Unit

2 ^ Present simple (I do)

Study this example situation:

Alex is a bus driver, but now he is in bed asleep.

He is not driving a bus. (He is asleep.)

but He drives a bus. (He is a bus driver.)

Drive(s)/work(s)/do(es) etc. is the present simple:

l/we/you/they drive/work/do etc.

he/she/it drives/works/does etc.

We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We use it to say that something happens all
the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general:
Nurses look after patients in hospitals.
I usually go away at weekends.
The earth goes round the sun.
The cafe opens at 7.30 in the morning.

Remember:
I w ork... but He works... They teach... but My sister teaches ...

For spelling (-5 or -es), see Appendix 6 .

We use do/does to make questions and negative sentences:

work
do l/we/you/they ? l/we/you/they don't
drive
does he/she/it he/she/it doesn't
do? do

C I come from Canada. Where do you come from?

I don't go away very often.
O What does this word mean? (not What means this word?)
Rice doesn't grow in cold climates.

In the following examples, do is also the main verb (do you do / doesn't do etc.):
C 'What do you do?' ‘I work in a shop.'
He's always so lazy. He doesn't do anything to help.

We use the present simple to say how often we do things:

I get up at 8 o'clock every morning.
C How often do you go to the dentist?
Julie doesn't drink tea very often.
Robert usually goes away two or three times a year.

I promise / I apologise etc.

Sometimes we do things by saying something. For example, when you promise to do something,
you can say 'I promise ...'; when you suggest something, you can say ‘I suggest...':
I promise I won't be late. (not I'm promising)
j ‘What do you suggest I do?' ‘I suggest that you ...'

In the same way we say: I apologise ... / 1advise ... / I in sist... / 1agree ... / I refuse ... etc.

Present simple and present continuous -> Units 3-4 Present tenses for the future -► Unit 19
Exercises
Complete the sentences using the following verbs:

cause(s) connect(s) drink(s) live(s) open(s) -speak(s) take(s)

1 Tanya speuks German very well.

2 I don't often coffee.
3 The swimming pool at 7.30 every morning.
4 Bad driving many accidents.
5 My parents in a very small flat.
6 The Olympic G am es placeevery four years.
7 The Panama Canal the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Put the verb into the correct form.

1 Julie doesn’t drunk (not / drink) tea very often.
2 What time ........ .. (the banks / close) here?
3 I've got a car, but I .... . (not / use) it much.
4 'Where (Ricardo / come) from?' 'From Cuba.'
5 ‘What (you/do)?' Tm an electrician.'
6 It ........ ... (take) me an hour to get to work. How long
.....................................................(it / take) you?
7 Look at this sentence. What (this word / mean)?
8 David isn't very fit. He (not / do) any sport.

Use the following verbs to complete the sentences. Sometimes you need the negative:

believe eat flow ^go- -grow- make rise tell translate

1 The earth goes round the sun. 7 An interpreter from one

2 Rice <loesn't grow in Britain. language into another.
3 The sun . . in the east. 8 Liars are people who the
4 Bees...... honey. truth.
5 Vegetarians meat. 9 The River Amazon into
6 An atheist in God. the Atlantic Ocean.

You ask Lisa questions about herself and her family. W rite the questions.
1 You know that Lisa plays tennis. You want to know how often. Ask her.
How often do yow p t e n n i s ?
2 Perhaps Lisa's sister plays tennis too. You want to know. Ask Lisa.
. your sister . .. ............................... -.......................................
3 You know that Lisa reads a newspaper every day. You want to know which one. Ask her.

4 You know that Lisa's brother works. You want to know what he does. Ask Lisa.

5 You know that Lisa goes to the cinema a lot. You want to know how often. Ask her.

6 You don't know where Lisa's grandparents live. You want to know. Ask Lisa.

Complete using the following:

I apologise I insist I promise I recommend 4 suggest

1 Mr Evans is not in the office today. I suggest you try calling him tomorrow.
2 I won't tell anybody what you said.... .
3 (in a restaurant) You must let me pay for the meal .
4 for what I did. It won't happen again.
5 The new restaurant in Hill Street is very good...................................... it.
Unit Present continuous and present simple 1
3 (I am doing and I do)
Compare:

Present continuous (1 am doing) Present simple (I do)

We use the continuous for things happening at We use the simple for things in general or
or around the time of speaking. things that happen repeatedly.
The action is not complete.

