MORE PRESENT SIMPLE vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS

More practice with the present continuous. Click here to open it in a bigger window.

PRESENT SIMPLE vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We have studied the present simple and the present continuous separatedly, but what about using them together? Do you really know when to use one and when to use the other? Let's have a look at them.

Present simple

It is used to speak about routines, hobbies, things that are always true.

Present continuous
It is used to speak about what is happening now or around now, temporal things or situations.
REMEMBER: there are some verbs which are not used in the continuous: believe, want, love, hate ...

Watch this video where both the present simple and continuous are explained





And now let's see if you understood. Do the following exercises and check your knowledge!!!

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Exercise 7
Exercise 8
Exercise 9
Exercise 10

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Use the Present Continuous with normal verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.

Example: I am watching TV now.
                he is not reading a newspaper now.

To make a statement in the present continuous we need the present of verb to be (AM/IS/ARE) + the -ing form of the verb we want to use

          I AM READING a book
          She IS DRIVING a red car
          They ARE HAVING a shower

To make negative sentences we just add NOT after verb to be.

          I am not reading a book
          She is not driving a red car
          They are not having a shower

To make questions we just place the verb to be before the subject.

          Are you reading a book?
          Why is she driving a red car?
          Are they having a shower?


With this video you can practise negative and questions in the present continuous




Let's see if you have understood, let's practise with these exercises
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5 Watch the video and make full sentences, You can check the answers if you have a look at the comments to this post.

SHERLOCK HOLMES - THE ADVENTURE OF THE STARRY NIGHT

What do you know about Sherlock Holmes? Have you ever read any of his stories? I'm sure you have, but how much do you know about him? Watch the video below to learn more about him and to practise the past simple of the verbs. Stop the video when you consider as on the left hand side grammar and vocabulary is explained.

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

I'm sure you have heard of Gulliver and his visit to Lilliput. Why don't you listen to the story? This is just for you to practise your listening.

.................

THE PAST - MORE PRACTICE

More practice with the past. Click here to open it in a bigger window.

WHAT'S THE PAST OF THESE VERBS?

Let's practise the past of irregular verbs with these exercises. Remember, practice makes perfect!!!!!

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Exercise 7

Now let's make sentences
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Exercise 7
Exercise 8

PRONUNCIATION OF -ED, REGULAR VERBS

To pronounce the past simple of the regular verbs we have to have in mind that is the sound which is important, not the letter or the spelling. So, how do we pronounce the past of the regular verbs? In three different ways.

- When the verb ends in sound /t/ or /d/ ------> /id/

- When the verb ends in an unvoiced sound (/p/,/f/,/s/,/sh/,/ch/,/k/ -----> the final sound is /t/

- When the verb ends in a voiced sound (the rest) ------> /d/

	/d/		/t/		/id/
	lived		worked		waited
	arrived		stopped		hated
	played		asked		ended

Now watch the video below to listen to the different sounds of the past of the regular verbs.




Time for you to practise. Why don't you record yourself?. Come on, don't be shy, you can do it!!!!! Remember that theory without practice is nothing.

IRREGULAR VERBS

Learn some irregular verbs with this video. Repeat after him. It's good practice to remember them!

PAST SIMPLE FORM

In English there are regular and irregular verbs. We have to know if a verb is regular or irregular to know how to form the past.

To make the past simple of REGULAR verbs you only have to add -ed to the verb.
       
               live ----- lived
               walk ----- walked

To make the past simple of IRREGULAR verbs you have to know the form of that verb in the past. Remember it's the second column of the verb. Unfortunately there is no way to know if a verb is regular or irregular, so study them!!!!

               go ----- went
               speak ----- spoke

But we are lucky because in the past the verb has the same form for all the persons, there is no change in the third person singular.

                                   I           worked          went  
                                   you       worked         went

                                   he         worked          went

                                   she       worked           went

                                   it          worked          went

                                   we        worked          went

                                   you       worked          went

                                   they      worked          went

POSITIVE

The structure of a sentence is the same as in the present, we only have to use the verb in the past.

