grammar section 1v

(simple present, habits)

Reading ESL
story and reading in English for ESL learners

Mornings
Every weekday morning my alarm clock rings at 7
oclock and every weekday morning I try to ignore it.
I do not like mornings! I hide my head under the covers
and I pretend that it isnt really morning. I groan.
I complain. I say nasty things about mornings. Some
mornings I fall back to sleep for a few minutes! After a
short time I realize that I have to get up. I sigh.
I struggle out of bed and I start my day.
Vocabulary help:

complain (verb) - to say that something is wrong or that

you are annoyed about something
groan (verb) - to make a long low sound when expressing
pain or unhappiness
habitual (adjective) - usual or typical. An habitual action is
something that you do often.
ignore (verb) - to pay no attention to someone or
something
nasty (adjective) - bad, unkind, angry
realize (verb) - to notice or understand something
sigh (verb) - to breathe out slowly & noisily, often
because you are annoyed or unhappy
struggle (verb) - try very hard to do something difficult
fall asleep in front of the TV (expression) - to fall asleep
while watching TV

More vocabulary? Click on the icon that looks like a book, to the left

Comprehension Check:

Do you understand the story? Are these sentences true?

1. My alarm rings at 7 o'clock seven days of the week. Yes or no?

2. I jump out of bed when my alarm clock rings. Yes or no?

3. Sometimes I fall back to sleep after my alarm rings. Yes or no?

Fill in the Blanks:

4. I hide my _____________ under the covers.

5. Every weekday morning I try to ________________ the alarm.

6. Getting out of bed in the ________________ is a struggle.

7. I say _______________ things about mornings.

8. I groan and ________________ a lot in the morning.

>> Answers

It Snows in Canada

(simple present, statement of fact)

It snows in Canada in the winter. Snow iscold and wet. Snow covers the roads
and makes driving difficult. Snow covers the sidewalks too and makes walking
difficult. Snowplows clear the roads and sidewalks. People shovel the snow off their
driveways. Snow causes problems!

Sometimes snow is pretty. It sparkles andglistens when the sun shines on it. Some
people enjoy playing in the snow. They buildsnowmen or snow forts.
They have snowball fights. They slide down hills on sleds or toboggans. They ski down
hills. Snow is fun!

Vocabulary help:

causes (verb) - to make something happen

clear (verb) - to remove
covers (verb) - to form a layer on the surface of
something
difficult (adjective) - not easy
enjoy (verb) - to like doing something
glisten (verb) - shines, often because it is wet
slide (verb) - to move smoothly over a surface
sparkles (verb) - to shine brightly in the light

More vocabulary? Click on the icon that looks like a book, to the left

Comprehension Check:

Did you understand the story? Are these sentences true?

1. It snows in the winter. Yes or no?

2. Snow never causes problems. Yes or no?

3. Some people like to build snowmen in the winter. Yes or no?

4. Snow is warm. Yes or no?

Fill in the Blanks

5. Sometimes snow sparkles and ___________________ in the sun.

6. You can ski on snowy hills in the _________________________ .

7. When the snow falls, it __________________ the roads and sidewalks.

8. _______________________ remove snow from the roads.

9. Snow is _____________ and wet.

10. Snow can be fun but sometimes it causes _____________________.

>> Answers

A Phone Call (present continuous)

Don: Hi Sally, I hope that Im not phoningat a bad time. Are you doing your
homework?

Sally: No, I am watching TV. My homework is finished. Why?

Don: I am trying to finish my math homework but Im having a lot of trouble with it.

Sally: Sorry I cant help you. I'm not very good at math!

Don: Thats OK. Im calling you becauseIm meeting John and Kate after school
tomorrow and I wanted to know if you want to join us.

Sally: Sorry but I cant. Im going shopping with my sister tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for asking though.
Don: Maybe next time then.

Sally: OK. I hope you get your math homework done!

The present continuous verb tense is used to talk about things that are happening right
now (We are reading right now). It can also be used to talk about things that might or
might not happen in the near future (They are coming to the party on Saturday).

Vocabulary help:

afternoon (noun) - the time of day between noon and

evening.
homework (noun) - schoolwork that is to be done at home
rather than at school.
math (noun) - the short form of mathematics.
phoning (verb) - present participle of to phone - to call on
the telephone.
tomorrow (noun) - the day after today.

More vocabulary? Click on the icon that looks like a book, to the left

Comprehension Check:

Did you understand the story? Are these sentences true?

