Present Continuous. Explanation and exercises

Present Continuous

Теперішній тривалий час

Позначає дію, яка відбувається зараз, в момент мовлення, на наших очах. Часто є такі слова, що привертають увагу: Look! – Подивись!  Listen! – Послухай!

now – зараз

right now – саме зараз

at the moment – в цей момент, зараз

S + am/is/are + Ving…

am – I

is – he, she, it

are – you, we, they

S + am/is/are + not + Ving…

is not = isn’t, are not = aren’t

Am/is/are + S + Ving…?

W/? + am/is/are + S + Ving…?

Who + is (isn’t) + Ving…?

Exercise 1 - Fill in the blanks with the suitable verb from the box. Use the correct form of the verb.

Buy fruits and vegetables, dance, knit a sweater, play tennis, repair the motor, swim and bathe, watch a football match, wear a white dress, write a grammar test, write a report

1. William and Robert are at the stadium. They __are watching a football match. _.

2. Richard and Louise are at the disco party. They _are dancing. __.

3. Mother is at the market. She _is buying fruit and vegetables. __.

4. The children are in the sea. They __are swimming and bathing_.

5. Dan is in the library. He _is writing a report. __.

6. Granny is at home. She _is knitting a sweater__ for me.

7. Frank is under his car. He ___.

8. The students are in the classroom. They ___.

9. Helen and Henry are in the gym. They ___.

10. It’s Alice’s wedding day. She ___.

Exercise 2 - Ask your friend if he (somebody else) is doing the same.

Model: – Mother and Jane are in the kitchen. Mother is cooking dinner.

– Is Jane cooking dinner, too?

– Yes, she is. (No, she isn't.)

1. Ann and Alec are in the library. Ann is looking through the newspaper. – Is Tom looking through the newspaper too? – Yes, he is. No, he isn’t.

2. Dan and Tom are in class. Dan is drawing a picture. – Is Pam drawing a picture too? – Yes, she is. No, she isn’t.

3. John and Dolly are in the dining-room. John is look­ing out of the window. –

Are Pam and Tom looking out of the window too? – Yes, they are. No, they aren’t.

4. David and Kate are in the garden. David is repair­ing the fence. – Is Phil repairing the fence too? – Yes, he is. No, he isn’t. 

5. Bob and Tom are in the street. Bob is crossing the street. – Is Yan crossing the street too? – Yes, he is. No, he isn’t. 

6. Mary and Ann are in the bathroom. Mary is brush­ing her teeth.

7. Susan and Kate are on the balcony. Kate is watering the flowers.

8. Mother and Father are at home. Father is watch­ing TV.

9. Jane and Alice are at the shop. Alice is buying a white dress.

10. Nick and Pete are in the sitting-room. Nick is listen­ing to the radio.

Exercise 3 -   Express your surprise or disbelief at these actions.

Model: – It's two o'clock. Pete is sleeping now.

– Is Pete really sleeping now?

– Yes, he is. (No, he isn't.)

1. Nick is cooking his dinner. – Is Nick really cooking his dinner? – Yes, he is. No, he isn’t.

2. It's six o'clock. Nelly and Jane are getting up. – Are Nelly and Jane getting up? – yes, they are. No, they aren’t.

3. It is eight o'clock. Nick is clearing the table. – Is Nick really clearing the table? – Yes, he is. No, he isn’t.

4. Nick is washing his little brother. – Is Nick really washing his little brother? – Yes, he is. No, he isn’t.

5. Jane is looking after her little sister. – Is Jane really looking after her little sister? – Yes, she is. No, she isn’t.

6. The pupils are speaking with American guests.

7. It is two o'clock. Everyone is resting.

8. Don't make a noise. Father is working in his room.

9. Nelly is writing a letter to her friend.

10. Helen is washing her dress.

Exercise 4 - Ask if the following is true about somebody/ something.

Model: – Peter is going home. (library)

– Isn't he going to the library?

1. Mike is having an English lesson. (physical training lesson) – Isn’t Mike having a PT lesson?

2. I am watching a football match on TV. (a new serial) – Aren’t you watching a new serial?

3. Nick is reciting a poem by Byron. (Shelly) – Isn’t Nick reciting a poem by Shelly?

4. The bus is going to Simferopol. (Yalta) – Isn’t the bus going to Yalta?

5. They are speaking about the new play. (concert) – Aren’t they speaking about the concert?

6. Alexandra is waiting for her sister. (boyfriend)

7. The teacher is saying something to the pupils. (explain the rule)

8. It is three o'clock. Pete is skating on the pond. (teach his sister to skate)

9. Tim and Jim are talking about the weather. (sports event)

10. William is dreaming of becoming rich. (famous)

Exercise 5 - Ask your friend why (how, where, etc.) he is doing it.

Model: – Bob is waiting for Mary. (where)

– Where is he waiting for her?

– At the Metro station.

1. Tom and Jane are hurrying along the street. (where) – Where are they hurrying? – To school.

2. The children are listening to Bob very attentively. (why) – Why are the children listening to Bob very attentively? – Because he is funny.

3. They are discussing a serious problem. (what prob­lem) – What problem are they discussing? – Important.

4. The man is running after the trolley bus. (why) – Why is he running after the trolley bus? – He has his work at the office.

5. They are having lunch with Bill and Kate. (where) – Where are they having lunch with Bill and Kate? – At the café. 

6. Susan is waiting for the postman. (why) – Why is she waiting for the postman? – She is waiting for a letter.

7. Father is watching TV. (what program)

8. Helen is lying in bed. (why)

9. The secretary is speaking over the telephone. (who... to)

10. The director is having lunch now. (where)

Exercise 6 - Ask questions as in the model.

Model: – I am listening to light music. (do your homework)

– Why aren’t you doing your homework?

– I am tired.

1. John is writing with a pencil. (pen) – Why isn’t he writing with a pen?

2. They are trimming the bushes in the garden. (cut the grass) – Why aren’t they cutting the grass?

3. Nick is washing his face and hands. (ears) – Why isn’t he washing his ears?

4. Lena is reading an adapted story. (in the original) – Why isn’t she reading in the original?

5. They are having a meeting in a small room. (big hall) –

Why aren’t they having a meeting in a big hall?

6. She is having lunch at the canteen. (at home)

7. The children are speaking in a whisper. (aloud)

8. Tom is wearing a black suit. (tie)

9. Jane is writing a dictation on a sheet of paper. (exercise-book)

10. Nelly is lying on the sofa and doing nothing. (help her mother)

Exercise 7 - Ask who exactly is doing it.

Model: – He is working at his new book.

– Who is working at his new book?

– George is.

1. She is wearing a funny hat. – Who is wearing a funny hat? – Pam is.

2. They are writing a dictation now. – Who is writing a dictation now? – Tom and Bob are.

3. She is making a chocolate cake. – Who is cooking a chocolate cake? – Ann is.

4. She in doing her shopping. – Who is doing her shopping? – Mary is.

5. He is hanging the map on the board. –

Who is hanging the map on the board? – Olaf is.

6. She is waiting for you downstairs.

7. They are talking and laughing loudly,

8. They are playing tennis in the yard.

9. He is writing an exercise on the blackboard.

10. He is still writing his composition.