THE PRESENT TENSE SIMPLE Verbele de percepţie feel, hear, smell, see, taste de obicei nu sunt

folosite la aspectul continuu: The hay smells nice today. Do you see the birds
Ca formă, prezentul simplu este identic cu infinitivul scurt, la toate now? The soup tastes delicious. În cazul lor, pentru a exprima ideea de
persoanele, singular şi plural, cu excepţia persoanei a treia singular, la care se continuitate, progresie, se foloseşte can/ could: I can see the plane now.
adaugă –s sau –es. Interogativul şi negativul se formează cu ajutorul verbului Totuşi, verbele feel, smell, taste pot fi folosite la aspectul continuu când
auxilliar do. implică o acţiune voluntară din partea subiectului: The cat is smelling the bush
Din punctul de vedere al ortografiei, majoritatea verbelor adaugă –s la now. Mother is tasting the soup to see if it’s warm enough for the baby.
persoana a treia singular: speak – speaks. Desinenţa –es se adaugă când verbul Atunci când verbele de percepţie sunt folosite cu sensuri diferite de cel
se termină în s, x, z, sh, ch, tch, o: watch – watches, wash – washes, buzz – de bază, ele pot fi folosite la aspectul continuu:
buzzes, go – goes. Verbele terminate în y precedat de consoană schimbă y în i TO SEE: I’m seeing things. (= Am halucinaţii)
şi adaugă –es: try – tries, fry – fries. Tom is seeing his grandfather off at the railway station now.
Prezentul simplu este folosit pentru a exprima: (see off = a conduce)
1. Adevăruri generale, eterne: Ice melts in the sun. The Earth moves round Jane is seeing her mother now. (= are o întâlnire)
the Sun.
2. Acţiuni repetate, obişnuite. Asemenea acţiuni sunt de obicei însoţite de TO HEAR: I’m hearing interesting things about our new neighbour. (=
adverbele every (day/ month/ year etc), often, seldom, sometimes, usually, primesc veşti)
never, occasionally, rarely: We go to school every morning. Father smokes TO FEEL: The doctor is feeling the patient’s foot. (= pipăie)
too much.
3. În comentarii sportive (pentru a exprima acţiuni rapide care se încheie Exercises:
înainte de propoziţiile ce le descriu). În acest caz, prezentul continuu este
folosit pentru acţiuni cu o durată mai îndelungată: The goal-keeper passes to Fill in the blanks with appropriate verbs in the Simple Present:
Maradona, but Hagi intercepts, shoots and it’s a goal.
4. În demonstraţii sau instrucţiuni: First I take the potatoes and slice them. The Morgan family ________ in California. Mr. Morgan __________ as an
Then I slice the tomatoes and fry the onion in a little fat. I now mix the butter airline pilot while Mrs. Morgan _________ care of the household and the
with the cocoa. children. She _________ up early every day and _________ breakfast for
5. În exclamaţii care încep cu here sau there: Here they come! everyone, while Mr. Morgan _______ in the park near their house. At 7.30
they __________ a big breakfast. Then Mr. Morgan ______ for the airport.
He usually _______ to Phoenix, Arizona and _________ home about 6 p.m.
THE PRESENT TENSE CONTINUOUS Meanwhile, the children ___________ themselves in the kindergarten and
Se formează din prezentul verbului be + verbul de conjugat + -ing. Mrs. Morgan ________ shopping, _________ dinner, and ______ the dog. By
Este utilizat pentru a exprima: the time her husband _______ back home Mrs. Morgan is so tired that she
1. O acţiune în desfăşurare în momentul vorbirii: Look, the children are _________ it difficult to keep him company when he _______ a late night
sleeping! Această întrebuinţare este, de obicei, marcată de adverbe de timp ca show on television.
now, right now, at this moment.
2. O acţiune temporară. În acest caz, verbul este însoţit de adverbe precum Choose the one word or phrase marked A, B, C or D that best completes
today, this week, these days, this month/ year: My father usually teaches each of the following sentences:
geometry, but he is teaching algebra this year. We usually go to work by bus, 1. “What’s that noise?” “I think the Jacksons ________ a party.”
but today we are going by cab. A. make; B. are having; C. have; D. are doing
 2. The Prince Edward is ____________ across the channel now. Write questions to the following statements:
A. swimming; B. crossing; C. walking; D. sailing
3. Your brother _______ me 300 dollars. 1. The Jacksons usually have breakfast at 7 a.m. What time ……………?
A. owns; B. owes; C. is owing; D. is owning 2. She visits her old mother at least twice a week. How often…………..?
4. He ________ to be an intelligent young man. 3. They live together because she loves him. Why……………………..?
A. sees; B. is seeming; C. looks; D. appears 4. He sells computers and hi-fi equipment. What ……………………….?
5. Jimmy _________ in the park every day after school. 5. We normally spend our weekends in the country.
A. goes cycling; B. drives bicycle; C. gets riding; D. is having a Where………………….?
bike 6. He earns his living by painting people’s houses. How
6. I think I’m working quite efficiently, _________? …………………….?
A. don’t I; B. am not I; C. aren’t I; D. not I 7. We want to settle down in Brazil. Where………………………….?
7. We must go now. It ___________ dark. 8. His sister washes his shirts. Who ……………………………….?
A. is going; B. becomes; C. gets; D. is getting 9. This bottle contains poison. What…………………….?
10. It smells horrible. How………………………………..?
11. She is learning two foreign languages in college. How many
**** …………………….?
12. They are making sports cars in this factory now. What sort ……………..?
Replace the infinitives in brackets by the present tense or the present
tense continuous:
Ask questions about the underlined parts of the following sentences:
1 You usually (walk) quite slowly. Why you (walk) so fast today? 2 You
1. The landlady locks the door after midnight.
(understand) the rule? 3 The sun (set) late in summer. 4 Look, snow still (fall).
2. The car belongs to the Mayor.
5 You can’t have the book now because Johnny (read) it. 6 It often (rain) in
3. I’m sorry I’m late.
November. 7 The clock (strike), it is time to go home. 8 Somebody (knock) at
4. The post arrives once a week.
the door. 9 She always (buy) lottery tickets but she seldom (win). 10 Switch
5. Leo usually travels to work by train.
on the light. It (get) dark. 11 Mr. Cooper always (buy) a pound of sugar. 12
6. A newsagent sells newspapers.
The shop assistant (close) the door now. 13 Kevin and Alan never (throw)
7. There are only ten chairs in this room.
away glass bottles. 14 Look! Freddy (carry) two baskets. 15 Now Mrs.
8. I usually take an aspirin when I have a headache.
Caveman (look) out of the window. 16 Mrs. Bingham (go) shopping every
9. Richard plays the lead guitar in that band.
Saturday. 17 I (count) the money at the moment. 18 Mr. Root always (open) a
10. She reads detective stories mostly.
box of eggs before buying them. 19 Mum often (forget) her change. 20 Listen!
11. Jimmy spends his free time playing computer games.
The manager (talk) to a customer. 21 My friends often (go) shopping at the
12. At Halloween American kids dress up as ghosts.
other supermarket. 22 We always (put) our things in a basket. 23 The shop
13. Your father smokes at least 40 cigarettes a day.
(close) at the moment. 24 Every Sunday they (play) tennis. 25 She (take) a
14. They move to a new house every three years
shower now.
15. We play bridge in the evenings.
**** 16. Lady Morley is talking to her dog in Japanese.
17. Major Watkins is trying to shoot at a street lamp.
18. Seven guests are sleeping in the kitchen.