1am doing I do

past now future past now future

The water is boiling. Can you turn it o Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
off?
Listen to those people. What language Excuse me, do you speak English?
are they speaking?
Let's go out. It isn't raining now. It doesn’t rain very much in summer.
O Tm busy.' ‘What are you doing?' o What do you usually do at weekends?
I'm getting hungry. Let's go and eat. o 1always get hungry in the afternoon.
Kate wants to work in Italy, so she's Most peopLe learn to swim when they
learning Italian. are children.
The population of the world is o Every day the population of the world
increasing very fast. increases by about 200,000 people.

We use the continuous for temporary situations: We use the simple for permanent situations:
I'm living with some friends until 1find a O My parents live in London. They have
place of my own. liv e d t h e r e a ll t h e ir liv e s .
a : You're working h a r d t o d a y . o Joe isn't lazy. He works hard most of
b : Yes, 1have a lot to do. the time.

See Unit 1 for more information. See Unit Z for more information.

I always do and I'm always doing

I always do (something) = I do it every time:

G I always go to work by car. (not I'm aLways going)

‘I'm always doing something' has a different meaning. For example:

ve lost my phone again. I'm always losing things. ^

I'm always losing things = I lose things very often,

perhaps too often, or more often than normal.

More examples:
O You're always playing computer games. You should do something more active.
(= You play computer games too often)
Tim is never satisfied. He's always complaining. (= He complains too much)

Present continuous and simple 2 Unit 4 Present tenses for the future Unit 19
Exercises
Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct them where necessary.
1 Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. OK
2 The water boils. Can you turn it off? i&.boiling ............
3 Look! That man tries to open the door of your car. ..... .....................
4 Can you hear those people? What do they talk about? ......... .......................
5 The moon goes round the earth in about 27 days. ................................ .... ........
6 I must go now. It gets late. ........... .....................
7 I usually go to work by car.
8 'Hurry up! It's time to leave/ ‘OK, I come.'
9 I hear you've got a new job. How do you get on?
10 Paulis never late. He's always getting to work on time.
11 They don't get on well. They're always arguing.

Put the verb into the correct form, present continuous or present simple.
1 Let’s go out. It Isn't ramwg (it / not / rain) now.
2 Julia is very good at languages. She- spe&Jcs (she / speak) four languages very well.
3 Hurry up! (everybody / wait) for you.
4 ' (you / listen) to the radio?’ ’No, you can turn it off.'
5 1 (you / listen) to the radio every day?' 'No, just occasionally.'
6 The River Nile (flow)into the Mediterranean.
7 The river . (flow) very fast today - much faster than usual.
8 (we / usually / grow) vegetables in our garden, but this year
................ (we / not / grow) any.
9 a : How's your English?
b : Not bad. I think (it / improve) slowly.
10 Rachel is in New York right now. (she / stay) at the Park Hotel.
(she / always / stay) there when she's in New York.
11 Can we stop walking soon? ....... .... (I / start) to feel tired.
12 a : Can you drive?
b ; ....................................... (I / learn). My father................................. (teach)me.
13 NormaLly (I / finish) work at five, but this week
. ( ! / work) until six to earn a little more money.
14 My parents (live) in Manchester. They were born there and have never
lived anywhere else. Where (your parents / live)?
15 Sonia (look) for a place to live. (she / stay)
with her sister until she finds somewhere.
16 a: What (yourbrother/do)?
b : He's an architect, but .................................... (he/not/work)atthemoment.
17 (at a party) (I/usuallyenjoy)parties,but
(I/not / enjoy) this one very much.

Finish B's sentences. Use always -ing.

1 a: I've lost my phone again.
b : Not again! You Ye olwcujs Losing your phone .
.

2 a: The car has broken down again.

b: That car is useless. It .................... ............................... ........ .............
3 a: Look! You've made the same mistake again,
b: Oh no, not again! I ..............................................................................................................
4 a: Oh, I've forgotten my glasses again.
b: Typical! .................... .