Present Continuous

The Present Continuous

Simple Present	Present Progressive
infinitive (3rd person singular: infinitive + 's') I speak you speak he / she / it speaks we speak they speak	form of 'be' and verb + ing   I am speaking you are speaking he / she / it is speaking we are speaking they are speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 's' : For can, may, might, must, do not add s. Example: he can, she may, it must After o, ch, sh or s, add es. Example: do - he does, wash - she washes After a consonant, the final consonant y becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - he worries but: play - he plays	Exceptions when adding 'ing' : Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled. Example: sit - sitting After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English). Example: travel - travelling (British English) but: traveling (American English) Final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

Use

In general or right now?

Do you want to express that something happens in general or that something is happening right now?

Simple Present	Present Progressive
in general (regularly, often, never) Colin plays football every Tuesday. present actions happening one after another First Colin plays football, then he watches TV.	right now Look! Colin is playing football now. also for several actions happening at the same time Colin is playing football and Anne is watching.
Signal words
always every ... often normally usually sometimes seldom never first then	at the moment at this moment today now right now Listen! Look!
Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present: be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want

Timetable / Schedule or arrangement?

Do you want to express that something is arranged for the near future? Or do you refer to a time set by a timetable or schedule?

Simple Present	Present Progressive
action set by a timetable or schedule The film starts at 8 pm.	arrangement for the near future I am going to the cinema tonight.

Daily routine or just for a limited period of time?

Do you want to talk about a daily routine? Or do you want to emphasis that something is only going on for a limited (rather short) period of time?

Simple Present	Present Progressive
daily routine Bob works in a restaurant.	only for a limited period of time (does not have to happen directly at the moment of speaking) Jenny is working in a restaurant this week.

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present (not in the progressive form).

• state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit

·         ·  Example: We are on holiday.

·         ·  possession: belong, have

·         Example: Sam has a cat.

·         ·  senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch

·         Example: He feels the cold.

·         ·  feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish

·         Example: Jane loves pizza.

·         ·  brain work: believe, know, think, understand

·         Example: I believe you.

·         ·  Introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say

·         Example: “I am watching TV,“ he says.

Practice

Write the verbs in Present Progressive.

1. speak - I
2. jump - you
3. bake - she
4. play - they
5. run - we

Write the verbs in Simple Present, 3rd person singular.

1. be - it
2. have - he
3. eat - she
4. can - he
5. wash - she

Use

When to use which tense?

1. For actions happening regularly, often or never, we use

2.  For actions happening now, we use

3. The verbs 'be', 'have', 'like' and 'want' are normally only used in

4. The signal word 'usually' indicates that we have to use

5.        The signal word 'now' indicates that we have to use

Positive sentences

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. Look! They (leave) the house.
2. Brian (cycle) 30 km every day.
3. Samantha (do) her homework at the moment.
4. My parents (shop) right now.
5. He usually (get up) early in the morning.

Negative sentences

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. You (see / not) her every day.
2. The baby (sleep / not) at the moment.
3. I (read / not) a book now.
4. We (go / not) to school on Sundays.
5. He (watch / not) the news every day.

Question

Complete the sentences. Use Simple Present or Present Progressive.

1. (you / go) on holiday by plane sometimes?
2. (they / play) computer games every day?
3. (she / eat) dinner at the moment?
4. What (they / do) right now?
5. (she / visit) her grandma very often?

Text

Use the (Simple Present o the Present Progressive) to complete.

1. Look! Jenny (go) to school.
2. On her back, Jenny (carry) her school bag.
3. The school bag (be) very heavy
4. Normally, Jenny (wear) black shoes, but today she (wear) red wellies.
5. And look, she (wear) a raincoat because it (rain) outside.
6. Jenny (not / want) to get wet.

 Homework

Go to this link to practice the present continuous.

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-present-continuous-1.html

 Use these links  to practice the present continuous:

http://www.montsemorales.com/gramatica/PresCont0.htm

http://www.agendaweb.org/exercises/verbs/present-progressive.htm

http://www.agendaweb.org/exercises/verbs/present-continuous-2.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/present_progressive_auxiliaries.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/present_progressive_statements_long.htm

Rules for spelling the present continuous forms:

http://cerquella.com/bilingual/deploy/Unit4/grammar_1.html

Can & Can´t

Housing Vocabulary

Housing Vocabulary

Some and Any

The words some and any are used for countable and uncountable nouns. In general, we could say that some means a few / a little and any means none in negative clauses or a few / a little in questions.

Positive Clauses

In positive clauses, we usually use some.

Example:

I have bought some bread.

I have bought some apples.

Negative Clauses

In negative clauses, we use any. Note, however, that any alone is not a negative - it must be not ... any

Example:

I have not bought any bread.

I have not bought any apples.

Questions

In questions, we usually use any.

Example:

Have you bought any bread?

Have you bought any apples?

