Elementary

Unit 9: I Often Skate After School

 Unit objectives
At the end of this unit, students can:
Talk about daily routines and
activities
Talk about activities people are
doing at this moment
Use the present simple and
present continuous tense correctly.
 Present simple
Form:

subject verb object

+ John plays soccer twice a week.

subject do/does not verb object

- Richard doesn’t go to the movies on Fridays.

do/does subject verb object

? Do your parents listen to music?
Examples:

She gets up at 8:00 every day.

Examples:

Cats eat mice.

Examples:

I like strawberries.
Examples:

Water boils at 100 celsius.

Examples:

She works at a bank.
Function:
We use the present simple for:

Habits or routines (things we do regularly)

Stative verbs (non-action verbs)

Notice that stative or state verbs aren’t

used in continuous tenses.
 Routines
 I play golf every Monday.
 They often travel to China.
 She gets up at 8:00 every day.

Stative verbs

•They like strawberries.
•We want a new car.
•I promise to visit you soon.
•You look fantastic.
•They belong to the club.
•I don’t know the answer.
 Present simple: Time expressions

• always/usually/often/sometimes/never
• every day every Monday / every other day every
week / every month / year
• once a day / week / month / year
• twice a day / week / month / year
• three times a day/week/month/year
• in the morning / evening / afternoon
• daily / weekly / monthly /
• on Mondays/Thursdays / etc.
• in July / August / etc
• The following verbs are usually NOT used in the continuous form.
They are called stative or state verbs:
 Present continuous or progressive
Form:

subject to be verb (-ing) object

+ He is reading a magazine.

subject To be not verb object

- They aren’t cleaning their room right now.

to be subject freq. adverb verb in base form

? Is your sister doing her homework?
Function:
We use present continuous or progressive for:

Actions happening at the moment.

Temporary actions in progress now. "now" can mean: this

second, today, this month, this year, this century, and so on.
 Actions happening now

•You are learning English now.

•Are you sleeping?
•Look! She is swimming.
•Is he sitting or standing?

Temporary actions in progress

I am studying to become a doctor.

I am reading the book Tom Sawyer.
I am not reading any books right now.
I’m taking five subjects this semester.
Present continuous: Time expressions

Now
Right now / just now
At the moment / at this moment
Look!
Listen!
Today
These days / this week / this month
Examples:

She is talking with her friend at the moment.

Examples:

Computers are becoming more and more important.

Examples:

She is reading a lot this semester.

Examples:

The water is boiling now.

Examples:

The manager is really tired. They are always complaining.

Examples:

Look! Michael Phelps is swimming so fast.

 Present continuous

Examples:

1. Listen! She’s talking to someone on the phone.

2. Shh, don’t talk loud! My mother is sleeping.
3. Look! They aren’t studying. They are playing soccer instead.
4. She isn’t watching the movie because she doesn’t like horror
movies.
5. What are you doing? – I am playing soccer.
Examples:

They always ride in different competitions.

They are riding in the Inka Jungle Trail now.
Examples:

They are riding in a competition in Cuzco this week.

Examples:

She often reads books at the university.

Examples:

They are reading a book now.

Examples:

They usually run the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu.

Examples:

They are running at Nat Geo Run in Peru at the moment .

Examples:

She loves ceviche. She often eats it at home.

Examples:

He is eating Ceviche in a local market.

Exercise 1:
Underline the correct word.

1. We always wear / 're always wearing a uniform to school.

2. Paula wears / is wearing black jeans today.
3. Come inside! It rains / It's raining!
4. It rains / 's raining a lot in February.
5. Mum cooks / is cooking lunch every Sunday.
6. My father cooks / is cooking at the moment.
7. Steve is terrible! He is never listening / He never listens to
the teacher.
8. Please be quiet! I listen / I'm listening to music right now.
Exercise 2:
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb
in parenthesis.

reads
1. Andy sometimes ………………. comics. (read)
watch
2. We never ………………….. TV in the morning. (watch)
is singing in the bathroom. (sing)
3. Listen! Sandy ………………….
helps
4. My sister usually ………………… in the kitchen. (help)
is making
5. My mother …………………. breakfast now. (make)
clean
6. They often …………………… the bathroom. (clean)
are coming
7. Look! The boys ………………. home. (come)
goes
8. Every day his grandfather ………………….. for a walk. (go)
Exercise 3:
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb
in parenthesis.
Does he eat
1. ……………………………………. (he/eat) rice every day?
They are working
2. ……………………………………… (they/work) at the moment.
Do you come
3. …………………………………… (you/come) to London often?
John isn’t playing
4. ……………………………………. (John/not play) tennis now.
He doesn’t play
5. ……………………………………. (not/play) golf on Fridays.
Do they meet
6. ……….…………………… (they/meet) in a restaurant every Saturday?
She isn’t going
7. ……………………………….. (she/not go) to the cinema now.
 Exercise 3 (continued)

arrive
8. You usually …………………………………. (arrive) late.
eats
9. He normally ………………………………. (eat) dinner at home.
Do you study
10. ……………………………………………. (you/study) every night?
Do they work
11. ……………………………………… (they/work) late once a week?
Is she working
12. …………………………………………… (she/work) at the moment?
doesn’t drink
13. She ……………………………………….. (not/drink) coffee very often.
is sleeping
14. Julie ……………………………….. (sleep) now.
is chatting
15. Listen! She …………………………… (chat) with her friend.
eat
16. Cats …………………………. (eat) mice.
 Exercise 4:
Complete the following sentences with the correct form
of the verb in parenthesis.

drives
1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) …………………… her kids to football practice.
work
2. Usually, I (work) ………………………. as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I
am studying
(study) …………………………….. French at a language school in Paris. That is
why I am in Paris.
is sleeping
3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) …………………………….. .
is raining
4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) …………………………. .
always rains
5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) …………………………….
are saying
6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) ……………………………….. because
is talking
everybody (talk) …………………………. so loudly.
is writing
7. Justin (write) ………………………………. a book about his adventures in Tibet
this month. I hope he can find a good publisher.
Exercise 5:
Complete the sentences with the present simple or present continuous
form of the verbs in brackets. Use contractions where possible.

is running
1. She …………………. (run) because she's late for her lesson.
gives
2. Our teacher always …………………………… (give) us lots of homework.
don’t want
3. We…………………….(not want) to go to the concert.
am not working
4. I …………………………….(not work) today. I'm on holiday.
speak
5. People ……………………………….. (speak) English in Jamaica.
isn’t using
6. Archie ……………………… (not use) his computer at the moment.
Does Tony live
7. (Tony / live)…………………………….. near the park?
Exercise 6: Complete the sentences with the present simple or
present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

am doing
1. Shhhhhh! I ............................... (do) my homework.
works
2. She ……………………. (work) as a receptionist.
isn’t staying
3. He ………………………  (not stay) with his parents at the moment.
get up
4. I always …………………….. (get up) at 6 o’clock.
5. He is busy at the moment. He ………………………. (talk) is talking to a friend.
don’t know
6. I’m sorry but I ……………………… (not know) what you mean.
are eating (eat) too much fat food these days.
7. You ……………..
do you usually watch (usually watch?
8. Which TV channel ……………………………
does Helen arrive (Helen arrive) on Fridays?
9. What time ……………….………….
do you go
10. How often ……………………… (you go) to the movies?
are you doing
11. What ……………….…………  (you do) at the moment?
gets up
12. My mom usually … ……………….…… (get up) early on Mondays.
What do you do when you are
with your friends?
What do you usually do after classes?
 What are you doing this year to improve
yourself?

What do you usually do when you are on

holiday?

What are you doing to improve your English

skills?