A. Put the verbs in brackets into the appropriate form of the Present Simple or Present Continuous Tense.

1. It usually (rain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at this time of the year but today the sun (shine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . brightly.
2. I (see) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my dentist tonight. 3. What you (prepare) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for
dinner ? It smells delicious. 4. Diane, you really should cut on sweets. You (get) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fatter
every time we meet. 5. This hat (not suit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the dress I've just bought. 6. My sister
(like) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . English a lot but she (not enjoy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . Maths and Chemistry. 7. Who
(drive) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . that Mercedes that's parked outside ? 8. I really (not think) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
that wall colour is the biggest problem now ! 9. I'm afraid you can't see Rebecca now. She
(have) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lunch with her fiance. 10. The light from the Sun (take) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . about
eight and a half minutes to reach the Earth. 11. This week we (send) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . all the mail by couriers
because the Post Office is on strike. 12. John (not come) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . here tonight. He (work) . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . all night. 13. Now you can be sure that summer is near. It (get) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hotter
and hotter every day. 14. My sister never (clean) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . her bedroom, in fact she ( hardly do) . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . any housework. 15. A) What your brother-in-law (do) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for the living ? B) Oh, this and
that, you know, he (not have) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . any permanent job. 16. We (move) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
house next week and the removal company (come) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at 5 o'clock this afternoon. 17. A) Why you
(taste) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the stew ? B) To see if it (need) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . any spices. 18. A) Jake
(seem) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to be rather nervous. B) Well, he (appear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in the evening TV
news, that's why. 19. We haven't made any serious plans for the summer holidays, but we
(think) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to visit Majorca this year. 20. Louise, why you always
(leave) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . your dirty coffee mug on my desk ? It's really irritating. 21. Life is so difficult !
Unemployment rate (get) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . higher, prices (get) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . higher, everything (get) . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . higher, only our salaries are still the same ! 22. Brenda is away this week. She (do) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
a nursing course in Coventry. 23. Let's go over there ! They (feed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the seals.
24. My Indian friend Vishnu (think) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . it is wrong to eat meat. 25. You (know)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . who this watch (belong) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to ? 26. Joan is downstairs in the kitchen. She
(have) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . breakfast.
27. A) What your mother (do) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . now ?
B) The thing that she really (hate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - she (iron) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . clothes.
28. My husband's sense of direction is not very good. Actually he (get) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lost very easily.
29. Our old refrigerator has broken down completely and we (look for) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a new one. 30. Mary
(do) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the shopping and she'll be back in about half an hour. 31. I am not at all a religious person
and I (not believe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in reincarnation, ghosts or life after death. 32. This is a historic moment.
The President's car (just arrive) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in front of the palace. 33. This is only a temporary job. I
(help) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in the restaurant until they find a new chef. 34. I'm so excited ! Lorna (come) . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . round to see us tonight. 35. Excuse me, what time the train to Manchester (leave) . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . ? 36. This new game is sensational - as soon as you (finish) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a level, you (get) . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . something completely different to do.
37. The midnight sun phenomenon is amazing ! Just imagine the sun (not set) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for six months !
38. I often (walk) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to work when the weather is fine.
39. Public transport (become) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . more and more expensive nowadays.
40. Tom is an athlete. Every morning he (run) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ten laps round the park.

B Translate the verbs in brackets into the appropriate form of the Present Simple or Present Continuous
1. After this terrible gas explosion in my house I . . . . . . . . . . . . . (stau) with some friends until I . . . . . . . . . . (gasesc) a
flat of my own. 2. Bus drivers . . . . . . . . . . (intotdeauna intra) on strike ! 3. It is said that computers . . . . . . . . . .
(fac) life easier. 4. The roses in your garden . . . . . . . . . . (miros) charming. 5. I . . . . . . . . . . only (miros) this eau de
cologne. How much is it? 6. I . . . . . . . . . . (inteleg) what you mean! 7. I'm afraid I can't meet you at six. I
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(am grija) after my little niece tonight. 8. I don't know if we can afford this holiday. It all . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . (depinde) on the price. 9. John, you can't leave Paola now! She . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (depinde) on you! 10.
Josephine . . . . . . . . . . (ii place) the urban environment, but I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (prefer) peace and quiet of the
countryside.
GRAMMAR 50:50 PRESENT SIMPLE - PRESENT CONTINUOUS