PRESENT SIMPLE OR PRESENT CONTINUOUS?

1. Complete the passage with the correct form of the verbs in the box. Use the simple present or present continuous tense.

learn (2) / think / enjoy / spend / watch (2) /  know

Many parents think that their children (1.) ______________ too much time in front of the TV, but TV can be educational. For example, Sylvia and Eddie (2.) ____________ an interesting TV program on animals now. Another program they (3.)____________is about the latest developments in computer technology. Sylvia now (4.)____________ how to send e-mail and how to use the Internet. Eddie (5.)____________about all the new computer games. Sylvia and Eddie's parents don't worry about TV; they (6.) ____________ their children (7.) ____________ a lot from the programs they (8.) _____________.

2. Complete the conversation with the correct form of the verbs in parentheses. Use the simple present or present continuous tense.

BOB:    Hey, Pat. What (1. you/do) ___________________?

PAT:    Hi, Bob. I (2. listen)__________________ to the latest CD by The Broken Bones Band.

BOB:    Oh yeah? I (3. hear)______________  they have some great songs on there.

PAT:    They do. I really (4. like) ___"Crash" and "Forget About It."

BOB:    I (5. know, neg.)__________________ those songs, but I love their old ones.

PAT:    What (6. you/do) _____________________ after class? (7. you/want) ____________________ to come over to my place and _____________ (8. listen) to their new CD?

BOB:    That (8. sound) ____________ great, but I can't. I (9. have) _____________

an appointment. I (10. meet) ________________ an old friend this evening.

PAT:    Too bad. Another time, maybe.

3. Complete the text with the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

I 1_____________________ (travel/ often) to other countries, so I 2_______________ (spend) a lot of time at airports. Today I 3_______________ (travel) to Greece and at the moment I 4__________________ (wait) for my plane. But I 5________________ (waste) my time. What 6_________________ (I/ do)? I 7____________ (play) my favorite game — people-watching. Whenever I have the time, I 8__________________ (watch) other people.

Take that couple, for example. They 9_____________ (buy) magazines at the moment. 10____________________ (they/ go) on holiday or 11_______________ (they/ travel) on business? They 12_________________ (wear) business clothes, but he 13________________ (carry) a briefcase. Every few seconds she looks round. 14__________________ (someone/ follow) them? Perhaps they 15_________________ (run) away and ... Just a minute, there 16_________ (be) a story in this newspaper. A bank clerk stole one million pounds last week and disappeared with his wife. There 17______________ (be) a picture of them here. Hmmm, they 18_____________ (look) similar. That's it! The money 19_____________ (be) in the briefcase. I must stop them.

They 19______________ (go) to the departure lounge now. Quick. Oh, just a minute. They 20__________________ (say) goodbye to each other. The woman 21_______________ (not/ go) into the departure lounge. She 22_______________ (walk) away. Oh well, I 23__________ (be) excited. Oh, what 24__________________ (she/ do) now? She 25_______________ (talk) to another man. They 26_____________ (kiss). Now, I wonder ...

4. Complete the text with the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

I 1____________ (work) for a construction company. We 2____________(build) roads, dams, bridges and things like that. At the moment my company 3____________ (produce) a plan for a new motorway. I usually 4______________(work) in the roads department, but this month I 5______________(work) in the department that 6______________ (build) bridges. So my whole working day is different just now. I normally 7_____________(spend) a lot of time outdoors, because I 8_______(go) to the construction sites. But with this new project I 9_____________ (spend) a lot of time in the workshop. At the moment we 10_________________(test) a model of one of the new bridges. I 11___________ (enjoy) it a lot, because I 12____________ (learn) a lot of new things.

5. Use the words in parentheses to complete the sentences .Use the Simple Present or Present Continuous.

1.       Alice is in her room right now . She …………………… (read) a book . She ……………………  (like) the book.

2.      It …………………… (snow) right now . It’s beautiful! I …………………… (like) this weather.

3.      I …………………… (know) Jessica Jones. She’s in my class.

4.      The teacher …………………… (talk) to us right now. I …………………… (understand) everything she’s saying.

5.      Don is at a restaurant right now. He …………………… (eat) dinner. He …………………… (like) the food. It …………………… (taste) good.

6.      Look at the little girl! She _________________ (smell) the flowers in the garden one by one.

7.      Jason …………………… (tell) us a story right now . I …………………… (believe) his story. I …………………… (think) that his story is true.

8.      Ugh! The cigar …………………… (smell) terrible.

9.      Look at the picture. Jane …………………… (sit) in a chair. A cat …………………… (sit) on her lap. Jane …………………… (hate) cats.

10.   Look at the picture. Mr. Allen …………………… (hold) a cat. He …………………… (love) the cat. The cat …………………… (lick) Mr. Allen’s face.

11.    The teacher …………………… (shout) in the class right now. It …………………… (mean) she’s very angry.

12.   The movie is really boring ! I …………………… (want) to go home.

13.   I’m going to the shops. …………… you ………………… (need) anything?

6. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense, Present Simple or Present Continuous.

A: Can I help you, sir?

B: Yes, please. I (1)..........................(look) for a birth­day present for my wife.

A: I see. What kind of things (2)...................(she/like)?

B: Oh, she (3)...........................(enjoy) reading books on interior decorating and she (4)........................... (love) listening to Latin music.

A: How about this book then? It (5) ......................... (have) over a hundred pages of different ways to decorate your home and lots of pictures, too.

B: I (6) ............................. (not/know) about that. Is there anything else you could show me?

A: Well, sir. I (7)............................(believe) this set of CD s with Latin bands is an excellent choice. Your wife will enjoy it very much.

B: How much is it?

A: It (8)..................(cost) £25. They're on special offer.

