English Practice exercises: present simple or continuous? - P2-10G
Other English Grammar Lessons
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In order to test your understanding of the present simple and continuous, it is useful to do some exercises where you have to decide which of the two is correct. Try the ones below:
(Note: when there is a conversation between two people, A and B, look carefully at what B says – it is often there to help you get the right answer in A.)
Exercise 1 Cross out the one which is not correct
Example:
0. A: ‘Why aren’t you wearing / don’t you wear your blue jacket?’
B: ‘Because it’s at the cleaners.’
Now try these:
1. At the weekends I don’t go / I am not going to English class.
2. Heh! It’s John! He’s phoning / He phones from New York.
3. I look / I am looking for my keys. Where are they?
4. I am usually getting up / I usually get up at 7.30a.m.
5. I think / I am thinking it’s cold outside.
6. I like / I am liking beer, but I don’t like / I am not liking whisky.
7. A: ‘Why does John run? / is John running?’
B: ‘He’s late for work. It’s 5 past 9 and he starts / is starting at 9 o’clock.’
8. Come on, hurry up, I wait / I’m waiting for you.
9. A: ‘How long do you wait / are you waiting for your bus?’
B: ‘Usually about ten minutes; more on Saturdays.’
10. My sister never wears / is never wearing a hat.
11. A: ‘Why do you wear / are you wearing that big pullover?’
B: ‘Because I’m cold.’
12. We often play / We are often playing football in the park.
13. A: Do you smoke? / Are you smoking?
B: Yes I am / Yes I do.
14. I know / am knowing you’re tired, but please try and stay awake!
15. Be quiet! I listen / I’m listening to the radio.
16, A: ‘Why do you run / are you running around like that?’
B: ‘I’m late and I try / I’m trying to find my keys.’
17. Do you believe / Are you believing in God?
18. I think / I’m thinking about taking a holiday next month – but I haven’t decided yet.
19. A: ‘What do you watch / are you watching?’
B: ‘It’s an old black and white detective film – it’s really good.’
20. A: ‘What do you watch / are you watching?’
B: ‘Well, sport on Saturdays, a gardening programme on Sundays and a couple of films during the week. On the whole, I watch / I am watching very little television.’
Exercise 2: supply the correct tense
Complete these sentences using the word in brackets in the present simple or continuous tense.
Examples:
0. David sometimes ____________ (visit) his sister at the weekend.
David sometimes ____visits________ (visit) his sister at the weekend.
00 It _____________(get) cold, shall I put he heating on?
It __’s getting___________(get) cold, shall I put the heating on?
Now try these:
1. A: ‘What ________________ (you / look ) for?’
B: ‘My gloves – have you seen them?’
2. A: ‘Where’s Andrea?’
B: ‘She _______________ (play) table tennis upstairs.’
3. A: ‘______________ (you / eat) sausages?’
B: ‘No, I _______________ (not / eat) meat at all, I’m a vegetarian.’
4. A: ‘I ______________ (find) this exercise really hard, can you help me with it?’
B: ‘I _______________ (know) it’s difficult, but you should try to finish it without my help, really.’
5. A: ‘_________________ (you / go out) with Maria?’
B: ‘I _______________ (not / tell) you. Mind your own business!’
6. ‘_______________ (you / see) that girl? She _____________ (run) 5 miles every day, before breakfast.’
7. A: ‘______________ (you / want) some of this?’
B: ‘What is it? I _____________ (not like) the look of it!’
8. ‘I ______________ (think) your essay is excellent.’
9. A: [On the phone] ‘Hello, Joe, are you still in bed?’
B: ‘No, I ______________ (get) up.’
10. A: ‘What ______________ (you / watch)?’
B: ‘It’s a programme about birds which ____________ (fly) from one country to another and back, every year.’
A: ‘You ___________ (mean), “migration”?’
11. Gina ____________ (not go) to college today, she ___________ (not feel) well.
12. _______________ (you / have) wild cats in your country?
13. [On the phone] ‘The party’s great. We _____________ (have) so much fun, Why _______________(you / not / come) over here?’
14. [In the street] ‘Excuse me, I ____________ (wonder) if you have a moment to answer some questions?’
15. ‘They never ____________ (ask) the teacher any questions.’
16. A: ‘What’s the problem?’
B: ‘_______________ (you talk) to me?’
A: ‘No, I _____________ (talk) to this chair, stupid!’