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Unit 3 · Present and past

Present continuous and present simple 1 (I am doing and I do)

Study

A

present continuous

I am doing

  • happening around now
  • temporary
  • not finished

present simple

I do

  • in general / repeated
  • permanent
  • always true

Compare:

present continuous (I am doing)

We use the continuous for things happening at or around the time of speaking. The action is not complete.

›

The water is boiling. Be careful.

›

Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?

›

Let's go out. It isn't raining now.

›

'I'm busy.' 'What are you doing?'

›

I'm getting hungry. Let's go and eat.

›

Kate wants to work in Italy, so she's learning Italian.

›

The population of the world is increasing very fast.

We use the continuous for temporary situations (things that continue for a short time):

›

I'm living with some friends until I find a place of my own.

›

a: You're working hard today. b: Yes, I have a lot to do.

See Unit 1 for more information.

present simple (I do)

We use the simple for things in general or things that happen repeatedly.

›

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

›

Excuse me, do you speak English?

›

It doesn't rain very much in summer.

›

What do you usually do at weekends?

›

I always get hungry in the afternoon.

›

Most people learn to swim when they are children.

›

Every day the population of the world increases by about 200,000 people.

We use the simple for permanent situations (things that continue for a long time):

›

My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives.

›

Joe isn't lazy. He works hard most of the time.

See Unit 2 for more information.

B

I always do and I'm always doing

I always do something = I do it every time:

›

I always go to work by car.

(not I'm always going)

I'm always doing something = I do it too often or more often than normal. For example:

›

I've lost my keys again. I'm always losing them.

I'm always losing them = I lose them too often, or more often than normal.

›

Paul is never satisfied. He's always complaining. (= he complains too much)

›

You're always looking at your phone. Don't you have anything else to do?

Present continuous and simple 2 ➜ Unit 4 Present tenses for the future ➜ Unit 19

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked
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3.1

Are the underlined verbs OK? Correct them where necessary.

  1. 1
    Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. example
  2. 2
    How often are you going to the cinema? example
  3. 3
    Ben tries to find a job, but he hasn't had any luck yet.
  4. 4
    Martina is phoning her mother every day.
  5. 5
    The moon goes round the earth in about 27 days.
  6. 6
    Can you hear those people? What do they talk about?
  7. 7
    What do you do in your spare time?
  8. 8
    Sarah is a vegetarian. She doesn't eat meat.
  9. 9
    I must go now. It gets late.
  10. 10
    'Come on! It's time to leave.' 'OK, I come.'
  11. 11
    Paul is never late. He's always starting work on time.
  12. 12
    They don't get on well. They're always arguing.
3.2

Put the verb into the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

  1. 1
    a (I / usually / get) hungry in the afternoon.example
  2. 2
    b (I / get) hungry. Let's go and eat something.example
  3. 3
    a ' (you / listen) to the radio?' 'No, you can turn it off.'
  4. 4
    b ' (you / listen) to the radio a lot?' 'No, not very often.'
  5. 5
    a The River Nile (flow) into the Mediterranean.
  6. 6
    b The river (flow) very fast today - much faster than usual.
  7. 7
    a I'm not very active. (I / not / do) any sport.
  8. 8
    b What (you / usually / do) at weekends?
  9. 9
    a Rachel is in New York right now. (She / stay) at the Park Hotel.
  10. 10
    b (She / always / stay) there when she's in New York.
3.3

Put the verb into the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

  1. 1
    Why are all these people here? (What / happen)?example
  2. 2
    Julia is good at languages. (She / speak) four languages very well.
  3. 3
    Are you ready yet? (Everybody / wait) for you.
  4. 4
    I've never heard this word. How (you / pronounce) it?
  5. 5
    Kate (not / work) this week. She's on holiday.
  6. 6
    I think my English (improve) slowly. It's better than it was.
  7. 7
    Nicola (live) in Manchester. She has never lived anywhere else.
  8. 8
    Can we stop walking soon? (I / start) to get tired.
  9. 9
    Sam and Tina are in Madrid right now. (They / visit) a friend of theirs.
  10. 10
    'What (your father / do)?' 'He's an architect.'
  11. 11
    It took me an hour to get to work this morning. Most days (it / not / take) so long.
  12. 12
    I (I / learn) to drive. My driving test is next month. My father (teach) me.
3.4

Finish B's sentences. Use always -ing.

  1. 1
    a: I've lost my keys again.
    b: Not again! example
  2. 2
    a: The car has broken down again.
    b: That car is useless. It .
  3. 3
    a: Look! You've made the same mistake again.
    b: Oh no, not again! I .
  4. 4
    a: Oh, I've left my phone at home again.
    b: Typical!