B: Okay, then. I just (9)......................(hope) she won't play the music too loud because I (10)...................... (hate) Latin music!!

Simple present/Present continuous-Comparative and Superlative adjectives

Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in the simple present or
present continuous tense. You can use some of the verbs from the box more than 
once. 

BUY-CARRY-DO-COST-GO-LIKE-MISS-PLAY-STAND-TAKE-TRAVEL-USE-VISIT-WATCH-WORK

1 My brother ________________________ this CD very much.
2 He __________________________ in China this summer.
3 We __________________________ to lunch now. Would you like to
join us?
4 We always __________________________ Grandma on Sundays.
5 In this photo, we __________________________ volleyball on the beach.
6 I __________________________ tennis every day.
7 My father can’t come to the phone now. He __________________________ a shower.
8 My father __________________________ as an accountant in a big company.
9 I think this pen __________________________ HK$8.
10 I can’t play online games now. My brother __________________________ the computer to do
his homework.
11 A: ______________ you ___________________ your homework now?
B: Yes, I __________________________.
12 This photo was taken when I was three. My father __________________________ me on his
shoulders.
13 People ______________ always ___________________ new mobile phones.
14 Can you see Anna? She __________________________ at the bus stop.
15 ______________ you still ___________________ TV?
16 A: ______________ they _________________ to Ocean Park on Sunday?
B: No, they __________________________.
17 She often __________________________ class because of illness.
18 A: ______________ you _________________ Kelly Chan’s songs?
B: Yes, I ______________, but my brother _________________.


Too Much Fast Food?

According to a recent survey, Hong Kong consumers are....... (1) more money on convenience
foods since the economic downturn. Because companies are trying to make do with fewer staff,
employees are....... (2) harder than ever before. More women........ (3) joining the workforce as well.
They....... (4) less time to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals for their families. Instead,
families....... (5) out or...... (6) convenience foods, such as frozen pizzas and instant noodles. These
foods....... (7) more fat, salt and sugar than home-cooked meals. Experts say that eating too much
of them.......(8) the risk of serious health problems, including diabetes and heart disease.
However, the trend towards convenience foods....... (9) benefitting some business sectors.
Supermarkets are....... (10) to the higher demand for quick, easy-to-serve meals by increasing their
selection of convenience and pre-packaged foods. These products often....... (11) for higher
prices than fresh food. Restaurants also........ (12) from the trend: most Hong Kong people now
 .......(13) out at least once a day.
Is convenience food just a fad or is home-cooked food .......(14) a thing of the past?
How .......(15) this trend affecting our health?


1 A spending
B spends
C spent
2 A work
B works
C working
3 A is
B are
C be
4 A has
B have
C had
5 A eating
B eats
C eat
6 A bought
B buys
C buy
7 A containing
B contains
C contain
8 A increase
B increasing
C increases
9 A is
B are
C be
10 A respond
B responded
C responding
11 A sells
B sell
C selling
12 A profit
B profiting
C profits
13 A eat
B ate
C were eating
14 A become
B became
C becoming
15 A does
B is
C have

adjectives: comparative and superlative 


1. Complete the chart with the comparatives and superlatives: 

Adjective              Comparative                 Superlative
long                      longer than                     the longest
fast                       faster than                        ...........
pretty                  ...........                            the prettiest
beautiful               more beautiful than           .............
ugly                     uglier than                          .............
thin                     ...........                             the thinnest
fashionable           more fashionable than      .............

2. Write the comparative: 

a. old older f. good
b. strong g. large
c. happy h. serious
d. modern i. pretty
e. important j. bad

3. Complete the sentences with a superlative: 

a. This building is very old. It’s the oldest buildings in the town.
b. It was a very happy day. It was............................... of my life.
c. It’s a very good film. It’s................................... I’ve seen.
d. It was a very bad mistake. It was.......................................... in my life.
e. It was a very cold day. It was............................................... of the year.
f. She’s a popular singer. She’s................................................ in the country.
g. He’s a very boring person. He’s................................................... I know.
h. This house is very big. It is................................................... I’ve lived in.
i. My cousin is very tall. He is....................................................... I have.
j. Laura is a very pretty girl. She is............................................... I know.

4. Choose the correct answer: 

a. Tom’s car is as big as / the biggest his friend’s.
b. Who is shorter than / the shortest person in your family?
c. Who is more independent than / the most independent person you know?
d. These sofas are more comfortable than / the most comfortable ours.
e. My brother is taller than / the tallest in the class.
f. Is Jason’s dog older than / the oldest yours?
g. Who is the best / better than singer in the world?
h. We are younger than / the youngest the rest of the class.
i. My hair is the straightest / straighter than your hair.
j. He is more popular / the most popular singer in the world.

5. Write the sentences in the correct order: 

a. taller / than / Gary / Rick / is.
Gary is taller than Rick.

b. trousers / John / got / has / new / light.

c. Mary / clothes / likes / bigger

d. an / expensive / Rick / wearing / coat / is

e. the / Carol / has / scarf / got / shortest

f. the / student / he / tallest / is

g. actress / Mary / the / was / popular / most

h. He / the / was / footballer / best

i. plays / than / better / you / Mary

j. father / is / your / than / stronger / mine

6. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the adjective in brackets: 

a. Carol is as good (good) as you at sport.

b. We like wearing the.................. (late) fashion.
c. These trousers are ____________________ (comfortable) than those jeans.
d. She is ______________________ (happy) now than he was last year.
e. You are the ________________________ (pretty) girl in class.
f. My grandma is _______________________ (old) than my grandpa.
g. The red dress is the ______________________ (attractive) in the shop.
h. I always tell the _______________________ (fun) jokes.
i. Your hair is ____________________ (curly) than my hair.
j. My hair is ______________________ (short) than yours.