Exercises (the present continuous tense)

Ex.1. Put the verb into the correct form.

1. Please, don’t make so much noise. I (study). 2. Let’s go out now. It (not rain) any more. 3. Listen to those people. What language they (speak)? 4. Please be quiet. I (try) to concentrate. 5. Look! It (snow) now. 6. You (make) a lot of noise. Can you be a bit quieter? 7. Excuse me, I (look) for a phone box. Is there one near here? 8. Why you (wear) your coat today? It’s very warm. 9. I (not work) this week. I’m on holiday. 10. Listen! Can you hear those people next door? They (shout) at each other again.

Ex.2. Put questions to the underlined words.

1.They are talking about the weather. 2. He is speaking with a teacher. 3. I am looking at the picture. 4. She is thinking about her trip to Moscow. 5. They are returning from a cruise. 6. She is looking for her suitcase. 7. I am going to my grandmother. 8. She is dreaming about a sea-voyage. 9. He is telling me about his tour of London. 10. They are laughing at their classmate.

Ex.3. Read the dialogue. Put each verb into the correct form.

Brian and Steve meet in a restaurant.

Brian: Hello, Steve. I haven’t seen you for ages. What are you doing these

days?

Steve: I (train) to be a shop manager.

Brian: Really? You (enjoy) it?

Steve: Yes, it’s quite interesting. How about you?

Brian: Well, I (not work) at the moment, but I’m very busy. I (build) a house.

Steve: Really? You (do) it alone?

Brian: No, some friends of mine (help) me.

Ex.4. Complete the sentences using one of the given verbs: get, become, change, rise, improve, fall, increase.

1.The number of people without jobs ... at the moment. 2. He is still ill but he ... better slowly. 3. These days food ... more and more expensive. 4. The world .... Things never stay the same. 5. The cost of living .... Every year things are more expensive. 6. George has gone to work in France. When he arrived, his French wasn’t very good but now it.... 7. The economic situa­tion is already very bad and it...worse.

Ex.5. Translate the sentences.

1. Кто стучится в дверь? 2. Идёт дождь, возьми зонтик. 3. Не беспокой (disturb) меня, я работаю. 4. Иди вниз, тебя ждёт твоя сестра. 5. Давай выпьем чаю, становится холодно. 6. Пойди и посмотри, что делает Джон. 7. Дай мне посмотреть, что ты рисуешь. 8. Скажи мне, кого ты ждёшь. 9. Что у нас будет на обед сегодня? 10. Смотри, кто-то идёт сюда.

The past continuous tense (past progressive)

The Past Continuous is formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxil­iary verb to be and Participle I of the notional verb.

For the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject. In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.

e.g. He was reading the book.

Was he reading the book?

He was not reading the book.

1. The Past Continuous is used to denote an action which was going on at a definite moment in the past (an action in progress). This moment is indi­cated either by another past action expressed by a verb in the Past Indefi­nite or by an adverbial phrase.

e.g. When I returned, she was sweeping the floor.

At midnight he was still working, though he was feeling ill.

The definite moment is often not expressed, but understood from the situa­tion.

e.g. He didn’t notice what was going on around him - he was reading.

2. The Past Continuous is used to denote an action thought of as a continual process. In this case the adverbs always, ever, constantly are used. It is used in emotional speech.

e.g. She was constantly complaining of being lonely.

3. The Past Continuous or the Past Indefinite is often used after such phrases as the whole day, all day long.

e.g. They were worked in the garden all day long.

They worked in me garden all day long.