Compound Words with some & any

Some & any can also be part of compound words such as:

• something / anything
• someone / anyone
• somewhere / anywhere

Note that some & any have to be used with a noun while compound words with some & any can stand on their own.

Example:

I have bought some bread.

I have bought something.

However, some and any need not stand directly before the noun. Sometimes, the noun appears somewhere before some or any and is not repeated. So if you are not sure whether to use some or something for example, check if there is a noun in the sentence that you can place after some.

Example:

I do not have to buy bread. Rachel has already bought some [bread].

Exceptions

Positive Clauses with Any

We usually use some in positive clauses. But after never, without, hardly, we use any.

Example:

We never go anywhere.

She did her homework without any help.

There’s hardly anyone here.

Also in if clauses, we usually use any.

Example:

If there is anything to do, just call me.

Questions with Some

We usually use any in questions. But if we expect or want the other to answer ‚yes‘, we use some.

Example:

Have you got any brothers and sisters?

→ some people have brothers or sisters, others don't - we cannot expect the answer to be ‚yes‘

Would you like some biscuits?

→ we offer something and want to encourage the other to say ‚ja‘

Practice #1

Fill in the correct word (some or any).

1. Sue went to the cinema with _____  of her friends!

2.   Jane doesn't have _____  friends.

3.   Have you got ______  brothers or sisters?

4.   Here is _____  food for the cat.

5.   I think you should put  _____  flowers on the table.

6. Could you check if there are ______  calls on the answering machine?

7.   I don't want _____  presents for my birthday.

8.   Did they have _____  news for you?

9.   I'm hungry - I'll have _____  sandwiches.

10. There aren't _____ apples left.

Practice #2 Fill in the correct word.

1. Phil is watching __________  on TV.

2.   Can you see Simon __________  ?

3.   My little sister doesn't eat __________  with carrots.

4.   My grandfather is who doesn't go __________  near a computer.

5.   The accident happened __________  near our school.

6.   Does __________  speak Japanese?

7. ______________  will wait for you at the station.

8.   Your cup is __________.

9. _________________  in the kitchen.

10. ___________  Your room is still a mess. Have you cleaned up yet?

Present Simple vs Present Continuous

The End of the World

Before you watch the video

1. What do you think of this theory?

2. What would you do if you knew that the world was going to end?

II. Read this text from an English newspaper. (2009)

A tidal wave engulfs the Himalayas. A tsunami scoops up a warship and dumps it on the White House. The Great Wall of China crumbles and thousands of screeming tourists plummet to their death.

Those who survive the initial onslaught flee in terror, but to run is futile for this is the ultimate catastrophe – the end of the world – as predicted by Hollywood disaster movie 2012.

Is it nonsence or are we really on the brink of  Doomsday? This belief is  based on a calendar produced by the ancient Mayan civilisation, which  lasted for around 2,000 years until it's mysterious collapse in AD900.

With neither telescopes or other equipment at their disposal, the Mayans managed to calculate that a lunar month lasted 29,5305 days, just 34 seconds away from what we know to be its actual length. They also accurately forecast the movements of planets including Jupiter and Mars, and the occurance of both solar and lunar eclipses for many centuries to come.

Given these very precise predictions, Doomsday theorists are alarmed that the “Long Count” Calendar, as it is known, appears to end abruptly  on a date they recorded as 13.0.0.0 or the date we know as December 21, 2012.

The only clue at to what the Mayans thought might happen on that day comes from an ancient stone tablet, discovered during roadworks in Mexico  in the 1960's. Carved upon it are hieroglyphics that refer to the year 2012  and an event that involves Bolon Yokte, the Mayan god of war and creation. Weathering and a crack in the stone have made the last part of the inscription illegible, but Mexican archaeologists have interpreted it as saying “He will descend from the sky”.

Scientists don't agree with this idea but say that the world will come to an end eventually. The good news is that it is unlikely to happen for another 4 billion years. So since the aforementioned fate isn't likely to happen for a long time, if at all, we are probably safe to get on with our plans for Christmas 2012.

What do these words mean?

To engulf something

To scoop something up

To crumble

To plummet

Onslaught

futile

To be on the brink of something

To be at someone's disposal

To weather

illegible

aforementioned

III. After you watch the video

Answer these questions.

1.   Do the scientists agree with the end of the world?

2.   Did a Tidal Wave really engulf the Himalayas?

3.   Why do some people believe in the Mayan calendar?

4.   According to the Mayans, what may happen on 21^st December 2012?

5.   What do you think?

IV part Complete the charts

WATCH THIS VIDEO AND MAKE NOTES ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS. IF YOU HAVE TO STOP THE VIDEO, YOU CAN.

The Mayan Calendar

Niburu

Nasa Astronomers

Solar storm

Planetary Alignments

Earth Axis shift

In groups, discuss the different theories about the end of the world?

Video www.youtube.com

NASA JPL: 21 Dec 2012 Just Another Day