VB2 Grammar Lesson1 Extra
VB2 Grammar Lesson1 Extra
he present simple
Getting started
1 The text below is from an interview with Jodie Foster, a Hollywood actress and director.
Read the text and answer the questions.
a) In what ways is Jodie Foster's life not like a star's life? ............................................................. ..
b) Why does Jodie want to have an ordinary life? ........................................................................ .
" JOdie enjoys living a life around Los Angeles
that is as un-starlike as she can make it. She
l
refuses to have a personal assistant, does her
own food shopping and takes her own letters to
'
the post office. 'I have always lived like that,'
she says, 'and I always will. I don't want to become
someone who doesn't know how to do things. If I'm in
Calcutta and I need to get to Bombay and a flight gets
cancelled so I need to take the train, I want to know
how to do that.' She lives in a rented apartment in
Hollywood and says that, when she is not working, her
favourite thing is to do absolutely nothing!
Looking at language
The present simple
Use
We use the present simple to talk about things and situations that are generally true:
Digital cameras cost a lot of money. They have very complex parts and they use a lot of
battery power.
She's 27 years old and she has a small flat.
The general truth can be:
a repeated action: She takes the train to work, but I usually drive.
a permanent situation: She lives in a small flat in London.
The present simple can also be used in informal stories. For example, describing a film scene
or telling a joke:
She walks into the room, and sees the bottle and two glasses on the table, so she knows ...
This man goes into a bar, and orders an orange juice and a packet of crisps .,.
Fill in the gaps in this text by another Hollywood actress with verbs in the present simple.
Life is pretty busy at the moment. I 1 ................ a 14-hour day, but I'm lucky because we're
filming in the Santa Monica mountains, 15 minutes from home. I'm usually up at 4 a.m.
My husband 2 ..
. up then, too - he 3 ......
.. to work before the phone starts
ringing - and, after a coffee, 14 ................ to Agoure to arrive at exactly 5.42. It's a wonderful
drive - I see mountain lions, coyotes and sometimes snakes. My day 5 ................ with hair and
make-up. Then it's straight into filming.
(from Radio Times, 9-15 November 1996)
Form
Positive statements
Negative statements
Wh- questions
she I he I it plays
Yes I No questions
Do you play?
Yes, I do.
No, I don't.
Spelling
carry - carries.
UNIT
Other points
We can say how often something happens with adverbs of frequency like (nearly) always,
usually, (quite) often, sometimes, (almost) never:
She nearly always takes the train to work.
I don't often go shopping.
Note the present simple form of to be: I am, you / we / they are, she / he / it is.
Note the third person singular forms: have - has, do - does, go - goes.
We often use you + present simple to mean 'everyone':
You need two photos to get a passport.
We use the present simple question What do you do? to mean 'What's your job?'
See Unit 3 for a comparison of the present simple and the present continuous.
Getting it right
I> Exercise
In the advertisements below, fill in the gaps with the correct pronoun from the box. The
form of the present simple verb (e.g. doesn't have or don't have) will help you.
he
it
you
she
they
..... just put it in the microwave to heat up, and 2 .......... stays hot for
hours.
'3 ..... .. .. always use mine on cold nights. It's so easy to use!'
DIETING SUCCESS
Does your weight depress you?
Do you hate dieting?
Dr Dawes's video course can help. On
this new video Dr Dawes explains how
to eat healthily. In six easy steps,
9. . . . . . .. shows you how to change
your eating habits. 'I'm much slimmer
now, and 10 .
.. thank Dr Dawes
for that.'
Extension
Write a similar advertisement for something you have bought recently.
GETTING IT RIGHT
2 ......................................................... .
3
7 ......................................................... .
8 .... .................................................. .
4 .......................................................... .
9 ........................................................ .
10
aN)
rn:J
adver-ti.se.rne.nt, I have 17
:Jear.s old. and.. carne. fr-om CartaBena in Chile. I've Bot two .si.ster-.s,
Haria and Fer-nanda, and.. the:J i.s both older- than rne.. H:J father Own
a .small paper- factor:J, bLlt "":J mother- d.on't work. We livi"3 in a
hOLl.se.jLl.st oLlt.side the cit:J. I e'2i0:Ji"3 pla:Ji"3 football and.. I am like
.science-fiction fil,.".s.
