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Present Simple vs Continuous Exercises

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The document provides information about the simple present and present continuous tenses in English. It explains that the simple present is used for facts, habits, routines and timetables, w…

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  • Simple Present vs Present Continuous Overview
  • Exercises on Simple Present: Affirmative, Negative & Interrogative
  • Exercises on Present Continuous: Affirmative, Negative & Interrogative
  • Mixed Tense Exercises
  • Additional Practice Sentences

SIMPLE PRESENT VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS

REVISION

SIMPLE PRESENT PRESENT CONTINUOUS


Facts Actions going on right now

Habits, routines, hobbies Arranged future

Timetables

Expressions:
Expressions: Right now, at the moment, today,…
Always, never, sometimes, usually,
rarely, often, every+ day, month, With an exact date,…
year,…

EXERCISES

A - PRESENT SIMPLE: AFFIRMATIVE, NEGATIVE & INTERROGATIVE

I. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets:

1. The secretary sometimes ___________________ (get) annoyed with her boss.


2. What colour _________________ (you/ like) most?
3. My mother ________________ (not/ drink) instant coffee.
4. The teacher often _______________ (lose) his temper.
5. ____________________ (your brother/ study) at University? Yes, he __________.
6. Mary never ______________ (go) to the library.
7. Sally and Tony ________________ (not/ swim) very well.
8. Peter __________________ (have) lunch at the canteen.
9. ____________________ (the children/ play) football? Yes, they ___________.
10. My sister ______________ (not/ do) the homework every day.
11. Our neighbours _______________ (make) a lot of noise.
12. ________________ (Sam/ be) at home? No, he ______________.
13. Mary ______________ (eat) a sandwich in the afternoon.
14. I ________________ (not/ use) the computer a lot.
15. _______________ (you/ send) emails to your friends? Yes, I ____________.
16. Postmen _______________ (not/ deliver) as many letters as a few years ago.
17. My parents usually _______________ (have) a cup of coffee after lunch.
18. What time _______________ (Sue/ leave) for school?
19. Nell often _____________ (wear) jeans and T-shirts.
20. The Smiths ________________ (live) in a nice house.
21. My father’s car _____________ (not/ work) properly.
22. Some people ______________ (think) the weather is changing.
23. _____________ (you/ worried about the environment?
24. My best friend ________________(speak) a lot in class, so the teacher often _____________ (punish) him.
25. Sam and Mary ___________ (do) housework. Sam usually _______________ (wash) the dishes and Mary
_______________ (do) the cooking.
26. There ___________ (be) nothing about the accident in the newspaper.
27. Our cat _____________ (hate) dogs.
28. ________________ (you/ sleep) eight hours? No, I ___________
29. The members of the club _____________ (not/ meet) in the morning, but in the afternoon.
30. Ron _____________ (write) very nice stories.
31. What time ........................the pub ...........................? - I think it ............................. at six o’clock.
(open)
32. Ted and Gwen are from Manchester, but they they ....................n’t .......................... there now.
They .................................. in London.
33. How often ..............................Mick .......................... to the pub? –He ...................................... there
nearly every evening. (go)
34. Mavis .............................n’t ................................... in a hairdresser's.
She .................................................. in a lanuderette. (work)
35. What time ............................... Ted ........................................ work in the evenings? -He
normally ...............................at about nine o'clock. (finish)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS: AFFIRMATIVE, NEGATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE

II. Complete the sentences with the correct affirmative, negative or interrogative form of the verb in
brackets in the present continuous:

