THE PRESENT TENSE SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS
1. Make questions in the present tense using the verbs below and the noun ANSWER. Use the continuous
form wherever possible.
Example: a) write b) understand
Are you writing the answer now? Do you understand the answer now?
1. Know Do you know the answer now?
2. Think of Are you thinking of the answer now?
3. Read Are you reading the answer now?
4. Listen to Are you listening to the answer now?______________________________________
5. Hear Do you hear the answer now?______________________________________
6. Have Do you have the answer now?_____________________________________
7. Look at Are you looking at the answer now?______________________________________
8. Need Do they need the answer now?_______________________________________
9. Give Is she giving the answer now?_______________________________________
10. Like Do you like the answer now?_______________________________________
11. Want Do they want the answer now?_____________________________________
12. See Do you see the answer now?_____________________________________
13. Look for Do you look for your answer now?_____________________________________
14. Guess Are you guessing the answer now?_____________________________________
15. Understand Do you understand answer now?_____________________________________
2. Put the verbs in brackets in the present tense continuous wherever possible. (Some verbs cannot be used in the
continuous form!)
Example: Mary ________ (see) us now. She _______ (wave) to us.
Mary sees us now. She is waving to us.
1. I __know______ (know) what you __mean_________ (mean).
2. We _are inviting ___________ (invite) you all. The invitation includes__________ (include) everybody.
3. I _want ____________ (want) to go now, while the weather _ seems___________ (seem) better.
4. With the dress you are wearing___________ (wear), you resemble__________ (resemble) your mother very much.
5. The dog hears___________ (hear) me coming. He _is running___________ (run) to meet me.
6. The orchestra is playing ____________ (play) a contemporary piece. It sounds_______ (sound) very well.
7. Now that the flowers are blooming____________ (bloom), the garden smells_________ (smell) good.
8. The girl I am seeing ________ (see) tonight is my friend. I like_________ (like) her very much.
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9. Father is buying _________ (buy) presents for his children. He loves______ (love) them very much.
10. Prices are going ______ (go) down this year. TV seats cost______ (cost) less than before.
3. Some of the verb that are not normally used in the continuous aspect may have more than one meaning or use,
and one of these meanings may be compatible with the use of a continuous form.
1. I think______________ (think) it’s going to rain now, but I except_________ (expect) it will clear up later.
2. Richard is seeing__________ (see) the Principal tomorrow. He is having_________ (have) an interview with him.
3. I hear ___________(hear) now what you are saying___________ (say); there’s too much noise in the street.
4. “What are you doing?” I am tasting_____________ (taste) the soup”
What does_____ it taste______ (taste) like? It tastes_____ (taste) delicious.
5. Who do_____ you see _______ (see) opposite the street? Is it Mary?
Oh, I recognize________________ (recognize) her now. What a lovely dress she has (have).
6. I can’t understand your behaviour, Robert. You are being___________________ (be) extremely rude today.
7. I am hearing_________ (hear) that honey can be used as an antiseptic.
8. The Greens are having (have) lunch in town next Sunday. They don’t think___ (not think) going away for the
weekend.
9. I am excepting __________ (expect) a telephone call from Caroline this afternoon.
10. The Manager is very busy now. He is seeing__________ (see) a young man who wants a job in the factory.
11. I see___________ (see) you’re impatient to leave.
12. What are you doing? I am feeling (feel) this material to see whether it is cotton or not. What does it feel (feel) like
cotton?
13. What are _______ you thinking________ (think) about? I am thinking_____ (think) about the holidays.
14. The car smells_________(smell) unpleasant because I’ve just had the tank filled.
15. The Smiths are very happy; they have___________ (have) two lovely daughters and now a son has been born.
16. We are having____ (have) a test tomorrow and we are all studying (all study) now.
4. Put the verbs in the brackets in the right form of the present these (simple or continuous) to practice the
contrast between habitual action and action going on at the moment of speaking.
Example: The children _____are drinking __________ milk now. (drink)
They _______drink________ milk every morning. (drink)
1. He is making______________ a telephone call right now. (make)
2. We always go_________________ to the match when our team plays. (go)
3. Look! It is raining____________________ again. (rain)
4. The Symphonic Orchestra is giving _________________ a concert now. (give)
5. They are having_________ breakfast at the moment. (have)
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6. I always drive__________ my friends to the station. (drive)
7. My parents attend_________ all the class meetings. (attend)
8. Listen! Somebody is playing_____________ Paganini. (play)
9. Mary does_________ her shopping on Mondays. (do)
10. The boys play___________ football every afternoon. (play)
11. I am writing__________ letters this morning. (write)
5. The present tense simple is also used to express a sequence of short actions going on at the moment of speaking.
Make sentences of your own to express such chains of short actions.
