29 Present simple or continuous? 1 Basic differences in use PRESENT SIMPLE Permanent situations; things we do not expect to change: | Lie Janice lives in London with her husband and children. Regular actions, habits and routines Janice isa pilot. She flies all over the world. Time expressions: usually, often, every day, once a month, at the weekend, most days Permanent situations; things we do not expect to change: ‘eit Pilots usually train for about two years to get their flying licence. To describe events in a book, play or film: The story starts in Madrid. The main character lives there. One day, he goes out and 2 Action verbs PRESENT CONTINUOUS ae ‘Temporary situations, for a limited period of time: But Janice is staying in a hotel this weekend. Time expressions: today, this week, at the moment ‘Actions that are happening at/around the time we are speaking: Janice is flying to Sydney today. Time expressions: (right) now, at the moment, today ‘Something that is changing Hever 2000 @ @ 200 @DOBO MOO08OOE 2001 ‘More and more women are training to become pilots these days. To describe what is happening in a photo or picture: That's my niece in the photo. She's riding her brother's bike. Action verbs describe an action and can usually be used in both simple and continuous forms: Janice flies around the world. She's flying to Sydney today. We usually drive to work, but at the moment we aren't driving because the car has broken down. 823. State verbs a State verbs describe states rather than actions, e.g. ways of thinking or feeling. These verbs are not usually used in the continuous form: ¥ [prefer classical music to popular music. xe é é : . ¥ Do you understand the maths homework now? X Are-youunderstanding the maths homework How? i verbs of feeling/ like love dislike hate prefer need Does she like her present? wanting want wish I need a little more time. (BUT we often use enjoy in the (Are you enjoying that book?) continuous) verbs of thinking’ believe doubt forget know mean I don’t believe in luck. believing realise recognise remember think Do you know the answer? understand We think she’s really nice. verbs of being/ ‘appear be seem This door appears to be locked. appearing ‘Maria seems very helpful. verbs of possessing/ belong contain have (got) own These drinks contain Vitamin C. relating possess Duncan has two Ferraris. sense verbs hear see smell taste Listen! Do you hear music? This coffee tastes really good. The verbs agree, cost, promise and thank are also rarely used in the continuous tense: Lagree with you. The hotel costs €100 a night. We promise not to be late. He always thanks us with a card or flowers. 4 State verbs and the continuous form We can use some state verbs in the continuous form, with a different and more active meaning: have Ihave two sisters. (= possess) I'm having breakfast right now. (= eating) think What do you think of it? What are you thinking about? ( What’ your opinion?) ( considering at the moment) appear It appears that they're going to close the The Gypsy Kings are appearing at the local ‘theatre. (= seems thav/iooks like) theatre next week. (= performing) taste Your soup tastes wonderfull (= a quality _'m tasting the soup to check if it needs any ‘of the soup) more salt. (= 'm checking/testing it.) see Do you see the difference between the Are you seeing your friends a lot at the ‘two pictures? (= can you notice it?) ‘moment? (= meeting regularly) © We can also sometimes use state verbs in the continuous when we want to emphasise that the state is unusual or unexpected, and probably temporary: My new car uses a lot of petrol so it’s costing me a fortune. (I don’t usually spend this much on petrol.) I'm finding it difficult to organise my time at the moment. (This is unusual for me; | usually organise my time well.) © Some verbs which express physical states (feel, hurt, ache) can be used in the simple or continuous forms with no (or very little) difference in meaning: “How do you feeV/are you feeling today?’ ‘I feel/I’m feeling a lot better, thanks.’ My back aches/is aching this morning. It is becoming more common to use like, love and hate in the continuous form in informal English: ‘How's the course going?’ ‘It’s great! I’m really loving it!’ Some people consider this to be incorrect. 8329) rresenrsivece on continuous? 