Present Simple and Present Continuous

Present Simple:
– Maria plays tennis on weekends
– She doesn’t study French.
– How many children do they have?
Remember:
– In positive we use two conjugations. One is the simple form and the other
is the “s” form (play/plays) (EN LA ORACION POSITIVA SE USAN DOS FORMAS DEL VERBO: UNA
SIN “S” PARA LAS PERSONAS TU Y YO Y LOS PLURALES Y LA OTRA FORMA ES EL VERBO CON “S” PARA LAS
PERSONAS EL, ELLA Y ANIMAL O COSA EN SINGULAR)

– In negative sentences we use the auxiliaries don’t and doesn’t and the
verb is ALWAYS in the simple form. (She doesn’t work) (EN LAS ORACIONES
NEGATIVAS SE USAN “DON´T” PARA TU Y YO Y PLURALES Y “DOESN’T” PARA EL, ELLA Y ANIMAL O COSA EN
SINGULAR ENTRE EL SUJETO Y LA ACCION)

– In the question form we use auxiliaries do and does and also the verb
goes in the simple form. The subject goes in between the auxiliary and the
verb. (Do you work here?) (EN LAS INTERROGACIONES SE USA “DO” PARA TU Y YO Y PLURALES
Y “DOES” PARA EL, ELLA Y ANIMAL O COSA EN SINGULAR ANTES DEL SUJETO SEGUIDO DE LA ACCION)

Present Simple is used in: (El presente simple es usado en)

1.-Routines / Habits (rutinas y habitos): Maria smokes

2. - Permanent Actions (acciones permanents): Pedro lives in Sevilla

3.-Current facts/truths(hechos recientes y verdades): I have two brothers

Present Continuous
1.-Actions happening NOW (Acciones que pasan AHORA): Maria is smoking

2.-Temporary actions (Acciones temporalis) : Juan is staying at the Marriot hotel.

3.-Actions happening in the FUTURE when FUTURE WORDS are used (Acciones que pasan en el
FUTURO cuando se usan palabras que denotan FUTURO):
Magallanes is playing against Leones NEXT WEEK.

Present continuous:

– Maria is playing tennis.

– She isn’t studying French.

– How many children are they having?

Remember:

– When we construct the present continuous we use the verb to be. Therefore we DO NOT USE
auxiliaries do, does, don’t or doesn’t. (CUANDO SE CONSTRUYE EL PRESENTE CONTINUO, SE USA EL VERBO TO BE. ES
POR ESO QUE NO SE USAN LOS TIEMPOS DO, DOES, DON’T Y DOESN’T)

– Use the “ing” form after the verb to be in the present form: (SE USA EL VERBO CON “ING” DESPUES DEL VERBO
TO BE)

Subject: I  verb to be in the present form: AM or AM NOT

Subject: YOU, WE, THEY  verb to be in the present form: ARE or AREN’T

Subject: HE, SHE, IT  verb to be in the present form: IS or ISN’T

– In the question form we use the verb to be BEFORE the subject, so the action with “ING” is always
AFTER the subject. (Are you working here?) (EN LAS INTERROGACIONES SE USA EL VERBO TO BE ANTES DEL SUJETO,
ASI QUE EL SUJETO SIEMPRE VA SEGUIDO DE LA ACCION CON “ING”)

1.-PRÁCTICAS PARA TOMAR EL EXAMEN 5 EN QUIZSTAR.

a) Put the verb in present continuous or present simple
1. Andy sometimes ___read_______ comics. ( to read)

2. We never _not__does ________ TV in the morning. ( to watch)

3. Listen! Sandy is singing in the bathroom. ( to sing)

4. My sister usually _______helps_______ in the kitchen. ( to help)

5. My mother ______is making_________ breakfast now. ( to make)

6. They often _____cleans______the bathroom. ( to clean)

7. Look! The boys _are _ coming_____ home. ( to come)

8. Every day his grandfather _____goes_______ for a walk. ( to go)

9. I am chating____ with my friend at the moment. ( to chat)

10. Cats eats mice. ( to eat)

b) Fill in the blanks with am/is/are/do/don’t/does/doesn’t.