Example: Mary is sitting at her desk. (bell/ring, go, open)
Mary is sitting at her desk. The bell rings. She goes to the door and opens it.
1. Mother is walking in the park with her daughter Alice. (Alice/see a flower, bend, pick)
Mother is walking in the park with her daughter Alice. Alice sees a flower. Then she bends it and picks it._
2. The musicians are tuning up their violins. (conductor/come, bow to the audience, start conducting)
The musicians are turning up their violins. The conductor comes, bows the audience and starts conducting.
3. Two candles are burning on the mantelpiece. (the old lady/ - come in, go the fireplace, put off the candles)
Two candles are burning on the mantelpiece. The old lady comes in. She goes to the fireplace and puts off the candles.
4. It is raining. (Peter/ put on his raincoat, catch a bus, go back home)
It is raining. Peter is putting on his raincoat. Then he catches a bus and goes back home. ________________
5. Our friends are standing in front of the cinema. (Peter/ go in, buy tickets, come back, all of them/enter the hall)
Our friends are standing in front of the cinema. Peter goes in, buys tickets, comes back and all of them enter the hall.
6. Someone is approaching the house. (Mary/ hurry down the steps, run to the gate, open the gate)
Someone is approaching the house. Mary hurries down the steps. Mary runs to the gate and opens the gate.
7. A door is opening to the left. (A tall man/ come in, greet everybody, sit down)
A door is opening to the left. A tall man is coming in. He greets everybody and sits down. ______
6. Read the following passages. Put the verbs in the present tense simple for sequences of short actions going on
now and in the present tense continuous for actions of comparatively longer duration. This contrast is also used
for stylistically effects.)
1. The lamp on the table in the sitting – room is lighted but turned low. Two candles are burning (burn) on the mantel
over the fireplace. Lavinia enters (enter) the hall in the rear. She comes (come) to the table and turns (turn) up the
lamp.
2. Jones serves____________ (serve) from the right-hand side of the far court. He has thrown the ball high in the air and
brings_____ (bring) his racket down hard to meet it. Now Brown moves______ (move) quickly up to the net to
intercept a passing shot. His partner covers________ (cover) him from behind. But they both miss________ (miss)
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the ball and the point is lost. Jones serves________ (serve) again and this time he takes__________ (take) his time
about it. He bounces________ (bounce) the ball once or twice to steady himself. Up it goes__________ (go) high in
the air and then into the opposite court, a winner all the way. The crowd applauds______________ (applaud) loudly.
3. In the kitchen, by the light of a candle on the table, Eben is sitting (sit), his chin propped on his hands. In the
bedroom, Cabot is lying (lie) asleep. Abbie is listening (listen) over the cradle. Suddenly, she sobs (sob), appears
(appear) about to throw herself on her. With the knees beside the cradle, but the old man turns (turn) in his sleep and
she backs (back) swiftly toward the door in the rear and goes________ (go) out.
7. Re-express the following sentences, using the present tense simple or continuous with reference to future
events.
Example: George’s bus leaves at 4 pm from the Filaret bus station.
(The departure of this bus is a regular event)
Harry is leaving at 4 pm from the Filaret bus station.
(Planned activity once, not regular event)
1. Our departure from Suceava is fixed for tomorrow. (leave)
We are leaving from Suceava tomorrow. ________________________
2. What time is the last train to Brasov? ( leave)
When does the last train leave to Brasov? ____________________________
3. According to the law, Mr. Grant is due to retire in three year’s time. (retire)
Mr. grant retires according to the law. ___________________________
4. What’s your address for your next summer holiday? (stay)
Where are you staying for your next summer holiday? ___________________________
5. What’s your address on your business trips to Pitesti? (stay)
Where do you stay on your business trip to Pitesti?__________________________
6. Owing to weather conditions fight No 321 will take one hour. (take)
Flight no 321 is taking off in one hour due to the weather._________________________
7. The journey from Bucharest to Constanta is three quarters of an hour. (take)
The journey from Bucharest to Constanta takes three quarters of an hour._________________________
