ACADEMIA TRIVIUM PRESENT SIMPLE vs.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS EXERCISES

1. Put the verbs into the correct tense (present simple OR present continuous):

The train always ________________(1: leave) on time.

"What's the matter? Why ________________(2: cry/you)?"

That's strange. They________________(3: not to watch) TV.

He________________(4: not to speak) very good English.

Please be quiet! I________________(5: do) my homework.

Where________________(6: live/they)?

Listen! John ________________ music! (7: play)

I never ________________(8: go) to the swimming pool.

Harold Black's a famous pianist. He________________(9: give) two or three concerts every
week. He ________________(10: travel) a lot and this week he's in New York.
He________________(11: stay) at an expensive hotel. He's at his hotel now.
He________________(12: have) his breakfast in the diningroom. He________________(13:
drink) a cup of coffee and he________________(14: read) a newspaper. Harold's always very
busy. He________________(15: play) the piano regularly. He________________(16:
practise) for four hours every day. He________________(17: go) to bed late and he
always ________________(18: get up) early. But he sometimes________________(19: get)
dressed too quickly, and this morning he________________(20: wear) one blue sock and one
red one!
2. Complete the sentences below using one of the verbs in the
box in the correct form. You may use each verb once only.

enjoy play work know wait finish

prefer produce seem interview talk

1. I always ________ tennis on Fridays.

2. He ________ his report. He will bring it into the office when it is
complete.
3. "My parents phoned me this morning. They _________ themselves in

the Seychelles. Champagne every night! In fact, they don't want to

leave."

4. We ________ to entertain our guests in a local restaurant rather than

the canteen. Although it is expensive, we can talk freely there.
5. I ___________ the answer to your problem. Get a new computer.
6. "Where is John?" "In his office ____________ for an important
telephone call."
7. I can't make the meeting tomorrow. I _____________ the applicants for
the sales manager's job.
8. My brother _____________ for Shink Inc. which makes bathroom
fittings.
9. Who ___________ to Bill? Is it the new secretary?
10. The new contract ________________ fine to me. However, could you
just check it through once more?
 3. Choose the correct form for each verb.

1. Marie-Claude isn't a Canadian. I ________ she comes from France.

A. believe

B. ? am believing

2. Look! Junko ________ into the water.

A. ? jumps

B. ? is jumping

3. I ________ you're crazy!

A. ? think

B. ? am thinking

4. Don't give Jan any cheese. She ________ it!

A. ? hates

B. ? is hating

5. I ________ to Toronto next Thursday. Do you want to come?

A. ? go

B. ? am going

6. Once a week, I ________ to an art class at the college.

A. ? go

B. ? am going

7. I ________ lunch in the cafeteria every day.

A. ? have

B. ? am having

8. Salman is rich he ________ a Mercedes.

A. ? drives

B. ? is driving

9. You won't find Jerry at home right now. He ________ in the library.
A. ? studies

B. ? is studying

10. It ________ quite hard perhaps we shouldn't go out tonight.

A. ? snows

B. ? is snowing
4.Put the verb in brackets in the correct form (present simple or present continuous)

Next week, my friends and I _________ (go) camping in the woods. I ____________ (organize)

the food, because I _____________ (like) cooking. Dave ________________

(have) a big car with a trailer, so he _____________ (plan) the transportation. Sam ______________

(bring) the tent he ___________ (go) camping every year, so he _________ (have) a great tent

and lots of other equipment. My wife _______ (think) we're crazy. She (like)

_______________ holidays in comfortable hotels, so she ______________ (take) a trip to Paris

instead.

5. Present Simple or Continuous?

CIRCLE the correct alternative(s) in the sentences below.
1 Today she s spending/spends time with her grandmother.

2 They usually are going/go to the gym on Sundays.

3 We re having/have a barbecue later on. Do you want to come?

4 No, she cant answer the phone, she has/is having a shower.

5 I always have/am having a coffee before I m leaving/leave for work in the morning. 6 They

sometimes fly/are flying to Sweden, but usually they are going/go by boat.

7 Where are you? I m sitting/sit outside in the sunshine!

8 He always brings/is bringing a monolingual dictionary to his English class.

KEY

EXERCISE 1
1. leaves | 2. are you crying | 3. are not watching (= aren't watching) | 4. does not
speak (= doesn't speak) | 5. Am doing | 6. do they live | 7. is playing | 8. Go 9. gives |
10. travels | 11. is staying (= he's staying) | 12. is having | 13. is drinking | 14. is
reading | 15. plays | 16. practises | 17. doesn't go | 18. gets up | 19. gets | 20. is
wearing

EXERCISE 2
1. I always play tennis on Fridays.
2. He is finishing his report. He will bring it into the office when it is complete.
3. "My parents phoned me this morning. They are enjoying themselves in the
Seychelles. Champagne every night! In fact, they don't want to leave."
4. We prefer to entertain our guests in a local restaurant rather than the canteen.
Although it is expensive, we can talk freely there.
5. I know the answer to your problem. Get a new computer.
6. "Where is John?" "In his office waiting for an important telephone call."
7. I can't make the meeting tomorrow. I am interviewing the applicants for the sales
manager's job.
8. My brother works for Shink Inc. which makes bathroom fittings.
9. Who is talking to Bill? Is it the new secretary?
10. The new contract seems fine to me. However, could you just check it through
once more?

EXERCISE 3

1. Marie-Claude isn't a Canadian. I ________ she comes from France.

A. believe

B. ? am believing

2. Look! Junko ________ into the water.

A. ? jumps

B. is jumping

3. I ________ you're crazy!

A. think

B. ? am thinking

4. Don't give Jan any cheese. She ________ it!

 A. hates

B. ? is hating

5. I ________ to Toronto next Thursday. Do you want to come?

A. ? go

B. am going

6. Once a week, I ________ to an art class at the college.

A. go

B. ? am going

7. I ________ lunch in the cafeteria every day.

A. have

B. ? am having

8. Salman is rich he ________ a Mercedes.

A. drives

B. ? is driving

9. You won't find Jerry at home right now. He ________ in the library.
A. ? studies

B. is studying

10. It ________ quite hard perhaps we shouldn't go out tonight.

A. ? snows

B. is snowing

EXERCISE 4
Next week, my friends and I are going (go) camping in the woods. I am
organizing (organize) the food, because I like (like) cooking. Dave has (have) a big car
with a trailer, so he is planning (plan) the transportation. Sam is bringing(bring) the
tent he goes (go) camping every year, so he has (have) a great tent and lots of other
equipment. My wife thinks (think) we're crazy. She likes (like) holidays in comfortable
hotels, so she is taking (take) a trip to Paris instead.

EXERCISE 5
1 shes spending 2 go 3 Were having 4 shes having 5 have 6 fly/go 7 Im sitting 8
brings