Present simple notes and practice


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1. We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We are not thinking only about the present. We use it to say something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general.

The earth goes round the sun
Nurses look after patients in hospitals
In Britain most of the shops close at 5.30 pm
I work in a school. She works in a shop.

2. We use "do/does" to make questions and negative sentences in the present simple

Do you know how to spell that word?
Does she understand Spanish?
I don't remember her name
He doesn't work here any more
What does GHETTO-BLASTER mean?
Where do you live?

3. We use the present simple when we say how often we do things (habitual actions). Note that frequency adverbs are placed before the (main) verb, EXCEPT if the verb is TO BE.

I get up at 9.00 every morning
How often do you go to the gynecologist?
Ann doesn't often drink coffee
When I have some spare time I usually read books
We seldom travel abroad
They always bring flowers
We are never at home in the mornings

EXERCISES

A. Translate

1. Where do you come from?
2. He comes from Japan
3. How do you spell that?
4. Where do you get those note-books?
5. Why don't you come with us?
6. You work in different places, don't you?
7. I don't always understand you
8. We never find things when we need them
9. How often do you watch TV?
10. I sometimes listen to that radio programme

B. Fill in the blanks

1. Water ...................... at 100 degrees centigrade (boil)
2. George ......................................... to the cinema very often (not/go)
3. How many languages ........................................ ? (you/speak)
4. The swimming pools ...................... at 9.00 and ................. at 18.30 every day (open; it/close)
5. How many cigarettes .................................... a day? (you/smoke)
6. I have a car but I .................................... it very often (not/use)
7. She .............. the piano but she .......................... the flute (play; not/play)
8. What ...................................? ("often"/mean)
9. What ...................................? I'm an engineer (you/do)
10. Mice ......................... cats; cats ................... mice (not/catch; catch)

C. Translate

1. ¿Cuánto ve la tele Ana?
2. Rara vez escribo a mis padres
3. ¿Dónde trabaja Tomás?
4. Normalmente cocina una vez al día
5. Nos llama a menudo
6. ¿A qué hora sueles cenar? [normalmente cenas]
7. Siempre voy al cine los viernes
8. ¿Por qué hace la gente el idiota? [cosas idiotas]
9. Nunca está en casa a las seis
10. A veces salimos juntas

PRESENT CONTINUOS compared to PRESENT SIMPLE

A. Use the best tense translation

1. La tetera hierve (La tetera está hirviendo)
2. No hablo francés
3. ¿Qué idioma están hablando ésos?
4. ¿Qué sueles hacer los fines de semana? (haces normalmente)
5. ¿A qué te dedicas? (¿Qué haces?)
6. Ahora está jugando al tenis pero normalmente juega al beisbol
7. Estoy pensando que sería buena idea...
8. Esa máquina no funciona
9. Vivo en Madrid pero ahora estoy viviendo en Barcelona
10. ¿Dónde te alojas? (¿Dónde te estás quedando?)

B. Put the verb into the correct form, present continuous or present simple

1. I .................................. to a political party (not/belong)
2. Hurry! The bus ............................... (come)
I .................................. to miss it (not/want)
3. The River Nile ................. into the Mediterranean (flow)
4. The river ............................... very fast today - much faster than usual (flow)
5. ....................................... in India? (it/ever/snow)
6. We usually ................... vegetables in our garden but this year we ...................................... any (grow; not/grow)
7. I cannot drive but I ............................. (learn)
My mother .................................. me (teach)
8. You can borrow my umbrella. I ............................ at the moment (not/need)
9. I usually ................. parties but I ...................... this one very much (enjoy; not/enjoy)
10. George says he's 80 but I .............................. him (not/believe)
11. Ron is in London at the moment. He ........................ at the Hilton Hotel (stay)
12. My parents ......................... in Bristol. They were born there and have never lived anywhere else. Where ................. ...............................? (live; your parents/live)
13. She ................................ with her sister now until she finds somewhere to live (stay)
14. What ......................................? (your dad/do)
He's a teacher, but he ............................ at the moment (not/work)