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!!