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.

THE PAST SIMPLE

Watch this video to learn more about the past. Good one!!!

PAST SIMPLE - LISTEN AND REPEAT

Listen to the sentences and repeat after them, it's good practice!

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 OF IRREGULAR VERBS

There is no way to know when a verb is regular or irregular, so you have to learn them, and the best way to learn them is practice, practice, practice!!!
In this powerpoint you have some irregular verbs. First you are given the infinitive, before going to the next slide think of this:
- how this verb makes the third person singular in the present
- what the past form of this verb is
- its meaning
Now you can go to the next slide and check if you were right. Do this with all the verbs.

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