1. Complete the webpage with the present continuous form of the verbs from the box.
hold offer organise perform play sing
What’s on in Hampton this week?
The Arena
The world famous Company of Knights (1) …is performing…… a breathtaking horseback show from Wednesday to Saturday at 7.30 pm.
City Hall
Elisa Gonzalez (2) ……………… songs from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico on Friday at 7 pm.
Hampton Sports Stadium
Hampton Juniors football team (3) ……………… against a team from Germany at 11 am on Sunday.
The Pavilion
Local jewellers (4) ……………… their Summer Sale this Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm.
Shoppers’ Paradise (off Main Street)
All shoe shops (5) ……………… the chance to buy one pair get one pair free every day this week!
Hampton College of Further Education
The education department (6) ……………… an open day on Thursday – discover their range of full- and part-time courses.
Answer
2 is singing 3 is/are playing
4 are holding 5 are offering
6 is organising
2. Complete the sentences with the present continuous form of the verbs.
A JENNY: Hi, Zoe! (1) …Are you waiting…… (you / wait) for the London train?
ZOE: No, (2) ……………… (I / meet) my mother off the train from Bristol.
B MANDY: (3) ……………… (this music / disturb) you?
JAMES: No, not at all. (4) ……………… (I / enjoy) it.
C TOM: (5) ……………… (anyone / use) this room today?
ELLIE: (6) ……………… (We / have) a meeting here after lunch, but it’s free now.
D NINA: Why (7) ……………… (those people / shout)?
FINN: (8) ……………… (They / demonstrate) against the new taxes.
E BEN: (9) ……………… (you / apply) for university?
CRAIG: (10) ……………… (I / think) about it, but I haven’t decided yet.
F AVA: (11) ……………… (Jane / leave) work early today?
KATE: Yes, (12) ……………… (she / fly) to Brussels at five o’clock.
G JOSH: (13) ……………… (you / come) to the party on Thursday?
MAX: No, (14) ……………… (I / work) late, unfortunately.
Answer
2 I’m meeting
3 Is this music disturbing
4 I’m enjoying
5 Is anyone using
6 We’re having
7 are those people shouting
8 They’re demonstrating
9 Are you applying
10 I’m thinking
11 Is Jane leaving
12 she’s flying
13 Are you coming
14 I’m working
3. Complete the description using the correct present continuous form of the verbs in the box. Sometimes you need the negative. Use some of the verbs more than once.
enjoy hang lie look stay sit turn wear
The Bellelli Family by Edgar Degas
This is a painting of two sisters, Giulia and Giovanna, with their mother, Laura, and father, Gennaro. Gennaro (1) …is sitting…… in an armchair by a desk. He (2) ……………… towards his family. Laura and Giulia (3) ……………… at something behind Gennaro, but Giovanna (4) ……………… out of the picture towards the artist. Giulia (5) ……………… on a chair with one foot on the floor. Both the girls look rather serious. Perhaps they (6) ……………… very still for the artist and they (7) ……………… that!
The girls and their mother all have black dresses and the girls (8) ……………… white aprons, but their mother (9) ……………… an apron. In the room we can see a picture which (10) ……………… on the wall behind Laura and some papers which (11) ……………… on the desk.
Answer
2 ’s turning / is turning
3 are looking
4 ’s looking / is looking
5 ’s sitting / is sitting
6 are staying
7 aren’t enjoying / are not enjoying
8 are wearing
9 isn’t wearing / is not wearing
10 is hanging
11 are lying
4. Choose a picture or photograph you like and describe what is happening in it.
……………………………………………………
……………………………………………………
……………………………………………………
……………………………………………………
……………………………………………………
Answer
Students’ own answers. See Exercise 3 for model answer.
5. Complete the text with the present simple form of the verbs.
What is an eclipse?
A solar eclipse (1) ……………… happens (happen) when the moon (2) ……………… (pass) in front of the sun. This only (3) ……………… (take) place when there is a new moon. It (4) ……………… (last) for up to 7.5 minutes.
During a solar eclipse, it is dark. The birds (5) ……………… (not sing), and animals (6) ……………… (keep) still and quiet. A solar eclipse (7) ……………… (not happen) very often, and most people (8) ……………… (enjoy) seeing one. However, it’s important not to look straight at the sun. If you (9) ……………… (not remember) this, you can damage your eyes.
A lunar eclipse (10) ……………… (occur) when the earth’s shadow (11) ……………… (fall) on the moon. The moon (12) ……………… (look) dim until it (13) ……………… (come) out from the shadow.
Answer
2 passes 3 takes 4 lasts
5 don’t sing 6 keep
7 doesn’t happen 8 enjoy
9 don’t remember
10 occurs 11 falls
12 looks 13 comes
6. Complete the questions with the present simple form of the verbs.
1 Which day of the week …do you go…… (you / go) to your yoga class?
On Thursdays.
2 What time ……………… (the bank / shut)?
I think it’s five o’clock on weekdays.
3 ……………… (your flat / have) air conditioning?
Yes, we really need it in summer.
4 How often ……………… (you / see) your brother?
Nearly every weekend.
5 Why ……………… (you / not / drive) to work every day?
Because the traffic’s so bad, it’s quicker by bike.
6 Where ……………… (your sister / keep) her phone charger?
On that shelf beside the TV.
7 ……………… (you / not / want) a cup of coffee? You look tired.
No, I’m OK thanks.
8 How many hours ……………… (you / work) in a week?
About thirty-five, usually.
9 How long (you / spend) at the gym?
At least one hour most evenings.
