. 6. What your father (do)?  He’s an architect but he (not to work) at the moment. 7. This train is never late. It always (leave) on time. 8. McDonald’s restaurants worldwide (serve) 916,500 people. 9. You (understand) what the lecturer (say)?  No, I (not to understand) him at all, though I (listen) with great attention. 10. You (hear) what he (say)?  No, I (not to listen). 11. Stop smoking! The room (be) full of smoke which (come) from your pipe. Usually nobody (smoke) in here as mother can’t stand it. 12. You (go) my way? I (want) to speak to you. 13. Ray! The phone (ring).  I can’t get it. I (wash) my hair. 14. Hurry up! the bus (come). I (not to want) to miss it. 15. He often (walk) to the plant?  No, he usually (go) by bus. 16. It’s 6 p.m. Mary is at home. She (eat) dinner. She always (eat) dinner with her family around six o’clock. 17. Mike, Mr. Grey (leave), say “Good-bye” to him. 18. What’s the matter?  It (rain) and I (not to have) an umbrella. 19. Peter (stand) in front of the time-table. He (look) at it very hard. He (not to know) the number of the classroom. 20. The government is worried because the number of people without jobs (increase).

Exercise 13. Put the verbs into the correct form: present simple or present continuous.

1. My elder sister (have) a music lesson. She always (have) a music lesson on Friday. 2. Mr. Cooper is a writer. He (write) novels and stories. At present he (work) on a novel about the life of Indians in the American West. 3. My sister really (make) me angry. She always (borrow) my things without asking me. 4. In spring the days (grow) longer and the nights (become) warmer. 5. Why you (smile), Kitty? 6. You (hear) anything?  Yes, somebody (knock) at the door. 7. They still (discuss) where to go. 8. I always (buy) lottery tickets but I seldom (win). 9. Ron is in London at the moment. He (stay) at the Park Hotel. He always (stay) there when he is in London. 10. Can you drive?  I (learn). My father (teach) me. 11. The material (feel) rather like artificial silk. 12. We (enjoy) our holiday. We (have) a great fun. 13. She (taste) the pudding to see if it is sweet enough. 14. He usually (leave) his office at seven o’clock, but this week he (work) later. 15. Some people (do) everything with their left hand. 16. How you (feel)? 17. You (understand) the rule? 18. The world (spend) 75 million pounds on all kinds of weapons. 19. I (not to know) what he (want). 20. I usually (write) my letters on Sunday, but I (write) this week’s letters today because they are urgent.

Exercise 14. Put the verbs into the correct form: present simple or present continuous.

1. Mr. West (speak) over the telephone now. 2. Water (boil) at 100 degrees Celsius. 3. Julia is very good at languages. She (speak) four languages very well. 4. Please, don’t make so much noise. Father (work) in the study. 5. Simon (be) very untidy. He always (leave) his clothes lying on the bathroom floor. 6. Hurry up! Everybody (wait) for you. 7. You (listen) to the radio?  No, you can turn it off. 8. The river Nile (flow) very fast today  much faster than usual. 9. Ali (speak) Arabic. Arabic is his native language, but right now he (speak) English. 10. We usually (grow) vegetables in our garden, but this year we (not to grow) any. 11. She (not to understand) what you (say). 12. This spaghetti (taste) delicious. 13. What you (think) about?  I (think) about the play we saw last night.  What you (think) of it?  I (not to think) much of it. 14. Your brother always (say) things that he shouldn’t say in front of children. 15. Jack (be) very nice to me at the moment. I wonder why. 16. Can you ring me back in half an hour? I (have) dinner. 17. Where you (go)?  To the library.  You often (go) to the library?  Twice a week. 18. I (not to want) to go for a walk now. It (rain). 19. I (like) my new job, but the people in the office (not to talk) to me very much. 20. How’s Joe?  Great. He (have) fun because he (have) a new car.

Exercise 15. Put the verbs into the correct form: present simple or present continuous.

1. Why Brian (wear) a suit today?  It’s Tuesday. He always (go) to lunch with his boss on Tuesdays. 2. She (take) three classes this semester, but she usually (take) more. 3. Where’s Tim?  I (think) he (take) a nap. 4. You (like) your job?  No, I (hate) it. 5. This case (contain) twenty cigarettes. 6. I (feel) very well today. 7. Mr. Brown always (read) his newspaper in the evenings. Mrs. Brown sometimes (knit) but she (not to knit) now. 8. My brother (say) that people who (owe) him money always (seem) to forget about it, but people he (owe) money to always (remember) exactly. 9. These workmen are never satisfied; they always (complain). 10. What you (think) of that new girl, Jacqueline?  Well, frankly, I (find) her terribly annoying. She always (make) silly remarks and she never (listen) to anything you say. 11. I never (wear) hats in summer, but I (wear) a hat today because the sun is very hot. 12. You (hear) how the rain (beat) on the window? 13. The woman who (speak) with Peter at the gate (live) just round the corner to the left. 14. I (think) it’s a pity you (not to take) more exercise. You (get) fat. 15. He (revise) for the exams this week. 16. My husband always (find) fault with his secretary, although I’m sure she (do) her best. 17. He (pay) rent to the landlord every month. 18. What’s the noise? What (happen)? 19. Look! That man over there (wear) the same sweater as you. 20. I (not to like) my job very much because I (do) the same things every day. I (want) to find a new job.

Exercise 16. Translate the following sentences into English

1. Генри редко пишет письма родителям, но он часто звонит им по телефону. 2. В чем дело? Почему ребенок плачет? 3. Где профессор Пайк?  Он у себя в кабинете. Он готовится к завтрашней лекции. Профессор Пайк всегда работает в это время. 4. Почему этот мужчина так смотрит на вас? Вы его знаете? 5. Этот писатель пишет новую книгу. 6. Когда вы обычно заканчиваете работу? 7. Тебе нравится моя сестра? 8. Мой сын не любит хоккей. Он предпочитает футбол. 9. а) Они часто обсуждают такие проблемы. б) Они обсуждают что-то интересное. 10. Что ты делаешь сейчас?  Слушаю радио. Я всегда слушаю последние известия по утрам. 11. а) Он обычно так быстро говорит, что я его не понимаю. б) Вы понимаете, что говорит лектор?  Конечно. 12. Вечно ты споришь! 13. Мисс Росс занята сейчас. Она печатает важный документ. 14. Том знает много песен. Сейчас он поет английскую народную песню. 15. Послушайте! В соседней комнате кто-то плачет. 16. Почему ты не танцуешь? Ты ждешь Мэри? 17. Ты не слушаешь меня! 18. а) Погода в Англии меняется очень часто. б) Возьми плащ. Погода меняется. 19. Она постоянно теряет ключи. 20. Чем сейчас занимаются студенты из второй группы?