2 84 Practice Match the sentences 1-5 the correct meaning, A or B. 0. Craig works in an architect's office. —_A This i a temporary postion. B This is his permanent job. 1 Rhona is staying with her aunt this A She usually lives somewhere else. weekend. B This is her permanent home. 2 Max sings with a band on Friday A This is a changing situation. evenings. B This is something he does regularly. 3 Steve can’t talk now, He's interviewing A This is an action in progress. someone. This is something he does regularly. 4 More men are looking after their children. A This is a permanent situation. these days. B This is a changing situation. 5 Berlin is one of Germany's sixteen states. _A This is a fact - something permanent. B This is a changing situation. Read the information about HousesittersPro. Then complete John and Angela's statement with the verbs from the box. are enjoying are living are looking after are spending don’tleave get go Hive spend visits work HousesittersPro — the holiday solution Going on holicky? Then you nesd Houssditensirro. (Our employees come and live in your home while you're away. They look after your property, including your garden and your pets, so that your home is safe. They are mostly retired people, and we have checked their background. Meet John and Angela, two of our typical housesitters: “We have both retired from responsible jobs. We (0) . live. in a small cottage in the country and we (1) our retirement. We (2) time in the garden most days and we often (3) tothe cinema and theatre with our friends. Our daughter @ us with our grandchildren now and again. But we sometimes (5) bored, so for three months every year we 6 for HousesittersPro, Then our life is very different. At the moment, we're in the home ‘of a young couple who are travelling for three weeks. We (7) in their apartment in the city, and we (8) their pets. ‘We (9) a lot of time in front of the TV, because as HousesittersPro employees, we (10) the house for more than a couple of hours at a time. You know that your house is safe when you have HousesittersPro in it!”3 Choose the correct words in italics. In one sentence, both answers are possible. Listen and check. Fatima’s a really good friend. She never orgesy is forgetting my birthday. Selina doesn’t work / isn’t working in her office at the moment because the builders are there. Mmm. Those roses smell / are smelling lovely. Are they from your garden? I can’t believe how difficult my new course is. I find / I'm finding it really hard to keep up with all the reading at the moment. These are difficult times because food and fuel prices go up / are going up quickly. Do you believe / Are you believing anything that child says? Harry isn’t at work because he feels / he’s feeling unwell. In the film ‘Australia’ two young people meet / are meeting and become friends during World War II. 8 Some of the students don’t understand aren't understanding basic mathematical ideas. 4 Check the verbs in the list; write A for action, S for state or A/S for action/state. Then complete the conversation with the verbs in the present simple or present continuous. Use each verb once only. Listen and check. wae Mowe appear A/S, be enjoy feet go go well have know like we SOO visit jouer 1 (0) feel exhausted after all that shopping! karen So do I. T usually (1) a coffee after shopping. This café looks nice. jouer Mmm. I (2) (not often) shopping, but I really (3) it when Ido! KAREN Let’s sit here. Show me your new dress again. That’s really nice. (4) ...,............... it fora special occasion? juuier No, I just need to cheer myself up! karen Oh, why? Everything (5) with your job, isn’t it? suuer Well, not really. karin Why's that? You usually (6) to be so happy in your work. juuer Well, I was at first but as you know, I (7) my family in Scotland whenever I can, and these days, now that Dad’s quite ill, I (8) them every weekend, so I'm leaving work early every Friday to get to Scotland. My boss (9) (not) that, although I work longer on other days, so we're always arguing at the moment. karen That's a shame. What are you going to do? juurr Honestly, Karen, I (10) (not) . I really like the job, but I need to be with my, family at the moment, too. 5 Use the verbs in brackets to write about yourself. Choose the present simple or continuous. 0 (live) I live wich my parents but I'm planning to mave into a flat with friends soon, 1 (live) 2 (work/study) 3 (enjoy) 4 (believe) 85 one1 Review MobDULE5 UNITS 26 AND 27. Find six more mistakes and correct them. Tick (V) the correct sentences. 