8. Put the verbs in brackets in the present tense simple or continuous.
1. I am going___________________ out to get to the evening paper. (go)
2. You always beat__________________________ me at chess! (always, beat)
3. What time do usually you get up?____________________? (usually get up)
4. Everybody likes__________________________ summer. (like)
5. We are going ______________________ to the circus this evening. (go)
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6. I have _________________ an appointment with my dentist at 5 o’clock.(have)
7. Jane makes_______________________ all her clothes herself. (make)
8. All the students in this class read_________________ English well. (read)
9. I know_____________ what you mean______________. (know/ mean)
10. The park looks____________________ beautiful in spring. (look)
11. Hey! You are drinking___________________________ from my glass! (drink)
12. I must go, mother is waiting _________________ for me. (wait)
13. The train arrives__________________ at the North Station at 6.30. (arrive)
14. Don’t disturb her, she is feeding_____________ the baby. (feed)
15. I can’t go away, I see_____________ the Manager at the beginning of next week. (see)
16. During the week, we generally get up___________ early. (get up)
17. I am hoping that_________ our school team will win the football match. (hope)
18. Our aunt is coming________________ to see us this afternoon. (come)
19. I am not approving _________________________ of your behaviour. ( not approve)
20. We get_______ a lot of snow in the mountains in winter. (get)
21. He flies _____________________ from Bucharest to Sibiu tomorrow. (fly)
22. John forever is boasting______________________ of what he has done. (forever boast)
9. Re-express the following statements using the present tense simple or continuous.
Example: Paul is a worker in a car factory. He is on his way to work now. It is 7.00 am.
Paul works in a car factory. He is going to work now. He always goes to work at 7.00 am.
1. Michael thinks tennis is a wonderful game. It is Saturday afternoon and he is on the tennis-court now.
Michael loves tennis. He is playing tennis now. He always plays tennis on Saturday
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. It is 2 pm afternoon and I am at the table. There is a lot of food in front of me.
It is 2 pm afternoon and I am having the lunch. I am eating now.
3. Paul’s wife says she hasn’t got enough dresses. Paul is tired of hearing her say that.
Paul’s wife is always saying the same thing about dresses. Paul is tired of hearing that again.
4. Mary has a blue dress on. Blue is her favourite colour.
Mary is having her blue dress on. The dress has her favourite colour.
5. Look at tomorrow’s programme: breakfast at 7.00, visit the factory at 10.00, conference at 3.00. What a busy day
We are having breakfast at 7, we are visiting the factory at 10, we are attending a conference at 3.
6. All the buses in London have stopped. The bus drivers’ slogan is “Higher Wages and shorter Hours”.
They are not working. They are on strike
7. “What are your plans for next Sunday?” “A trip to the seaside, a visit to the Aquarium.”
We are going to seaside and visiting an Aquarium next Sunday.
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8. It has started to rain. You have an umbrella in your hand.
It is raining again. You are using the umbrella that is in your hand.
9. You rang up your friend and arranged to see a film this evening after school.
You are seeing a film this evening after school with your friend._______
10. Peter cannot dance very well. There is a dancing evening at school next Saturday. Maybe Peter will go.
Peter doesn’t know how to dance.
11. We cannot move freely up and down because of gravitation.
Gravitation limits us.
12. Mary’s favourite food is salad; her favourite drink – pineapple juice; her clothes are brightly coloured, and she has a
lot of pop music records.
Marry likes eating a salad, drinking a pineapple juice and wearing her clothes. _____
10. Put the verbs in the brackets in the present tense simple or continuous.
1. What on earth are__________ you doing_______ there?(do) I am trying__________ to find the key to the door. (try)
2. I don’t interrupt people when they are talking________________ over the telephone. (not interrupt/ talk)
3. I admit we move freely in two directions. (admit/move) But how about up and down? Gravitation limits us there.
(limit)
4. It is March 5th. Helen is having_____________ (have) her birthday party today and she is excepting_______________
(expect) all her friends to come. She is preparing_________________ (prepare) a lot of nice things to eat and drink
now. She is wearing____________________ (wear) a pretty blue dress. When Helen’s friends are
coming_______________ (come) they will bring her many beautiful presents.
5. Britain lies________________ (lie) in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean. The sea surrounds____________
(surround) the British Isles. The presence of the sea makes_________________ (make) the climate mild.