1. Excuse me ___do__ you speak English?
2. Have a cigarette. No, thank you. I __dont___ smoke.
3. Why __are__ you laughing at me?
4. What is__ she do? She’s a dentist.
5. I dont want to go out. It __is__ raining.
6. Where __are you come from? I come from Canada.
7. How much ____ it cost to send a letter to Canada?
 8. I can’t talk to you at the moment. I _am___ working.
9. George is a good tennis player but he ___doesnt__ play very often.

c) Put the verb in present continuous or present simple

1. Excuse me, _______do you speak_______ (you/speak) English?
2. Tom is having shower___________ (have/shower) at the moment.
3. They _____________ (not/watch) television very often.
4. Listen! Somebody _____is singing__________ (sing)
5. She’s tired. She ______wants______ (want) to go home.
6. How often (you/read) a newspaper?
7. Excuse me, but you __________________ (sit) in my place. Oh I’m
sorry.
8. I’m sorry. I ___________________ (not/understand). Please speak
more slowly.
9. Where are you Roy? I am in the office. I ___________________ (read)
10. What time __________________ (she/finish) work every day?
11. You can turn off the radio. I _____________________ (not listen) to
it.
(Tenga presente que la oración puede significar que la acción está
ocurriendo en éste momento si al leer la oración se da cuenta que esa
acción no sucede como una rutina de todos los días)
 Question words
(Palabras Interrogativas)
Question words are also called wh questions because they include the letters 'W'
and 'H'.

Question
Busca Examples
words
who person Who's that? That's Nancy.
where place Where do you live? In Boston
Why do you sleep early? Because I've
why reason
got to get up early
when time When do you go to work? At 7:00
how manner How do you go? By car
what object, idea or action What do you do? I am an engineer
which choice Which one do you prefer? The red one.
Whose is this book? It's Alan's.
whose possession
Whose book is this? It’s Alan’s
whom object of the verb Whom did you meet? I met the manager.
What kind of music do you like? I like
what kind description
quiet songs
what time time What time did you come home?
How many students are there? There are
how many quantity (countable)
twenty.
amount, price How much time have we got? Ten
how much
(uncountable) minutes
How long did you stay in that hotel? For
how long duration, length
two weeks.
How often do you go to the gym? Twice
how often frequency
a week.
how far distance How far is your school? It's one mile far.
how old age How old are you? I'm 16.
how come reason How come I didn't see you at the party?
 Asking questions
A.If you ask about the subject of the sentence, simply add the question word at the
beginning:
(SI HACES LA PREGUNTA ACERCA DEL SUJETO DE LA ORACION, SIMPLEMENTE PON LA PALABRA “WH” ANTES DEL VERBO DE
ACCION)

Example:
James writes good poems. — Who writes good poems?

B.If you ask about the predicate of the sentence (the part of a sentence which contains the
verb and gives information about the subject), there are three options:
(SI PREGUNTAS SOBRE LA INFORMACION DEL PREDICADO DE LA ORACION, EXISTEN 3 OPCIONES):

1) Add the question word and invert the subject and the helping (time) verb.
(PON LA “WH” E INVIERTE EL SUJETO Y EL ELEMENTO TIEMPO DE LA ORACION)
Examples:
He can speak Chinese. — What can he speak?
They are leaving tonight. — When are they leaving?

2) If you ask about the predicate and there is no helping (time) verb and the verb is "to be",
simply add the question verb and invert the subject and the verb. (SI EL TIEMPO ESTÁ DADO POR EL
VERBO “TO BE” SOLO INVIERTELO DE LUGAR CON EL SUJETO)
Example:
The play was interesting. — How was the play?

3) If there is no helping (time) verb in the predicate and the main verb is not "to be", add the
auxiliary "do" or “does” in the appropriate form. (SI NO VES EL TIEMPO Y LA ACCION PRINCIPAL NO ES UNA
FORMA DEL VERBO “TO BE”, AÑADE LOS TIEMPOS “DO” O “DOES” SEGUN EL SUJETO DE LA ORACION).
Examples:
They go to the movies every Saturday. — Where do they go every Saturday?
He wakes up early. — When does he wake up?
They write a letter. — What do they write?

2.- PRÁCTICAS PARA TOMAR EL EXAMEN 5 EN QUIZSTAR.

A.- Choose the correct question words

1.- __________do you live? - I live in London.

2.- __________'s that girl? - She's my sister.

3.- __________do you go to school? - By bus.

4.- __________do banks open? - At eight O'clock.

5.- __________are you wearing that coat? - Because it's hot!

B.- Write question about the words in bold.

Example:

He drinks juice. - What does he drink?

1. They are travelling to Spain. ________________________________.

2. He is writing novels. ______________________________________.
3. Lacy likes soccer. ________________________________________.
4. The girls watch a movie. ___________________________________.
5. He is telling the truth. _____________________________________.
6. I love you. ______________________________________________.
7. We are finishing classes next month. __________________________.
8. This is Marcos’ book. _____________________________________.
9. Your mother loves you. ___________________________________.
10. I am 25 years old. _______________________________________.