1. Don has finished his homework. Yes or no?

2. Sally helped Don finish his math homework. Yes or no?

3. Don is meeting John and Kate after school tomorrow. Yes or no?

4. Sally is going shopping tomorrow. Yes or no?

5. Sally is doing her homework now. Yes or no?

Fill in the Blanks:

6. Sally is going shopping with her _______________ tomorrow.

7. Don is ______________ trouble with his math homework.

8. Sally is __________________ TV now.

9. Don is _________________ John and Kate ___________ school tomorrow.

10. Sally and Don are _________________ on the phone in this story.

>> Answers

My Dog Mandy (present perfect)

This is Mandy. She is the best dog! I got her a few months ago when she was just a
little puppy. She has grown a lot since then!
Over the past few months we have becomegood friends. We have spent lots of time
together having fun. We have gone to the park almost every day. We have friends that
we meet at the park so Mandy has other dogs to play with. They run and bark together.
Mandy has learned how to catch a ball. She has short legs but she can jump! It is a
game that she likes to play so we have played it a lot!. She wags her tail when she
catches the ball.

She has been good company.

Vocabulary help:

bark (verb) - to make the sound of a dog.

become (verb) - to begin to be something.
grown (verb) past participle of to grow - to get bigger
jump (verb) - to push yourself into the air with a strong
movement of your legs.
leg (noun) - the part of the body between the hip and the
foot.
park (noun) - an area of public land that anyone can use
for rest and enjoyment.
puppy (noun) - a young dog.
spent (verb) past participle of to spend - to use time
doing a particular activity.
tail (noun) - a part of an animal's body that sticks out
from the back end.
together (adverb) - with someone else, or in a group.
wag (verb) - to cause to move quickly up and down or
from side to side

More vocabulary? Click on the icon that looks like a book, to the left

Comprehension Check:

Did you understand the story? Are these sentences true?

1. Mandy has grown a lot in a few months. Yes or no?

2. Mandy runs and barks with other dogs in the park. Yes or no?

3. Mandy has short legs. Yes or no?

4. Mandy can't jump. Yes or no?

5. She wags her tail when she catches the ball. Yes or no?

Fill in the Blanks:

6. We _________ played with a ball in the park almost every day.

7. Mandy _________ been good company.

8. I got Mandy when she was a little _____________.

9. Mandy and I _______ friends at the park.

10. When Mandy ______________ the ball, she wags her tail.

11. We have _____________ good friends over the past few months.

>> Answers
Studying (use of the infinitive)

I have decided to improve my marks because I want to succeed in school. I

dont like to study very much. I dont mean to dopoorly but often I dont remember to
finishmy homework. I prefer to play on my computer. I also love to watch TV.
Sometimes I forget to bring my books to school.

I need to listen more to the teacher. Sometimes I pretend to pay attention in class
but I happen to be thinking about other things instead. My friends have offered to
help me study.
 I promise to try to work harder in the future because I hope to do better. I
dont like to fail. I have to pass!

(We often use the infinitive form of a verb if it is after another verb. There are many
verbs that can have an infinitive after them including afford, ask, begin, wish, refuse,
prepare, hate.)

Vocabulary help:

afford (verb) - have enough money to buy something

hate (verb) - to dislike very much
homework (noun) - schoolwork that is assigned to be
done at home
improve (verb) - to make better
pay attention - to look and listen carefully to something or
someone.
poorly (adverb)- badly, not well
pretend (verb) - to behave as if something is true when
its not

More vocabulary? Click on the icon that looks like a book, to the left

Comprehension Check:

Did you understand the story? Are these sentences true?

1. I like to watch TV. Yes or no?

2. I do poorly in school but I want to do better. Yes or no?

3. I do my homework. Yes or no?

4. I always pay attention to the teacher. Yes or no?

5. I like to play on my computer. Yes or no?

Fill in the Blanks:

6. I ___________ to listen to the teacher.

7. My friends have _____________ to help me study.

8. I want to __________________ in school. I don't want to fail.

9. I don't like __________________. I prefer to play on my computer.

10. I have decided ____________ my marks in school.

>> Answers

Answers:

Mornings

1. no, 2. no, 3. yes

4. head, 5. ignore, 6. morning, 7. nasty, 8. complain

Back ^

It Snows in Canada

1. yes, 2. no, 3. yes, 4. no

5. glistens, 6. winter, 7. covers, 8. snowplows, 9. cold, 10, problems

Back ^

A Phone Call

1. no, 2. no, 3. yes, 4. yes, 5. no

6. sister, 7. having, 8. watching, 9. meeting/after, 10. talking

Back ^

My Dog Mandy

1. yes, 2. yes, 3. yes, 4. no, 5. yes

6. have 7. has, 8. puppy, 9. meet, 10. catches, 11. become

Back ^

Studying

1. yes, 2. yes, 3. no, 4. no, 5. yes,

6. need, 7. offered, 8. succeed, 9. to study, 10. to improve,

Back ^