1. We are in the garden. My mother _________________ (water) the plants and Tom _____________ (lie) on
the grass. Dad and me _______________ (play) cards and our dog ____________ (chase) our neighbours’
cat.
2. “What ___________________ (Tony/ do)?” “He _______________ (surf) the Internet now.
3. You _________________ (not/ listen) to me, Sue! What ________________ (you/think) about? You look
absent-minded.
4. Mary _________________ (sit) on the sofa _____________ (read) a book.
5. “Where’s your boyfriend?” “He _________________ (park) the car.”
6. The children ___________________ (not/ swim), they _____________ (run).
7. Who _____________________ (Mandy/ speak) to? I don’t know him.
8. Something strange _________________ (happen) in the street. I can hear a police car.
9. My grandmother _________________ (knit) a sweater and a pair of gloves for my brother.
10. I ________________ (write) to Sue. I _______________ (tell) her about our adventure holiday.
11. My sister ______________ (brush) her hair.
12. Paul ________________ (wash up) while his wife _____________ (iron) some trousers.
13. Sally _______________ (save) because she wants to buy some new trainers.
14. “Why _______________ (the baby/ cry)? Is he hungry?” “No, he ___________.”
15. Carol _______________ (not/ dance) with Patrick, she ____________ (drink) some coke.
16. My brother and his friend Adam ________________ (learn) to drive.
17. If it ______________ (not/ rain), we can go out.
18. ____________________ (Alice/ eat) a cheese or a ham sandwich?
19. Some people ________________ (wait) for the bus. Let’s join the queue!
20. Peter isn’t at home now, he ________________ (walk) the dog.
21. “_________________ (the students/ revise) for their exam?” “Yes, they ___________.”
22. We ____________ (pack) our suitcase since we ______________ (leave) for London tomorrow.
23. Who _______________ (bring) the camera? I want to take some photos of the wedding.
24. Don’t disturb Lewis! He _______________ (study) a lot to pass his maths exam.
25. Why __________________ (you/ tease) your sister, Andy? Leave her alone!
III. Complete the sentences using the present continuous or present simple of the verbs in brackets.

1. "Don’t talk so loudly!" — "I ................... (not / to talk) loudly".


2. He................... (to know) all about the film.
3. Jane ................... (to talk) to a friend at the moment.
4. He ................... (not / to work) on Sundays.
5. Margaret ................... (to love) music and dancing.
6. The dog ................... (to sleep) under the table at the moment.
7. He................... ( not / to like) his job.
8. I ................... (to think) she ................... (to be) very pretty.
9. I ................... (always / to go) to bed very early.
10. How often a day ................... (you / to eat) ice-cream?
11. She ................... (often / to clean) the house on Saturdays.
12. ................... (they / to go) to the pub every evening?
13. They ................... (now / to learn) to treat animals.
14. He ................... (to sit) on an armchair, ................... (to smoke) a pipe.
15. Good students ................... (always / to study) hard.
16. It ................... (never / to rain) in Summer but it ......... (now / to rain).
17. They ................... (generally / to arrive) early but today they ................... (to come) late.
18. Teachers ................... (to teach).
19. Why ................... (you / not / to fix) it later?
20. Why ................... (you / to fix) it this morning?
21. He (to have) ________________________ a party next week.
22. They (to go) ________________________ to a pub every Friday.
23. On Sunday morning I always (to have) ________________________ a lie-in.
24. Barbara and Alex never (to eat) ________________________ milk, they are allergic to it.
25. On November 7th, I (to see) ________________________ my dentist.
26. Jake’s birthday is next Sunday. We (to be) ________________________ throwing him a surprise
party then.
27. (they – to come) ________________________ to see us in December?
28. The sun (to rise) ________________________ in the East.
29. I always (to walk) ________________________ to school, but today I (to take)
________________________ the bus, because it (to rain) ________________________ .
30. (you – to like) ________________________ playing football?
31. My train (to leave) ________________________ at 6.30 a.m.
32. Most people (to like) ________________________ chocolate.
33. I can’t go out tomorrow, I (to work) ________________________!
34. They (to speak) ________________________ English in Australia.
35. We usually (to play) ________________________ the guitar in Fred’s garage.
36. I (to feel) ________________________ most comfortable in jeans. Today I (to wear)
________________________ a dress, because I (to go) ________________________ to a wedding.
37. Sssssssh! The baby (to sleep) ________________________ !
38. Our English teacher (to speak) ________________________ quite quickly sometimes.
39. Water (to boil) ________________________ at 100 degrees.
40. (he – to wear) ________________________ trousers today?
41. (we – to go) ________________________ to the cinema on Saturday.
42. Sara’s dog always (to bark) ________________________ at the moon.
43. What (you – to do) ________________________ next weekend?
44. We (to do) ________________________ exercises today.
45. Can you turn the light on? It _____________ (get) dark.
46. Where is Danny? - He ........................................................ tennis. (play)
47. Danny .................................... tennis nearly every Saturday afternoon. (play)
48. I ......................................to the cinema most weekends. (go)
49. I .................................. home now. Goodbye! (go
50. Look! That woman ................................. your jacket. (take)
51. Ted ...........................................sugar in tea. (not take)
52. The bank ....................................at ten o’clock every morning. (open)
53. Look! The door.......................................................... . (open)
54. Every Monday, Sally (drive)_____________ her kids to football practice.
55. Usually, I (work)__________ as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study)______________
French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.
56. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) ____________
57. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) _______________
58. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) _________________
59. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say)______________ because everybody (talk)_____________ so
loudly.
60. Justin (write, currently) ________________ a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a
good publisher when he is finished.
61. 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.
62. 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.
63. This delicious chocolate (be) __________________made by a small chocolatier in Zurich,
Switzerland.
64. Water ________ at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius. is freezing freezes
65. Take an umbrella. It ________. You don't want to get wet. is raining rains
66. Here in Montreal the winters are very long and it ________ a lot. Is snowing snows
67. Now I ________ what you are trying to say. Am understanding understand
68. I'm sorry. Bob can't come to the phone. He ________ a shower. Is having has

