Simple or Continuous? ���� Advanced Exercise

1. Simple Present / Present Continuous:

A Trekking Journal

Today (be)____ the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my

legs (shake) _________; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really)

_______me and my toes (bleed)________ , but I (want, still) _________to continue.

Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) _______so

different, and I (try) ________to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) _________a little

bit of the language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) foreign

languages quickly. Although I (understand, not)_______________ much yet, I believe that I

(improve, gradually)______________.

2. Simple Past / Past Continuous:

Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela (call)__________. She said she

(call)__________ me on her cell phone from her biology classroom at UCLA. I asked her if

she (wait)____________ for class, but she said that the professor was at the front of the hall

lecturing while she (talk)_____________ to me. I couldn't believe she

(make)_______________ a phone call during the lecture. I asked what was going on.

She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep,

actually)________________ in class. Some of the students (talk)_____________ about their

plans for the weekend and the student next to her (draw)__________________ a picture of a

horse. When Angela (tell)_________________ me she was not satisfied with the class, I

(mention)__________________ that my biology professor was quite good and

(suggest)________________ that she switch to my class.

3. Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous

1. Judy: How long (be) in Canada?

Claude: I (study) here for more than three years.

2. I (have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.

3. I (love) chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic."

4. Matt and Sarah (have) some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they (go) to a

marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.

5. John (work) for the government since he graduated from Harvard University. Until

recently, he (enjoy) his work, but now he is talking about retiring.

6. Lately, I (think) about changing my career because I (become) dissatisfied with the

conditions at my company.

7. I (see) Judy for more than five years and during that time I have (see) many changes in her

personality.

Solutions:

1. Simple Present / Present Continuous:

Today (be) is the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my

legs (shake) are shaking ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really) are

really killing me and my toes (bleed) are bleeding, but I (want, still) still want to continue.

Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) is so different,

and I (try) am trying to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) am learning a little bit of

the language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) do not learn foreign

languages quickly. Although I (understand, not) do not understand much yet, I believe that I

(improve, gradually) am gradually improving.

2. Simple Past / Past Continuous:

Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela (call) called. She said she (call) was

calling me on her cell phone from her biology classroom at UCLA. I asked her if she (wait)

was waiting for class, but she said that the professor was at the front of the hall lecturing

while she (talk) was talking to me. I couldn't believe she (make) was making a phone call

during the lecture. I asked what was going on.

She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep, actually) were

actually sleeping in class. Some of the students (talk) were talking about their plans for the

weekend and the student next to her (draw) was drawing a picture of a horse. When Angela

(tell) told me she was not satisfied with the class, I (mention) mentioned that my biology

professor was quite good and (suggest) suggested that she switch to my class.

3. Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous

1. Judy: How long (be) have you been in Canada?

Claude: I (study) have been studying here for more than three years.

2. I (have) have had the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new

one.

3. I (love) have loved chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic."

4. Matt and Sarah (have) have been having some difficulties in their relationship lately, so

they (go) have been going to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.

5. John (work) has been working for the government since he graduated from Harvard

University. Until recently, he (enjoy) has enjoyed his work, but now he is talking about

retiring.

6. Lately, I (think) have been thinking about changing my career because I (become) have

become dissatisfied with the conditions at my company.

7. I (see) have been seeing Judy for more than five years and during that time I have (see)

have seen many changes in her personality.