Module 1 Unit 7 working day. Daily routine. Hobbies.

Grammar

Present Simple Tense and Present Continuous Tense

In today's lesson we will be discussing the differences between the present simple and the present continuous. It is a common mistake for English learners to mix these two tenses up, but after this lesson you will know when to use the correct tense. Read the explanation and the examples and then complete the sentences with the correct verb.

Present Simple

The present simple is used to talk about facts or general truths:
The sun heats the atmosphere.
The heart pumps blood through the body

It also talks about habits for example, always, usually, often, sometimes, never:
We usually play soccer.
You always work.

It's also used to talk about schedules or programs:
The train leaves in an hour.

Another useful rule to consider when using the present simple is the form of the verb with the 3rd person singular:

When the verb ends in s, or a similar sound such as sh, ch or x add es:

Wat ch > watch es

Da sh > dash es

When the verb ends in o, we also add an es:

Go > go es

Do > do es

When the verb ends in y, and it is preceded by a consonant, we have to change the y to i, and then add es:

Fl y > fl ies

Stud y > stud ies

Present Continuous

The present continuous can be used to express different things, and in different circumstances:

To refer to actions that are developing at the time of speaking.

Go away, I am read ing a book! (right now)

We also use the present continuous to describe things that happen around the time we are talking.

She is study ing English. (not just now)

We can use the present continuous to refer to actions that have taken place with some frequency.

You are always work ing. (it happens frequently)

When we speak of a future action that we know will be done. In this case we must mention the time in which we will complete the action.

I am go ing to Madrid next week.

Exercises

a) Put the verb in the correct tense by following the rules above:

• 1. I ___ a very interesting book.
  
  

am reading
read

• 2. Phillip always ___ six hours a day.
  
  

works
is working

• 3. Tomorrow we ___ a movie at the cinema.
  
  

are watching
watch

• 4. Where ___ now?
  
  

do you go
are you going

• 5. He ___ you very well.
  
  

is not knowing
doesn't know

• 6. What will they do if he ___ late?
  
  

comes
is coming

• 7. Her husband ___ porridge for breakfast.
  
  

prefers
is preferring

• 8. Your flight ___ at 13.30 from gate 4.
  
  

is leaving
leaves

b)

1. It's seven o'clock and they …to school now. (go)

2. Mrs Cooper ….in the restaurant every Sunday. (eat)

3. Our cat never ….on the kitchen table. (jump)

4. Look! The men …blue uniforms. (wear)

5. Curt always ….his guitar in the afternoon. (play)

6. The taxi ….for them at the moment. (wait)

7. He always ….his grandmother in the coat. (help)

8. They never ….very much. (eat)

9. Listen! Bill ….his electric guitar. (play)

10. He ….his car every Sunday. (wash)

11. The alarm ….at seven o'clock every morning. (ring)

12. They always ….their aunt a tree for Christmas. (bring)

13. She ….a red pullover and black jeans today. (wear)

14. The boys ….snowballs at the girls now. (throw)

15. Mr Black ….into the classroom at the moment. (walk)

Present Simple Tense: Interrogative. Wh-questions.

In the simple present tense question forms are made using the auxiliary verb do does.

I,You, we,they have do, only the third person singular subjects have doesn’t

Forming a yes/no question

Yes/no questions are also created using the auxiliary do. This time, the auxiliary is placed before the subject. Here are the rules:

Auxiliary	Subject	Example
Do	I	Do I sing?
Do	you	Do you sing?
Does	he	Does he sing?
Does	she	Does she sing?
Does	it	Does it sing?
Do	we	Do we sing?
Do	they	Do they sing?

Forming a WH- question

WH- questions (using words such as “what”, “when”, and “where”) are also created by putting the auxiliary do before the subject. Then, you add the WH- word at the beginning. Here are some examples:

Statement	Yes/no question	WH- question
I sing	Do I sing?	What do I sing?
You fight.	Do you fight?	Why do you fight?
He lives	Does he live?	Where does he live?
Exercises

a) Make questions with the word groups, using (do) or (does).

1. (Where/she/live) _________________________________________________________?

2. (When/you/play/soccer) ____________________________________________________?

3. (What/he/eat/for/lunch) ____________________________________________________?

4. (When/they/come/home/from/school)_________________________________________?

5. (she/want/to/work/in/the/office) _____________________________________________?

6. (your/mother/take/you/to/school)_____________________________________________?

7. (What/time/you/get/up)____________________________________________________?

8. (Where/your/father/work) __________________________________________________?

9. (Julia/live/in/Colorado) ____________________________________________________?

10. (How/Juan/and/David/go/to/school)___________________________________________?

 

b) Correct each sentence or question.

a) I doesn’t likes this film..............................................

b) What do you wants?.............................................................

c) Jim walk sometimes to school..............................................................

d) When the lesson begins?.............................................................

e) I don’t gets up early on Saturdays..............................................................

f) Tina not like computer games..............................................................