Common questions

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The simple present tense is used to describe general facts, habits, routines, and timetables, often accompanied by expressions like always, never, sometimes, usually, etc. . The present continuous tense, on the other hand, is used for actions currently in progress or temporary situations, often with expressions such as right now, at the moment, or today . This tense also applies to arranged future activities. The distinction lies in the temporal nature of the action: simple present for repeated or permanent situations, and present continuous for ongoing or temporary actions.

The present continuous tense adds immediacy and dynamism by emphasizing current actions, creating a sense of present involvement and motion. For example, 'I am going to the cinema with friends' generates a feeling of anticipation and current engagement. This tense allows speakers to articulate progression and availability of actions, which animates conversations and captivates listeners, contrasting the less immediate nature of the simple present.

The present continuous is better suited for actions currently happening, as it conveys immediacy and progression, such as 'Peter is walking the dog' . In contrast, the simple present, e.g., 'Peter walks the dog,' suggests a habitual action without the same real-time impact . For communication focused on the ongoing nature of an activity, the present continuous is more effective.

In storytelling, using the present continuous tense can dynamically depict actions as they unfold, adding vividness and immediacy to the narrative. For instance, 'Something strange is happening in the street' creates a sense of vivid movement and suspense . This verb form keeps the audience engaged by making actions seem current and relatable, in contrast to the simple present, which might convey more static or general truths.

The simple present tense is more apt for describing habitual actions without a specific time frame, as it implies regularity and recurrence, such as 'Usually, I work as a secretary at ABT' . It generally emphasizes routine as opposed to the present continuous, which might imply a deviation from the norm, such as 'I am studying French this summer'—indicating a temporary situation . Therefore, for standardized actions repeated over time, the simple present is preferred.

The present continuous tense effectively communicates temporary states or actions that are in progress, such as 'I am taking the bus today because it is raining', focusing on a temporary deviation from routine . Conversely, the simple present highlights permanent conditions or habitual actions, like 'I walk to school', emphasizing enduring patterns . This differentiation allows for nuanced expression of states—temporary versus permanent.

Choosing between these tenses affects the perception of actions significantly. The simple present, used with schedules, like 'The train leaves at 6:30 a.m.' , indicates fixed timing and regularity, encouraging viewing the information as routine and reliable. The present continuous, e.g., 'We are going to the cinema on Saturday' , emphasizes the planned nature of future actions, adding intention and flexibility. This choice impacts how readers or listeners perceive the reliability and permanency of the information.

The simple present tense effectively supports generalizations due to its connotation of universality and timelessness. For example, 'Most people like chocolate' uses the simple present to convey a broad, generalized truth applicable to a large group, lending statements an air of authority and factuality that transcends specific instances or times.

Present continuous tense is useful for expressing definite future arrangements, as it conveys a sense of immediacy and intent. For example, 'He is having a party next week' clearly indicates a planned event . Using simple present for schedules, such as 'The train leaves at 6:30 a.m.', emphasizes the fixed nature of timetables . Selecting between these tenses depends on whether the focus is on arrangements or fixed schedules, thereby enhancing clarity and precision in communication.

Recognizing verb tense aspects is critical because they dictate temporal context and action nature, ensuring clarity and accurate communication. For example, using 'I am studying French in Paris' contextualizes a temporary, ongoing action, which contrasts with 'I study French', implying a regular, perhaps academic pursuit. Misinterpreting these can lead to misunderstandings about the continuity, temporariness, or habitual nature of activities, affecting perceptions and responses.

SIMPLE PRESENT VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS REVISION EXERCISES A - PRESENT SIMPLE: AFFIRMATIVE, NEGATIVE & INTERROGATIVE I. Complete
26. There ___________ (be) nothing about the accident in the newspaper. 27. Our cat _____________ (hate) dogs. 28. ________
III. Complete the sentences using the present continuous or present simple of the verbs in brackets. 1. "Don’t talk so loudly
46. Where is Danny? - He ........................................................ tennis. (play) 47. Danny ..................

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