               Present: I work as a musician
               Past: I worked as a musician
               
               Present: They go to the cinema every weekend
               Past: They went to the cinema every weekend
               
               Present: She lives in Galway
               Past: She lived in Galway
        
               Present: He speaks very fast
               Past: He spoke very fast

To form the -ed of the regular verbs in the past there are some rules:

1. If the verb ends in -e we only have to add -d
               live ----- lived
               hate ----- hated
               love ----- loved

2. If the final syllable of the verb is stressed and it is a consonant, then we have to double the consonant
               stop ----- stopped
               admit ----- admitted
               prefer ----- preferred

3. If the verb ends in -l then we also duouble the -l
               travel ----- travelled

4. If the verb ends in -y and the -y is preceded by a consonant, the -y turns into -i and we add -ed
               try ----- tried
               study ----- studied

    But if before the -y there is a vowel we just add -ed
               play ----- played
               enjoy ----- enjoyed


NEGATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE

The structure of the negative and interogative sentences is the same as in the present, we know it is past because instead of the auxiliaries do and does, we use auxiliary DID. And, again, it is the same which person it is, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, singular or plural, the auxiliary is always did.
In positive sentences we have to know if the verb is regular or irregular to know its past form. In negative and interrogative sentences it is not necessary because we use the infinitive of the verb, in the same way we use it in the present simple.

Examples of negative sentences:

               Present: They don't like going to the cinema
               Past: They didn't like going to the cinema

               Present: She doesn't drink a lot of water
               Past: She didn't drink a lot of water yesterday.

Example of interrogative sentences

               Present: Do they like going to the cinema?               
               Past: Did they like going to the cinema?

               Present: Does she drink a lot of water?
               Past: Did she drink a lot of water yesterday?

Watch this video to learn more about the past simple.

VERB TO BE (PAST)

The structure of a sentence in the past is the same as in the present. The only difference is that the verb to be is in the past instead of being in the present.

	PRESENT	PAST
I	am	was
you	are	were
he	is	was
she	is	was
it	is	was
we	are	were
you	are	were
they	are	were

           

          Present: She is a very happy girl
          Past: She was a very happy girl
          
          Present: They aren't in Newcastle
          Past: They weren't in Newcastle
          
          Present: Are you interested in Maths?
          Past: Were you interested in Maths?

And now time to practise:

exercise 1
exercise 2
exercise 3
exercise 4
exercise 5
exercise 6
exercise 7

LIKES AND DISLIKES

To talk about what we like or we don't like we use the verbs love, enjoy, like and hate. After these verbs we can use a noun

          She loves chocolate

          They don't like football

          Does he hate the beach?

But we can also use a verb. When we use a verb it usually takes the form of the gerund, that is, we add -ing to the verb.

          He loves going to the cinema

          She doesn't like dancing

          Do they enjoy playing chess?

Remember that there are some rules to add -ing:

* most of the times we just add -ing directly to the verb
          
          go ---> going                 work ---> working
          study ---> studying        play--->playing

* but when the verb ends in a silent final e preceded by a consonant, we drop the -e and add -ing

         live ---> living                write ---> writing

* when the verb ends in a consonant and it is a strong one syllable verb then we double the final consonant. Also when the verb has two or more syllables but the stress is on the last syllable.

        stop ---> stopping         begin ---> beginning

This video might help you




And of course, nothing better than some practice!!!

exercise 1
exercise 2
exercise 3

CAN / CAN'T

The verb can is used to express ability to do something and to ask for permission.
             I can sing quite well
             Can we go out on Saturday?

The verb can is special. It doesn't add the '-s' in the third person singular
            She can dance very well 
            *NOT She cans dance very well

It is always followed by another verb in the plain infinitive, that is, in the infinitive without 'to' .
            They can play tennis
            *NOT they can to play tennis

To make the negative we add not to the verb and to make questions we just swap places between subject and verb.

            We can't go out tonight
            Can you play the guitar?

Note that in the negative it is either can't or cannot but NOT can not.

Watch the video and sing with the busy beavers. Remember that songs are good practice to learn. Pay attention to the pronunciation!!

And now time to practise!!!!

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Exercise 7
Exercise 8

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ... (Present tense)

This is a video from MadridTeacher.com. Victoria Fontana tells us about a typical day in her life. There are two parts. During the first part of the video just listen to it and try to understand as much as you can, in the second part you can read the subtitles. Does she live in an Okinawa way? What do you think?

DAILY ROUTINES (Present Simple)

This is a presentation for you to see how we can use the present simple for daily routines, what we usually do every day. More examples and exercises still to come!!!

PRESENT SIMPLE (+) (-)

Let's practise present simple affirmative and negative sentences. How good are you?

Exercise 1 
Exercise 2
Exercise 3  
Exercise 4 
Exercise 5  
Exercise 6

WHAT DID YOU DO YESTERDAY?

Watch the video below. What did they do yesterday? Don't worry if you don't understand everything they say, it's only listening practice for you!!!



What about you? What did you do yesterday?

I AM GOING TO ....

WHAT ARE THEY DOING?

These are the Green, it's a beautiful summer day and they are in the garden, but what are they doing? Write sentences and send them to your teacher.

Or if you prefer you can record yourself, remember that it is good practice!!!