UNIT
(adapted from an article by Michael Booth, The Independent on Sunday, 19 January 1997)
-e@f'
serve
employ
attract
spend
be
have
not have
open
close
Classwork
1 Work in groups of three or four. Learner 1 thinks of a job.
2 Learners 2, 3 and 4 ask him / her questions in the present simple to find out what the job is.
They can only ask ten questions. Learner 1 can only answer Yes, No or Sometimes.
Example:
Do you get up early?
Do you wear a uniform?
Does this job need a lot of qualifications?
Do you work inside?
Is the job very well-paid?
Are you a postman?
Yes,
Yes,
No,
No,
No,
Yes,
I do.
I do.
it doesn't.
I don't.
it isn't.
I am.
CLASSWORK
Unit
Getting started
1 A truffle is a fungus found under the ground which is very good t
~he
t'
t~a .
Read
newspaper article about truffle-hunting dogs and answe
questions.
r
truffl~ f;rIl1~rs'i'~'~h~';~;'~f'~he
a truffle
article? ......... .
TRUFFLERS DOGNAPPED
olice in southern France are
trying to find ten truffle-hunting
dogs, stolen from their owners in
the middle of the season for the
fungi. Police in Carpentras believe
the dogs, trained to dig up truffles
growing five centimetres below the
ground, have been kidnapped.
2 Underline three examples of the present continuous (am / is / are + -ing) in the article.
Looking at language
The present continuous
Use
Some verbs are not usually used in the continuous. They are called stative verbs, and are:
verbs which describe thoughts, feelings and senses: think, know, believe, agree, remember,
forget, understand, like, love, hate, mind, prefer, want, see, hear, smell, taste. So we do not say:
l'Iit 1mB'.. iltg tile ttltS'!'; el7 or SHe iSlt't ttltlleJ'stt.tJuliltg ttlt,tHil'tg. We say: I know the answer. She
doesn't understand anything.
We use can with sense verbs. We do not say: 1'1" I1Bt HettJ'iltg JBtt. or I c4Blt't HettI; Btt.
We say: I can't hear you .
some other verbs which describe what things (and people) are, what they are like, and
what they possess: be, have, need, own, involve, depend on, seem, look, sound, smell, taste,
weigh. So we do not say: I ttl1t 8eiltg httltgJ'r or THis SBltf' is tttstiltg Itiee. We say: I am hungry.
This soup tastes nice.
But some of these stative verbs can be used in the continuous sense. Compare She'!; tasting
the soup (her action) and The soup tastes good (what the soup is like), and What are you
thinking about? (what are your thoughts?) and What do you think? (what is your opinion?).
LOOKING AT LANGUAGE
E:.II
Form
The present continuous is formed with the present tense of be and the -ing form of the verb.
Positive statements
Negative statements
Wh- questions
I am (I'm) playing
,~
Yes / No questions
Is he playing?
Yes, he is.
Spelling
In one-syllable verbs which end in a vowel and a consonant (e,g. stop, run), the consonant
is doubled in the -ing form: stopping, running.
In verbs which end in e (e.g. take, lose), the e is lost in the -ing form: taking, losing. But
verbs which end in double e (e.g. see, agree), keep both es: seeing, agreeing.
Other points
We use at the moment with the present continuous to show that something is going on at
the time of speaking and is temporary:
He's doing his homework at the moment.
We use still to show that something is continuing and is temporary:
I'm still living with my parents, but I want to get my own flat.
II:m
UNIT
Getting it right
I> Exercise 1 Learning from learners
Look at this learner's text. Match the teacher's ticks (,() and corrections 1-10 to rules a)-f)
below.
lives b)
./
.....
2 think .....
4 prefer .....
6 ./ .....
7 need .....
[3 /;"
th-liril1t pi rIolirj
[3 ./ .....
9 is getting .....
10 depends .....
