Verbs THE PRESENT TENSE 9 Present Simple and Present Continuous Present simple FORM CTLs 1/You/We/They eat; He/She/It eats. 1/You/We/They do not (don’t) eat. Do I/You/he/she/it/we/they eat? He/She/It does not (doesn't) eat. Note the endings with he, she, and it. If the verb ends in ss, sh, eh, or x, add es: He washes (wash ends in sh) She catches (catch ends in eh) USE * for something that is permanently true: She comes from Argentina. I don’t speak Chinese. * for habits and repeated actions: How often do you go to the gym? He usually leaves work at 6 o'clock, Present continuous FORM Positive Question [a am [tm am | 1 He He's | She is She's | Is in I's working? We We're You are | You're Are | you They They're they Negative with not jegative with n’t 1 am $m - He He's He | She is} She's she | isn’t | It It’s not working. | | It working | We We're We You are } You're You | aren't They They're [They 1"Vers 12 USE © For an action in progress now: Are you waiting for the bus? I'm wniting a letter to Julie. Practice Complete these sentences, putting the verbs into the correct tense. 1 What's that book you ..5.r¢ading.? (read) We usually .2.. to the beach at the weekend. (go) 3. She z to me every week. (write) 4 ‘Where's Kevin?” ‘He sesstesssieseenes football with his friends. (play) 5 My boss .. to New York every month. (fly) 6 Can you answer the phone? I ...... secesseeceee « (COOK) 7 Look! That man to get into our car. (try) 8. to school every morning? (you walk) 9 The bank ....... on Sundays. (not open) 10 Her son ... her very often. (not visit) 1 He : saves. his car every weekend. (wash) 12 Sorry, you can’t talk to him, He ....sssseeseeseeseeneene a Shower, (have) 13 ‘What .. My homework: (do) 14 Snakes for most of the day. (sleep) 15 Many people ...... secssseenees this kind of food. (not like) 16 ‘Could you be quiet, please ~ I .uscscssenceseveennes the radio’ (listen) 17 We vescsssssmesesneseeennees ina hotel at the moment. (stay) 18 SE vseeeseeecseseeneeneeeen tO work by train. (go) 19 They never vvscssesee soon to me, (write) 201 for Mary. She's late. (wait)Verbs 10 Verbs using Present Simple rather than Present Continuous USE * Certain verbs generally use only the simple form, and are not used with the continuous. These are verbs which do not describe activities. They include: a) verbs of thinking and understanding: I believe yout I don’t understand. What do you think? b) verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling, etc.: I don’t like him. How do you feel? I want to go. * These verbs can use the present continuous when they become activity verbs: Be quiet, please: I’m thinking. (Here thinking is an activity, like working.) I’m seeing the president tomorrow. (seeing = meeting) * There is a difference between these verb: ten ~ hear; watch ~ see; look - see Listen, watch and look are deliberate activities, and can use the present continuous: I'm listening to the radio. Hear and see are not deliberate activities, and do not usually use the continuous. > Exercise 66 for an explanation of simple and continuous aspects. Practice Circle the correct form of the verb in these sentences. You're very quiet. What (do you think /@re you thinking) about? What (are you thinking /@o you think) about the new sports centre? I'm sorry (I'm not agreeing / I don’t agree) with you. (Are you looking / Do you look) for me? (Do you prefer / Are you preferring) walking to cycling? 6 (Idon’t like / I'm not liking) him at the moment. (I hear / I'm hearing) you're leaving us. 8 I'm afraid (I'm not remembering / I don’t remember) where we met 9 (Do you listen / Are you listening) to the radio at the moment? 10 (I'm hating / I hate) cold evenings. 11 ('m not looking forward / I don’t took forward) to my holiday. 12 (They're looking / They look) at clothes at the moment. 13 Why (aren't you agreeing / don’t you agree) with the idea? 14 What (is this meaning? / does this mean?) 15 (I'm not understanding / I don't understand) the lessons. 16 (I never agree / I'm never agreeing) with what he says. 17 (He knows / He’s knowing) you're wrong, 18 (They watch / They're watching) us. 13