10 ……………… (the souvenir shop / not / sell) stamps?
No, only postcards.
Answer
2 does the bank shut
3 Does your flat have
4 do you see
5 don’t you drive
6 does your sister keep
7 Don’t you want
8 do you work
9 do you spend
10 Doesn’t the souvenir shop sell
7. Choose the correct alternative.
From: Pedro Martinez pm3@rygl.com
To: Kai Muller
Subject: Hi from Canada
Hi Kai
(1) I’m having / I have a great time here in Canada. My MSc course (2) isn’t starting / doesn’t start until next month, at the beginning of September, so (3) I’m making / I make use of the time to get to know the place. (4) I’m staying / I stay near Vancouver with Ryan, my Canadian cousin. He and his brother Liam (5) are owning / own a software business.
In the evenings (6) we’re driving / we drive into the city and go clubbing or see a movie. (7) I’m making / I make a lot of new friends. (8) I’m thinking / I think my pronunciation is much better already, and (9) I’m understanding / I understand almost everything. On weekdays (10) I’m helping / I help Liam. At the moment (11) he’s working / he works on their new website and (12) he’s needing / he needs help with it. (13) I’m learning / I learn some useful stuff about how people (14) are doing / do business in this country.
(15) Do you come / Are you coming to see me? (16) I’m spending / I spend the winter holiday skiing with Ryan and Liam. (17) They’re wanting / They want to meet you and there’s plenty of space. You must bring lots of warm clothes because (18) it’s getting / it gets really cold here in the winter. Let me know as soon as (19) you’re deciding / you decide. And tell me what (20) you’re doing / you do these days.
See you in December, I hope.
Pedro
Answer
2 doesn’t start 3 I’m making
4 I’m staying 5 own
6 we drive 7 I’m making
8 I think 9 I understand
10 I help 11 he’s working
12 he needs 13 I’m learning
14 do 15 Are you coming
16 I’m spending 17 They want
18 it gets 19 you decide
20 you’re doing
8. Choose words from the box and make sentences ending as shown. Use verbs in the present continuous or present simple and any other words you need.
I My best friend My boss My boyfriend My classmates My family
My father My sister My wife None of my friends Our children
Our next-door neighbour Our teacher Several of my colleagues
1 …My boyfriend is studying for his final exams…… this term.
2 …My sister doesn’t go to the cinema…… very often.
3 …My classmates aren’t talking much…… right now.
4 ……………………………………………. this year.
5 ……………………………………………. every week.
6 ……………………………………………. at the moment.
7 ……………………………………………. this year.
8 ……………………………………………. at weekends.
9 ……………………………………………. this term.
10 ……………………………………………. right now.
Answer
Example answers:
4 My father is working in Poland this year.
5 My wife goes to the gym every week.
6 Several of my colleagues are learning English at the moment.
7 Our next-door neighbour is building a garage this year.
8 Our children go to bed late at weekends.
9 I’m working hard this term.
10 My best friend is waiting for me right now.
9. Put the verbs into the correct form: present continuous or present simple.
Tony Hunt, a journalist, is interviewing Leila Markham, an environmental scientist.
TONY: So tell me, Leila, why is it important to save the rainforests?
LEILA: There are so many reasons. One reason is that lots of the plants which (1) …grow…… (grow) in the rainforest could be useful in medicine. We (2) ……………… (not / know) all the plants, but there are tens of thousands of them. Chemists and doctors (3) ……………… (try) to discover their secrets before they are destroyed.
TONY: I see. What other reasons are there?
LEILA: Well, scientists (4) ……………… (believe) that the rainforests (5) ……………… (have) an influence on the world’s weather systems and this (6) ……………… (help) to slow down global warming. But, unfortunately, these days the forests (7) ……………… (disappear) at a terrifying rate and we (8) ……………… (not / do) enough to save them.
TONY: What is the main danger of global warming, in your opinion?
LEILA: The polar regions (9) ……………… (consist) of millions of tons of ice. If they (10) ……………… (melt), the level of the sea will rise and cause terrible floods. Most scientists (11) ……………… (agree) that global temperatures (12) ……………… (already / rise). We must do everything we can to prevent global warming, and that includes preserving the rainforests!
TONY: Thank you, Leila, and good luck in your campaign.
LEILA: Thank you.
Answer
2 don’t know 3 are trying
4 believe 5 have 6 helps
7 are disappearing
8 aren’t doing 9 consist
10 melt 11 agree
12 are already rising
10. Tick (✓) the sentences which are correct. In some pairs, one sentence is correct. In other pairs, both sentences are correct.
|
1 What do you think of my hair? ✓ |
What are you thinking of my hair? |
|
2 You look great today! |
You’re looking great today! |
|
3 Do you enjoy your meal? |
Are you enjoying your meal? |
|
4 I think of selling my car. |
I’m thinking of selling my car. |
|
5 Where do you live? |
Where are you living? |
|
6 I don’t believe his story. |
I’m not believing his story. |
|
7 The students seem tired today. |
The students are seeming tired today. |
|
8 He weighs 80 kilos. |
He’s weighing 80 kilos. |
|
9 How often do you play tennis? |
How often are you playing tennis? |
|
10 My brother looks for a new job. |
My brother is looking for a new job. |
Answer
2 Both
3 Are you enjoying your meal?
4 I’m thinking of selling my car.
5 Both
6 I don’t believe his story.
7 The students seem tired today.
8 He weighs 80 kilos.
9 How often do you play tennis?
10 My brother is looking for a new job.
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