6. Why don’t you join______ us (not join)? I am terribly sorry, but tomorrow I am driving__(drive) to the countryside.
7. It always rains_______________ (always rain) when I want_____________________ (want) to go out!
8. In England salmon fishing opens (open) in January or in February and continues (continue) until the end of October.
9. What part of Romania do you come (come) from? Oradea but I am living_________ (live) in Constanta now.
10. I will come down when I am_______ (be) ready.
11. Most motorists nowadays seem___ (seem) interested only in getting to their destination as quickly as possible.
12. The action of the trilogy “Mourning Becomes Electra” takes__________ (take) place in or immediately outside the
Mannon residence. A special curtain shows___________ (show) the house as seen from the street. This curtain
reveals_______________ (reveal) the extensive grounds which surrounds____________ (surround) the house.
13. Music, you say, it is___________(be) a good night for music. But I have___________ (have) music here in a box. I
am making____________ (make) the necessary mechanical magic and suddenly the introduction to the Benedictus in
Beethoven’s Missa Solemnius begins_______ (begin) Benedictus, Benedictus… One after another the voices are
taking______ (take up) the theme propounded by the orchestra. And then, suddenly the music dies_________ (die)
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14. English people seem____________ (seem) to have only one idea in their heads. Whenever they have___________
(have) a holiday, they rush _____________ (rush) to the seaside. You see______________ (see) every kind of vehicle
on the road: cars, coaches, vans, motorcycles and, of course, scooters. Everybody drives_____________ (drive) to the
sea. By the sea the families settle _______________ (settle) on the sand with their picnic baskets and bathing things.
They swim (swim), sunbathe (sunbathe) and queue_______________ (queue) for ice-creams and soft drinks.
Sometimes, it starts________(start) raining while people are lying ___________ (lie) on the beach and
have___________(have) to dash for shelter. In the evening, they all return_______________ (return) looking like
happy lobsters. The children fall_____________(fall) asleep while fathers are driving__________ (drive) the cars
back home and the others long__________________________ (long) to get home again for a nice cup of tea.
15. An exhibition of Constable’s paintings opens _______________ (open) at the Tate Gallery in London of February 18th
and continues ______________ (continue) till April 25 th. If you miss ______________ (miss) the Tate Gallery
exhibition, you will be able to see The Hawaiian at any time in London’s National Gallery. This year we are
celebrating____________________ (celebrate) the bicentenary of Constable’s birth. The picture reproduced in this
magazine, The Hawaiian shows_______________________ (show) Constable’s interest in the quality of light.
11. Translate into English. Use the present tense simple or continuous as appropriate.
1. Vacanta de vara tine doua luni. In fiecare an, mergem doua saptamani la mare.
The summer vacation holds two months. Every year, we go two weeks to the seaside.___________________
2. E sâmbăta si facem curat in casa. Sora mea şterge praful din camera iar eu fac paturile.
It is Saturday and we are cleaning the house. My sister is dusting and I am making the beds._____________________
3. Părinţii mei locuiesc in Braşov. Ii vizitez in fiecare luna.
My parents live in Brasov. I visit them every month.____________________________
4. Directorul este foarte ocupat acum. Studiază proiectul pentru o noua aripa a fabricii.
The headteacher is very busy now. He is studying the project from a new wing of the factory.
5. Copii se joaca in parc in fiecare zi.
The kids play in the park every day.
6. Luam micul dejun. Mama bea cafea, iar tata mananca omleta
We are having breakfast. My mom is drinking coffee and my father is eating
omlette.________________________
7. Bunica uita întotdeauna unde isi pune ochelarii si de fiecare data când are nevoie de ei ii caută prin toata casa.
My grandmother forgets every time where she puts her glasses and every time when she needs them she searches for
them in the whole house.________________________
8. Dan e in camera mamei. Repara maşina de cusut.
Dan is in mother’s room. He is reparing the sewing machine.________________
9. Uneori, Dunărea ingheata in luna ianuarie.
Sometimes, the Danube freezes in January.__________________________________
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10. Prietenii tai te aşteaptă in fata cinematografului.
Your friends are waiting for you in the front of the cinema.
11. Totdeauna seara ne uitam la televizor.
We always watch TV at night. ________________________________________________
12. Mary poarta astăzi o rochie verde.
Mary is wearing a green dress today._________________________________
13. Te căuta cineva la telefon.
Someone is looking for you on the phone.
