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Simple Present or Present Continuous Tense Exercise

July 28, 2017 A1pdf

We use the simple present tense to talk about general truths, facts, likes, dislikes and preferences. The present continuous tense is used to talk about actions and situations that are going on at the moment of speaking.

Progress 0 of 12 answered
1Rani ............... with her parents at the moment.
Wrong!
Use "is staying" because "at the moment" describes a temporary situation happening now.
2My brother ............... at a bank.
Wrong!
Use "works" because jobs and regular facts normally take the simple present, and a third-person singular subject needs -s.
3I never ............... up before 9 on Sunday mornings.
Wrong!
Use "get" because "never" and "on Sunday mornings" describe a regular habit.
4I ............... people who are rude to their subordinates.
Wrong!
Use "hate" because it describes a general feeling and is normally used in the simple present.
5I ............... this music.
Wrong!
Use "like" because verbs of preference usually describe states, not actions in progress.
6............... the meat smell bad?
Wrong!
Use "Does" because "smell" describes a quality here and takes simple present question form.
7I ............... the dentist at 11 a.m.
Wrong!
Use "am seeing" because the present continuous can describe a fixed future appointment.
8I ............... what you mean.
Wrong!
Use "see" because it means "understand" here and is normally simple present.
9He ............... his dog out for a walk every day before breakfast.
Wrong!
Use "takes" because "every day" describes a regular habit.
10If you ............... too much coffee, you may develop health problems.
Wrong!
Use "drink" because the simple present is used in the if-clause of a real general condition.
11What ............... tomorrow evening?
Wrong!
Use "is she doing" because the present continuous describes a planned future arrangement.
12How often ............... to the movies?
Wrong!
Use "do you go" because "how often" asks about a regular habit.

Exercise complete

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Answers

  1. Rani is staying with her parents at the moment.
  2. My brother works at a bank.
  3. I never get up before 9 on Sunday mornings.
  4. I hate people who are rude to their subordinates.
  5. I like this music.
  6. Does the meat smell bad?
  7. I am seeing the dentist at 11 a.m.
  8. I see what you mean.
  9. He takes his dog out for a walk every day before breakfast.
  10. If you drink too much coffee, you may develop health problems.
  11. What is she doing tomorrow evening?
  12. How often do you go to the movies?

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Related lesson in the course Present simple or present continuous? Module 04: Tenses & verb forms · Lesson 3

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