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Unit 8 · Present

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

Study

A

Jack is watching television. He is not playing the guitar.

But Jack has a guitar. He often plays it and he plays very well.

›

Jack plays the guitar, but he is not playing the guitar now.

›

Is he playing the guitar? No, he isn't. (present continuous)

›

Does he play the guitar? Yes, he does. (present simple)

B

Present continuous (I am doing) = now, at the time of speaking:

›

Please be quiet. I'm working. (not I work)

›

Tom is having a shower at the moment. (not Tom has)

›

Take an umbrella with you. It's raining.

›

You can turn off the television. I'm not watching it.

›

Why are you under the table? What are you doing?

C

Present simple (I do) = in general, all the time or sometimes:

›

I work every day from 9 o'clock to 5.30.

›

Tom has a shower every morning.

›

It rains a lot in winter.

›

I don't watch TV very often.

›

What do you usually do at weekends?

D

We do not use these verbs in the present continuous (I am -ing):

like want know understand remember
prefer need mean believe forget

Use only the present simple with these verbs (I want / do you like? etc.):

›

I'm tired. I want to go home. (not I'm wanting)

›

'Do you know that girl?' 'Yes, but I don't remember her name.'

›

I don't understand. What do you mean?

Exercises (3)

0/3 exercises checked
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8.1

Answer the questions about the pictures.

  1. 1A man having a bath
    1 I'm a photographer.
    Does he take photographs? Is he taking a photograph? What is he doing? example
  2. 2A woman playing the piano
    2 I'm a bus driver.
    Is she driving a bus? Does she drive a bus? What is she doing?
  3. 3A man cleaning a window
    3 I'm a window cleaner.
    Does he clean windows? Is he cleaning a window? What is he doing?
  4. 4Teachers in a classroom
    4 We are teachers.
    Are they teaching? Do they teach? What do they do?
8.2

Complete the sentences with am/is/are or do/don't/does/doesn't.

  1. 1
    Excuse me, you speak English?example
  2. 2
    'Where's Kate?' 'I know.'
  3. 3
    What's funny? Why you laughing?
  4. 4
    'What your sister do?' 'She's a dentist.'
  5. 5
    It raining. I want to go out in the rain.
  6. 6
    'Where you come from?' 'Canada.'
  7. 7
    How much it cost to stay at this hotel? Is it expensive?
  8. 8
    Steve is a good tennis player, but he play very often.
8.3

Put the verb in the present continuous (I am doing) or the present simple (I do).

  1. 1
    Excuse me, (you/speak) English?example
  2. 2
    'Where's Tom?' ' (he/have) a shower.'
  3. 3
    I (I/not/watch) TV very often.
  4. 4
    Listen! Somebody (sing).
  5. 5
    Sarah is tired. (she/want) to go home now.
  6. 6
    How often (you/use) your car? Every day?
  7. 7
    'Excuse me, but (you/sit) in my seat.' 'Oh, I'm sorry.'
  8. 8
    I'm sorry, (I/not/understand). Can you speak more slowly?
  9. 9
    It's late. (I/go) home now. (you/come) with me?
  10. 10
    What time (your father / finish) work every day?
  11. 11
    You can turn off the radio. (I/not/listen) to it.
  12. 12
    'Where's Paul?' 'In the kitchen. (he/cook) something.'
  13. 13
    Mark (not/usually/drive) to work. He (usually/walk).
  14. 14
    Sue (not/like) coffee. (she/prefer) tea.