UNIVERSITY OF QUINDIO

PRESENT TENSES

Work in pairs.

NAMES: Shara Narváez SCORE: ……/56

EXERCISE 1: Complete the texts.

TEXT 1 – simple present

Every morning, my brother and I get (get) up at 7pm. Then we go (go) downstairs. Our mum prepares (prepare)
breakfast. My brother and I usually eat (eat) toast and drink (drink) tea, but when it be (be) our birthday, she makes
(make) waffles. After breakfast, my brother drives (drive) to work and I take (take) the bus to school.

TEXT 2 – present progressive

Today the other kids and I spend (spend) the afternoon in the park. It is a beautiful day: The sun is shining (shine) and
the birds are singing (sing). Annie is reading (read) a book, I am lying (lie) in the grass and Peter is watching (watch)
the birds. Nick and his sister are playing (play) cards. We are eating (eat) cookies and chips.

EXERCISE 2: Write sentences in Simple present und Present Progressive.

Example: Peter / play: Peter plays Peter is playing

Peter / not play: Peter doesn’t play Peter isn’t playing

a) we / study

- we are studying math

b) George / carry

- George is carrying a bag

c) I / write

- I write a book

d) the cat / not sit

- the cat isn’t sleeping

e) Paul / not sleep

- paul doesn’t sleep

f) he / wash

- he is washing his teeth

g) Sally / cry

- sally is crying
h) I / not shout

- I shout my brother

i) we / not tidy

- we aren’t tidy

j) she / make

- she is making cookies

EXERCISE 3: Make questions.

a) I see a tree. What are you seeing?

b) Cats hunt mice. What are cats hunting ?

c) She goes home. Where is she going ?

d) We buy a scarf. What are we buying?

e) He watches TV. What is he watching ?

f) I am making cookies. What are you making ?

g) She is waiting in the living room. Where is she waiting?

h) We are planning a trip. What are we planning ?

i) Bob is painting the wall. What is Bob painting?

j) They are repairing the chair. What are they repairing?

EXERCISE 4: Complete the dialogue in Present Simple or Progressive.

YOU: Hey Jenny! What are you doing (you, do) at the moment?

JENNY: I am writing (write) an essay for school. What about you?

YOU: Oh, I am just listening just, listen) to music in my room. Where are you working (you, work) on your essay? Are
you being (you, be) at school?

JENNY: No, I am sitting sit) on the sofa in the living room. It’s pretty loud because my brother and sister are paying
play).

YOU: Say hi to them. Your brother is playing (your brother, play) computer games again?

JENNY: No, he and my sister are trying try) a new card game.

YOU: you are meeting you, meet) your friends later?

JENNY: Yes, we are going go) to the cinema. We are watching (watch) a new action film with Tom Cruise.

EXERCISE 5: Choose the correct alternative(s) in the sentences.

1 Today she ’s spending time with her grandmother.

2 They usually are going to the gym on Sundays.

3 We ’re having a barbecue later on. Do you want to come?

4 No, she can’t answer the phone, she is having a shower.

5 I always have a coffee before I ’m leaving for work in the morning.

6 They sometimes fly ,

to Sweden but usually they are going by boat.

7 Where are you? I ’m sitting outside in the sunshine!

8 He always brings a monolingual dictionary to his English class.