Exercises

Exercise 1.

Write the -ing forms of these verbs.

answer

arrive

begin

break

clean

come

cry

dance

decide

die

dig

dream

eat

enjoy

feel

forget

get

go

have

help

hit

jump

laugh

lie

listen

live

make

play

put

rain

rob

shout

sing

sit

slim

stand

start

stop

swim

talk

tie

turn

visit

wash

wear

win

work

write

Exercise 2.

Give the correct form of the Present Continuous of each verb.

1.

She ____ (read) in her bedroom at the moment.

2.

I ____ (look) for your keys now.

3.

The girls ____ (visit) their grandmother today.

4.

I ____ (work) very hard these days.

5.

Paul ____ (study) at the institute.

6.

Monika always ____ (come) to class late.

7.

We always ____ (lose) our luggage.

8.

The population of the world ____ (rise) very fast

9.

The Earth ____ (get) hotter and hotter.

10.

They ____ (build) a new hotel in the city center at the moment.

Exercise 3.

Say that somebody is not doing the same.

Model:

We are looking for a new flat. (He ____)

He is not looking for a new flat.

1.

Carol is working at home today. (They____)

2.

You are studying too hard for this exam. (Greg____)

3.

She’s watching television now. (Her parents ____)

4.

I am playing a lot of football this year. ( My brother ____)

5.

My friend is reading a very good book at the moment. (I ____)

6.

Helen and Jane are making a cake for tea. (Annie ____)

7.

They are buying a new car. (We ____)

8.

David’s spending a lot of time in the library these days. (I____)

Exercise 4.

Write the questions using the Present Continuous.

Model:

Joan/ work/ today. Is Joan working today?

What / she / do? What’s she doing?

1.

You / learn / German at school?

2.

Where / they / stay?

3.

What / language / your sister / study?

4.

Why / you / talk / too fast?

5.

Bill / cook / dinner now?

6.

Why / he / shout?

7.

Where / they / wait?

8.

The Internet / become / less of a novelty?

9.

Why / Mary / work / hard?

10.

Where / John and I / stay?

Exercise 5.

In pairs, act out similar dialogues using the prompts below, as in the example.

Model:

Dad/ I/ living room/ watch TV

A:

Dad, where are you?

B:

I’m in the living room.

A:

What are you doing?

B:

I’m watching TV.

1.

Mum / I / kitchen / cook;

2.

Paul / Lisa / dining room / have breakfast;

3.

John / granny/ garden/ water the flowers;

4.

Dad / uncle Greg / garage / clean his bike;

5.

Spencer / I / my bedroom / read a book;

6.

Amanda / children / yard / play badminton.

Exercise 6.

Are all of these sentences correct? Find the mistakes and correct them.

1.

You look very beautiful today.

2.

We are wait for a phone call.

3.

Chris and Helen are spending a week in France last year.

4.

You always come late for the meetings!

5.

George and Mary is watching TV.

6.

You isn’t listening to the teacher.

7.

Are Sally wait for a letter from her parents?

8.

The sun is shining beautifully tomorrow.

9.

Your coffee get cold

10.

Going where you are?

Exercise 7.

What can you say in these situations? Add a sentence with the Present Continuous.

Model:

A friend rings you up at work.

- Sorry, I can’t talk now. I’m working now.

1.

A friend rings you up in the middle of your favourite film. – Is it important?

I ____

2.

A friend wants to talk to you, but you have just started to write an important letter. – Can I talk to you later? I ____

3.

Your granny wants you to help in the garden, but you are busy with your homework – Can I help you later? I ____

4.

A friend is at your flat and suggests going out, but you can see rain outside. – I don’t want to go out now. Look, ____

5.

You want to get off the bus, but the man next to you is sitting on your coat. Excuse me, ____

Exercise 8.

A. Tony is working hard these days. There’s a lot to do for the university and even his private life is very busy. What is he doing now (but not at the moment of speaking)?

revise

cram up

take

look after

decorate

lead

prepare

write

1.

I ____ a very busy life right now.

2.

I ____ for a maths test at the moment.

3.

I ____ also ____ for my physics exams.

4.

I ____ an essay for my English course.

5.

I ____ to / a presentation for history.

6.

At home we ____ my room.

7.

I ____ driving lessons.

8.

I ____ Tom’s dog this week.

B. Now write what Tony is doing these days.

Model:

Tony is working hard these days.

Exercise 9.

Say what is happening to some of the following. You may use the words more than once.

Model:

More and more world’s forests are disappearing because of fires.

the world’s forests

climate

the world’s population

days (length)

wild animals

lakes and rivers

weather

cost of leaving

cities

prices

unemployment

your English

young people

children

computers

become bigger

become shorter

get warmer

grow

become polluted

recognize the advantage of

become faster

disappear

improve

become extinct

get better at

buy cars

get older

become longer

increase

rise

get better

get higher education

Exercise 10.

Who of your acquaintance often/ always/ constantly/ continually do some of the following things (or others)?

Model:

My sister is always losing her temper!

lose their temper

change their job

fall in love

lose things

buy new clothes

forget things

quarrel

cry

criticize

worry about nothing

complain about their health

talk nonsense

Exercise 11.

A. Paul and Mark are school friends. They finished school several years ago. Now they are speaking about their schoolmates. Complete their conversation.

Paul:

Mark:

Paul:

Mark:

Paul:

Mark:

Paul:

Mark:

Paul:

Mark:

Paul:

Hi, Mark. How 1.____ (you/ get on) in your new job?

Not bad. It wasn’t so good at first, but 2.____ (things/ get) better now.

What about Matthew? Is he OK?

Yes, but 3.____ (he / not / enjoy) his work at the moment. He’s been in the same job for a long time and 4.____ (he/ begin) to get bored with it.

As for me, I saw Steve few days ago.

Oh, did you? 5.____ (what / he / do) these days?

He’s at university.

6.____ (what / he / study)?

Electronics.

7.____ (he / enjoy) it?

Yes, he says it’s a very good course.

B. What are your schoolmates doing now? Write some sentences.

Exercise 12.

Work in pairs. You are speaking to your cousin. What are your relatives doing these days/ week/ months. Make your dialogue as long as you can.