Present continuous and present simple

6 I'm walking -1 don't have a car.

Good. I never d r i v e in " '

Paris. The traffic is terrible.

ine t h e correct o p t i o n : Paris is a bad / good place f o r cars.

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Present continuous and present

simple present s i m p l e present c o n t i n u o u s
1 Use t h e p r e s e n t s i m p l e t o t a l k o r ask a b o u t
He usually w a l k s t o w o r k . He's w a l k i n g t o w o r k t o d a y .
t h i n g s t h a t are a l w a y s o r u s u a l l y t r u e .
Do you speak English ? It d o e s n ' t r a i n on t h e m o o n . It i s n ' t r a i n i n g at t h e m o m e n t .
We don't have a car.
D o y o u ever r e a d c o m i c s ? She's r e a d i n g a comic now.
2 Use t h e p r e s e n t s i m p l e t o t a l k o r ask a b o u t
1 have t w o brothers. I'm h a v i n g a shower.
regular or repeated events and habits.
Sandra phones her mother every day. Charles plays t h e piano. Charles i s n ' t at h o m e . He's
Do you drink coffee in the morning? p l a y i n g in a concert.

3 W e o f t e n use t h e p r e s e n t s i m p l e w i t h a d v e r b s A: W h a t d o y o u do? A: W h a t are y o u d o i n g ?

o f f r e q u e n c y [always, never, sometimes, etc.). B: I'm a t a x i driver. B: I'm d r i v i n g t o t h e a i r p o r t .
It never snows here in summer.
I sometimes dream about you.
T h e p r e s e n t s i m p l e is m u c h m o r e c o m m o n t h a n t h e
4 Use t h e p r e s e n t c o n t i n u o u s t o d e s c r i b e a n
p r e s e n t c o n t i n u o u s , a n d in m o s t cases y o u s h o u l d use
a c t i v i t y in p r o g r e s s n o w / a r o u n d n o w , o r a n the present simple.
unfinished activity.
Are you reading this page. (= n o w ) / think it's nice. N O T I'm thinking...

They are building a shopping centre. (= i t is She is Turkish and she comes from Istanbul.

n o t f i n i s h e d yet) N O T . . . she's coming...

5 W e r a r e l y use t h e p r e s e n t c o n t i n u o u s f o r
• See Units 3 and 5 f o r more i n f o r m a t i o n on the
v e r b s w h i c h are a b o u t s t a t e s , n o t a c t i o n s ,
present simple and present continuous.
e.g. believe, know, like, love, need, seem,
understand, want. See U n i t 3 9 .
/ know English. N O T I'm knowing...
Do you need a pen?NOT Are you needing... ?

16
Practice
A Underline t h e c o r r e c t o p t i o n . D Complete this postcard w i t h t h e
present simple or present continuous
1 They play/are playing rugby t w i c e a w e e k .
2 Are you having / Do you have breakfast every m o r n i n g ? o f t h e v e r b s in b r a c k e t s .

3 It snows/is snowing so w e can't go skiing.

Hi, Rita,
4 Your guide speaks/is speaking t h r e e languages.
1 1
fc.M*M$ (have) a lovely t i m e in
5 We don't know/aren't knowing t h e way.
Manchester. The weather is nice and warm today,
6 The DJ plays/is playing m y f a v o u r i t e song.
"the sun (shine) and everyone
7 Do you like /Are you liking t h e f o o d ?
(wear) T-shirts. Our teacher
8 \'mnot laughing /don't laugh, I'm crying / cry.
is great. He 4
(come) f r o m
M a n c h e s t e r t o o b u t he 5

B Match t h e pairs.
( n o t speak) English w i t h an accent. We
She speaks French w e l l ^ ^ a because t h e t o u r i s t doesn't k n o w Italian, ( s t u d y ) t h r e e hours in t h e
She is speaking F r e n c h - ^ ^ b because her m o t h e r is f r o m Paris. morning and 7
(go) on excursions
in t h e a f t e r n o o n . Now 1 8
(sit) in
It rains a l o t a in M o z a m b i q u e ,
a cafe on King S t r e e t . 1 9
(not
It's raining a l o t b and I'm w e t .
think) a king r e a l l y 1 0
(live) here!
She always has lunch a - please p h o n e later, How are y o u ? 1 1
(work)
She's having lunch b at school. t h i s summer? Write soon.
Love, Julio
7 A: Do you buy c o m p u t e r a B: Yes, I'm in t h e shop.
games? b B: No, I d o w n l o a d t h e m

/—H3B
A: Are you b u y i n g a f r o m t h e Internet.
computer game?

9 I don't w o r k . a It's Sunday,

10 I'm not w o r k i n g . b I'm a s t u d e n t .
Y o u are o n h o l i d a y . In y o u r n o t e b o o k ,
11 A: W h a t is she d o i n g ? a B: She's reading,
w r i t e a t e x t message t o y o u r f r i e n d .
12 A: W h a t does she do? b B: She's a s t u d e n t .
D e s c r i b e w h a t y o u are d o i n g a n d w h a t y o u
a r e w e a r i n g . Tell y o u r f r i e n d w h a t y o u d o
C Complete t h e d i a l o g u e s u s i n g t h e v e r b s i n t h e b o x i n t h e p r e s e n t
every day and w h a t you like / don't like.
simple o r p r e s e n t c o n t i n u o u s . S o m e are n e g a t i v e s o r q u e s t i o n s .
E x a m p l e : I'm tijwuj bij t(ve poet, I swim every ctotj.
agree carry know need rain understand wait wear

1 A: I <font utuierstaiui these i n s t r u c t i o n s .

B: W h y not? They l o o k clear t o me.
2 A: London is a very expensive city.
B: Yes, I w i t h you. Circle t h e correct o p t i o n .

3 A: you any help? 1 The t o u r i s t f o r t h e Eiffel Tower,

B: No, I'm O K , thanks. a is l o o k i n g b look c are l o o k i n g
4 A: She a coat. 2 He has a map, b u t he it.
B: That's strange - it's very c o l d t o d a y . a isn't understanding b doesn't understand
5 A: 1 hey a p i a n o up t h e stairs. c isn't understand
B: Help t h e m - it's very heavy. 3 A: a car? B: Yes, b u t I never drive in Paris.
6 A: W h e r e is t h e H i s t o r y M u s e u m ? *5 a A r e y o u have b D o y o u have
B: Sorry, I c A r e y o u having
7 A: Terry f o r me? 4 W h e n w e are in Paris, w e always by
B: Y e s - y o u ' r e late. metro.
8 A: It's a lovely day f o r a picnic. a are go b are g o i n g c go
B: We're lucky t h a t i t 5 It is o f t e n sunny in Paris, b u t t o d a y i t
a are rain b is r a i n i n g c rains

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Present continuous and present simple 17