0. Does Melanie basa lot of friends in her new school? 00 Lukasz always brings me a present when he comes back to London. / Sarah needs help with her homework. She don't understand the maths. Don’t go in there! That sign means ‘danger’! Yves is very good-looking. He got blue eyes and black hair. Do you have got any tickets left for tomorrow evening? 1 feel terrible; I think I’m having a cold. Children have often difficulty in sharing their toys. This laptop has a number of interesting features. Sorry, but we don’t any lamb steaks today. euaneone UNITS 27, 28 AND 29. Jeanette usually teaches English in London in the summer. This year she is giving English lessons to two children in Greece. Complete each sentence with a suitable form of the verbs in brackets. © Jeanette usually works ... all day in the summer but today shes, stopping at 12.30. (work, stop) 1 She usually .., ou With friends, but now a house just for herself. (live, have) 2 She usually trousers to work, but today a summer dress. (Wear, wear) 3. She usually ‘TV at the weekend, but this summer the sights in Athens. (watch, visit) 4 Most summers she very much, but this summer more money. (not earn, get) 5 Most summers she sesnetn tired and overworked, but this summer really happy. (feel, feel) ALLUNITS. Match sentences 1 and 2 with their meanings, A or B, in each pair. 0-1 Nicks having a shower, ————,__—3 A There's a shower, nota bath, in his fat 2 Neil has a shower. B He's wet. 11 Sally works ftom home. A Her office is in her home. 2. Samantha is working from home. B She is at home today to wait for a builder. 21 David's cold. A He feels ill 2 Derek has a cold. B The heating is turned off. 3 1 Steve always plays his guitar in the evening. A His guitar playing really annoys me. 2 Simon is always playing his guitar in B [don't mind his guitar playing. the evening. 41 Marianne'’s living in Edinburgh. A She usually lives in London. 2. Marie lives in Edinburgh B She doesn’t live in London. 5 1 Teresa loses weight every year, ‘A She's on a good diet. 2 Thea is losing weight. B She always eats less in the summer. 6 1 Heidi is a good doctor. A She visits her when she feels ill. 2 Helen's got a good doctor. B She has lots of experience. 7 1 Paul travels a lot on business. A He's ona plane. 2 Patrick is travelling on business. B He's an international salesman.4 A\LuNiTs Read the article and choose the correct answer, A, B or C below. Diego Zeman —the human cannonball It's a cold Saturday afternoon and I'm at Cottle and Austin’s Circus to meet Diego Zeman, their human cannonball. When | (0) __ inside the Big Top, |)... Diego immediately. act only (4) couple of martes, but Im sure that Diego (5) ___ nerves of steel free for the moments he (7) ... through the air ~ the whole two seconds! Diego (8) from a circus family, so he g t performers. His job may be glamorous, b with them, and he (11)... a couple of hours in the gym every day to control his weight 0 A goes B am going ©xgo 1 A see B sees am seeing 2 A isstanding B hasstanding —_C stands 3 A climbs B climb C is climbing 4 A islast B is lasting C lasts 5 A got B has got s got 6 A feels always B is feeling always C always feels 7 A isfly B is flying C is flies 8 A comes B is coming is come 9 A isn’'tearning B don’t earn doesn't earn 10 A is living B lives live 11 A spends B is spending C does spend 12 A isloving _B is love loves 5 ALLunrs Complete Neil and Jack’s conversation about their flatmate, using the word: brackets. Decide whether to use the present simple or present continuous. jack You know, Laurence has been in the flat for three months now. What (0) you. think, (you / think) of him? Nest Well, actually, (1) (1/ get) really fed up with him. I mean, Q (he / always / take) my food from the fridg ack And mine. And (3) (he / never / do) the washing-up! It’s not fair. Perhaps we should ask him to leave. Ne Well, I’m not sure that he wants to stay. (4) (he / not / seem) very happy here lack Mmm. (5) (he / have) any friends? He doesn’t go out much. net Mmm ... you know that (6) (he / have) about three showers a day. jack That's because (7) (he / work) on a building site at the moment. nut True, but the gas and water prices (8) (go up) all the time. We can’t afford his three showers a day. jack I know, but (9) (he / have) some good points, too. He's quiet and (10) (he / usually / pay) the rent on time, Look, ’ll have a word with him about the showers and so on, and we'll see how it goes. 87