Present Simple – Present Continuous

Grammar – Part 1 – the Present

Present Simple

Recapitulation: Present Simple – Tegenwoordige tijd ->

vorm: I work/he works. Examples: ‘We often go out for a drink’ ‘A submarine sails under water’ Vorm: hele werkwoord [I go] maar bij

de 3e persoon: hele werkwoord + (e)s [he/she/it goes]

In vraagzinnen en ontkennende zinnen ‘do’ en ‘does’

Present Simple

John sometimes sends an e-mail

Key Words Present Simple! Adverbs of frequency: - always - usually / normally - often -sometimes - hardly ever / rarely - never

* Gebruik: - bij gewoonten/hobby’s - bij feiten - bij verwijzingen naar de toekomst -> wanneer er sprake is van

een programma/vast tijdschema (‘the train leaves at 3 p.m.’ – ‘the

match starts at 8 o’clock’

Present Continuous

Present Continuous – tegenwoordige tijd -> I am working/he is working

*Examples: - ‘They are listening to a new song’ - ‘Look! The sun is shining!’ - ‘Are you doing your homework?’ Vorm: Am, is, are + ing-vorm Bij vragende vorm en ontkennende vorm

am, is, are + not + ing-vorm (omdat ‘to be’ functioneert als een hulpwerkwoord en dus niet nog eens ‘do’ als hulpwerkwoord nodig heeft).

Present Continuous

John is writing an e-mail now

Keywords Present Continuous: now, at the moment, this morning, this week, this year, today, etc.

*Gebruik: - als iets op dit moment gebeurd - als iets nu/vandaag gebeurd wat anders niet zo is

(‘John is studying today -> he normally never studies’) -als iets nog niet beeindigd is/tijdelijk is -> ‘I am living

with my parents’ – tijdelijk, bijvoorbeeld tot ik mijn eigen huis koop. Of: ‘I am doing a computer course’ -> tijdelijk, want de curcus is bijvoorbeeld van november tot maart.

-bij trends en veranderingen -> ‘I am walking to school this week’ -> tijdelijk, omdat mijn fiets kapot is.

Present Simple

NOTA BENE! De volgende werkwoorden, de zogenaamde ‘state verbs’, worden

NIET gebruikt in de Present Continuous maar in de Present Simple!

Dit zijn: -Verbs of possession – to own, to have, to belong. (Although you can say "I am having a party", it doesn't mean you own the party, it means you are hosting a party.) ‘ I have a motorbike’ and NOT ‘ I’m not having a motorbike’.

-Verbs of the mind – believe, understand, know, think (betekenis: mening), forget. ‘I am thinking’ does occur but it means that you’re thinking about something at that moment and it does not refer to a general opinion.

-Verbs of emotion – love, hate, detest, like, etc. -Verbs of the senses – see, hear, smell, taste. "I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow" is possible but it means I am going to

visit the doctor and does not refer to your sight, but "I see the doctor" means the doctor is standing in front of you.)

-Verbs of geographical location – lie. ("London lies on the River Thames".)

Present Simple – Present Continuous -> exercises

1. Blackbirds .................. (build) their own nests. They .................. (not use) the nests of other birds.

2. You can see Annie later: she ........... (wash) her hair now.

3. He often ............... (drink) wine, but today he .............. (drink) beer.

4. What .................. (do/she) usually at weekends? 5. She sometimes ............... (talk) so quietly that

I ...................... (not understand) her. 6. Susan ..................... (bake) bread at the moment.

She .................... (bake) all her own bread.

Present Simple – Present Continuous -> exercises

7. I’m afraid I’ve broken your mirror. Don’t worry. I …………….. (not like) looking at myself anyway!

8. I ………….. (wear) my gloves today because it’s so cold.

9. Tom can’t have the magazine now, because his mother …………… (read) it.

10. He’s busy at the moment. He ………….. (redecorate) the bathroom.

11. You ………. (watch) that film or can I turn it off now? I ……………. (watch) the film. And yes, I ……… (want) to watch it to the end.

Present Simple – Present Continuous -> exercises

______ you speak Italian? I ______ waiting for a taxi No thank you. I ______ smoke. Where ______ you come from? John ______ coming in a few minutes. How much ______ this cost? ______ Sarah eat meat? ______ Jack coming to the meeting? I ______ agree. I ______ like to drive in town. How long ______ I have to do this job? He lives in London but he ______ like it very much. I ______ not going. I'm too tired. What ______ you do for a living? How ______ you do? What on earth ______ he doing? Hurry up. The train ______ coming. I ______ understand. Could you say that again? This exercise ______ driving me crazy.