14. Astăzi nu sunt pentru nimeni si mai ales acum când îmi beau cafeaua si nu vreau sa fiu deranjat.
Today, I am not for anyone and especially now when I am drinking my coffee and I don’t want to be disturbed
15. Este cineva dintre voi amator sa meargă cu noi la bazinul de înot ?
Does anyone want to go with us to the swimming pool?
16. Astăzi nu mergem, nici eu nici sora mea, pentru ca o ajutam pe mama sa termine curatenia de toamna.
Today, neither my sister nor I is going because we are helping mother to finish the autumn cleaning. __
17. Nu – i aşa ca nu ştii noutatea ? George studiază electronic la Iaşi, iar Maria urmează cursurile Universitatii
Populare, secţia Chineza.
You don’t know the news, do you? George studies Electronics at Iasi and Maria attends her classes at University
Popular the Chinese section.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
18. In mod obişnuit ne petrecem sfârşitul de saptamana intr-un sat din aproprierea Bucureştilor. De data asta insa
rămânem acasă pentru ca aşteptam nişte musafiri.
We are staying the finish of the week in a village now away from
Bucharest.._____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_____
__________________________________________________________________________________________
19. Totdeauna se întâmpla acelaşi lucru. Când ia banii se duce după cumpărături si vine acasă cu o grămada de .Every
time it happens the same thing . When he gets the money he is going to shopping and he comes home with a lot of
stupid
things._________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
20. Băieţelul cel mic al vecinei mele are trei ani, parul blond, ochii albaştri si ii plac foarte mult dulciurile si ursuleţii si
când îl întrebi cum îl cheamă iţi răspunde : Am 3 ani.
. The little neighbour boy has 3 years , blonde hair, blue eyes and he likes very much sweets and bears and when you
ask him how is your name he says,, i have 3 years old
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______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
21. E prima oara când mănânc spanac cu clătite si nu e rau de loc, mi se pare doar ca are un gust ciudat. Tu ce crezi ?
22. It is my first time when I eat
23. _spinackh and panckaces and it is not bad, I think tht it has a starnge taste. What do you think?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
______
24. De cate ori vin la voi cineva cânta la vioara in apartamentul vecin, Mie îmi place, dar nu ştiu cat de incantati sunteţi
voi de asta.
Every time I came to you someone is singing at violin in the neighbours house, but I like it, but i dont know how dare
you are about this
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
25. Îngheţata de ciocolata.
Se freacă 6 oua cu 250 g de zahar, se fierbe 1 l de lapte in care se pun 125 g ciocolata pe care o tăiaţi in bucatele mici.
Se amesteca apoi toate si se fierb la foc mic. Când se raceste se adăuga frişca si se pune la frigider.
It is rubbing 6 eggs with 250 g of sugar , it s boiling 11 milks where it is putting 125 g of chocholate that you are
cutting in little pieces. Then you are mixing all of them and you boil at little fire. When it is getting hot it you are
putting wipped cream and you put it at the fridge
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
26. Astăzi se deschide la Bucureşti o expoziţie de pictura contemporana. Expun tablouri pictori renumiţi. Expoziţia
ramane deschisa pana la sfârşitul lunii ianuarie. Se poate vizita in fiecare zi intre orele 10 – 17.
Today in Bucharest it is oppening an expozition with the contemporan pictures. They expose pictures with popular
painters. The expozition remains open till the end of January. It can be visited every day past 10-
17pm._________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
27. Am foarte mult de lucru in perioada asta. Promit insa sa trec pe la tine de indata ce mă voie elibera.
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I have a lot of things to do in this period. I promise I am visiting you when I will get
free.___________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_
28. Intra in scena prin partea dreapta, are o ezitare, apoi merge drept spre grupul din mijlocul scenei unde se poarta o
discuţie aprinsa si incearca sa intre in conversaţie.
He is entering on the scene in the right side , he has an ezitation , the he goes straight to the group in the middle of the
scene where he is going to take an fired discousion and he is trying to enter in the
conversation____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_____
______________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
29. Este prima oara in iarna asta când ninge aşa de mult, ca pare ca nu se mai opreşte.
It is the first time when it is snowying in winter that much, I think it wont
stop.___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
30. Ştii ca esti priceput la toate ! De ce eşti aşa neîndemânatic astăzi ?
You are smart at everything ! Why are you so silly today ?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
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