The Present Continuous and Present Simple

1. It (often/ rain) in this part of the world.

A is often raining B often rains

2. Take your umbrella. It (rain) cats and dogs.

A rains Bis raining

3. Granny is in the kitchen. She (make) a plum-cake.

A is making Bmakes

4. My wife (often/make) plum-cakes.

Ais often making B often makes

5. Can you phone a bit later, please? Jane (have a bath).

A is having a bath B has a bath

6. Run downstairs. Your sister (wait) for you.

A is waiting Bwaits

7. I don’t know Spanish, but I (learn) it now.

A am learning Blearn

8. John (still/work) in the garden.

Ais still working B still works

9. Dad (usually/work) on Saturdays.

Ais usually working B usually works

10. Usually I (have) coffee in the morning, but now I (drink) tea.

A am having Adrink

B have Bam drinking

11. We (sometimes/go) to the cinema.

A are sometimes going Bsometimes go

12. – What she (do)? – She is a secretary at our college.

A is she doing Bdoes she do

13. Why you (sit) at my desk? Could you take your place, please?

AWhy you are sitting

BWhy do you sit

CWhy are you sitting

14. I (not/understand) what he (speak) about.

A am not understanding A is speaking

Bdon’t understand Bspeaks

15. What you (think) about?

A do you think B are you thinking

16. I (work) hard for my exams now.

Aam working B work

17. The pupil said at the lesson that water (boil) at 1000 degrees Centigrade and got bad mark.

A boils B is boiling

18. Look! The water (boil). Let’s make the tea.

Aboils B is boiling

19. I (speak) French. But I’ve just started to learn it.

Adon’t speak B am not speaking

20. He (work) for the travel agency «Holidays».

Aworks Bis working

21. I’m sure you (make) the right choice.

A make B are making

22. The children (get on) quite well now. They don’t quarrel any more.

Aget on Bare getting on

23. I (not/drink) coffee at all.

Adon’t drink Bam not drinking

24. He (run) his own shop.

A runs Bis running

25. Our company (run) a great risk at the moment.

Aruns B is running

26. He (know) a lot about show business.

A knows B is knowing

27. Look! Someone (try) to open your car.

Atries Bis trying

28. It (rain) heavily. Let’s wait a little bit.

Arains Bis raining

Exercise 31. Put the verb into the correct form, the Present Continuous or the Present Simple.

Examples: I’m planting (plant) cherry-tree. Will you help me?

How does she keep her children in line? (she/keep)?

He doesn’t feel well (not/feel). He hasn’t been well for quite a time.

1. These things ___________ (not/belong) to my parents.

2. Look! He __________ (come). I (want) to speak to him.

3. This stream _____________ (flow) to the lake at the bottom of the valley.

4. Today the river ____________ (flow) much faster than usual.

5. __________ (it/ever/rain) on Madeira?

6. They usually ___________ (grow) vegetables in their garden but this year they __________ (not/grow) any.

7. – Can you ride a bicycle? – No, but I ___________ (learn). My brother ____________(teach) me.

8. You can borrow my dictionary. I _____________ (not/need) it at the moment.

9. I usually enjoy music but I __________ (not/enjoy) this record very much.

10. I ___________ (not/believe) this man’s story.

11. My brother __________ (live) in Cardiff. He has always lived in Wales. Where ___________ (your sister/live)?

12. Vladimir is in England now. He ___________ (stay) with some friends.

13. She ___________ (look for) a new flat at the moment.

14. – What ___________ (your husband/do)? – He’s a broker but he __________ (not/work) at the moment.

15. He’s in the bathroom. I __________(think) he __________ (wash) his hair.

16. – Can I speak to your parents, please? – I’m sorry. They __________(have) lunch at the moment.

17. I usually ___________(cook) meals, and my brother ________(to wash) dishes. 18. Mr. Anderson __________(be) an English tourist who_________ (travel) to Eastern Europe tomorrow. Just now he __________(have) breakfast at home. After breakfast he _____________(go out) to do a lot of things.

19. I _____________(wear) glasses only for reading and watching TV.

20. On Sundays they __________(have) dinner at a restaurant.

21. Oh, I ____________(go) to work as a nurse in Africa, in Kenya, and I __________ (look) forward to it because it’s such an exotic country for me.

22. Some pupils are outside. They ___________(try) to get in.

23. You can’t miss him. He ____________(wear) a white jacket, and he ___________(carry) a striped umbrella.

24. The coffee _____________(taste) delicious.

25. We ______________(look for) someone who ___________(want) to make money. 26. John _______________(play) in the school team this season.

27. If you _____________(not/listen) to the radio, please ___________ (switch) it off. 28. I ______________ (hear) someone speaking in the next room.

29. Don’t disturb him. He ______________ (smell) flowers in the garden.

30. It ______________ (get) dark. Let’s go home.

31. Jane ___________ (have) a cold. I__________(not/think) she’ll come to the party. 32. You always _______________(make) mistakes in your tests. You should be more attentive.

33. I ______________(write) a letter to my grandmother who ____________ (live) in Novgorod. I _____________(write) to her very often.

34. Michael ____________ (know) German rather well. He ___________(want) to know English, too, but he ___________ (have) little time for it.

35. What magazine ____________ (you/read)? – It ____________(be) a French magazine. There _____________ (be) good articles on sports here. ___________(you/be) interested in sports? – Yes, I am. But I __________ (not/ know) French.

36. Who _____________ (that man/be) who (to stand) in the doorway? – ___________ (you/not/recognize) him? It __________ (be) John, my cousin.

37. I _____________(have) no time now, I ____________(have) dinner.

38. The sun ________________ (go) from East to West.

39. I ________________ (think) you are not right. His new book is much better than his previous one.

40. Such a curious child! She _______________(constantly/ask) all sorts of questions.