GETTING IT RIGHT
C> Exercise
In the conversation between two friends below, put the verbs in brackets ( ) into the present
simple or present continuous.
A: I hear you w~..t!J.QrkinB (work) in a pub at the moment. What's it like?
B: It i;,. (be) fine, although it's very hard work. I'm always tired, hut I 1 .......................... (not
mind).
A: Is the money good?
B: No, not really, but I 2 .......................... (like) the hours. You know I don't like working
early in the morning.
A: Oh yes, 13 .......................... (remember) now. You never used to get up before 11.00.
B: Well, I'm not like that now, but I certainly don't like getting up before 9.00. Anyway, tell me
... (do) now?
t> Exercise 3
Change the text below so that it is true about developments in your country. Use verbs in
the present continuous and underline the word in italics that you want. Use the verbs in the
box if you want to. You can use the verbs more than once.
fttlftge
earn
fall
get
go up / down
increase
leave
rise
... more / less money these days, while the cost of living 6 ........................... .
5 ..
8 ........................... and traffic problems 9 ......................... better / worse. Overall, I think life
in my country 10 ........................... better / worse for most people.
UNIT
I> Exercise
4 Extending headlines
Headlines for newspaper articles often use the present simple, but the articles sometimes
use the present continuous to describe activities that are still going on. Rewrite these
headlines as full sentences to start the articles.
Example: CHESTER POLICE LOOK FOR STOLEN DINOSAUR EGG
Man who lives in tree house tries to set new one-year record
New York man builds own rocket and plans to reach moon
Classwork
1 Write three sentences about yourself 'at the moment', using the present continuous. One
sentence should be untrue.
Example:
I'm preparing for an exam at the moment.
Ask questions to find out what your partner wrote, and answer your partner's questions.
Example:
A: What are you doing at the moment?
B: I'm preparing for an exam.
CLASSWORK
Explanations
Present simple
Present
continuous
Habitual actions
The present simple is used to describe habits and routines. A frequency
adverb is often used.
I usually take the bus to work.
Summary of events
The present simple can be used to make a summary of the events in a
narrative, for example in a film or book. It can also be used for a table of
historical events.
In Chapter 1, Susan meets David, and agrees to go to the school dance with
him.
In 1789 the Trench Revolution begins.
GRAMMAR 4
Problems with
simple and
continuous
PRESENT T I M E
Some verbs are not normally used in the continuous form, because they
describe activities which already extend in time. These are called 'state'
verbs.
be, believe, cost, depend, have, hear, know, matter, smell, suppose, taste, think,
understand
21
CATE L A N G U A G E P R A C T I C E
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
2
Put each verb in brackets into either the present simple or the present continuous,
a) There's nobody here, and the door's locked. What (we do) ..do we do... now!
b) What (you look)
at? (I wear)
c) I (look after)
e) I (still have)
better.
untidy! He (wear)
h) I (write)
dirty jeans.
it every day.
j) Which hotel (you stay)
3
Decide whether the verb form in italics refers to present or future time.
are
we
doing
when
the
guests
arrive?
22
here
GRAMMAR 4
PRESENT T I M E
Write each verb in the -ing f o r m , then complete the spelling rules below.
Rewrite each sentence. Use a verb from the box to replace the words in italics.
be
cost
feel
have
see
smell
taste
have
think of
have
23
FIRST C E R T I F I C A T E L A N G U A G E P R A C T I C E
Put each verb in brackets into either the present simple or the present
continuous.
I (1) ...am just writing. (just write) how to tell you how much I
(2)
how I (3)
(4)
(study)
(spend) a lot of
(still stay) with my friend
Hamletl I (14)
(16)
(17)
(18)
we (19)
(20)
Katherine
Key p o i n t s
1
2
3
4
5
6
The present simple describes facts and habitual actions. The present continuous
describes actions which are still in progress at the time of speaking.
Many verbs which describe states rather than momentary events can only be
used in the simple form. Many verbs describing mental activities (understand,
know) are of this kind.
Some verbs have both state and event meanings, but the meanings are not the
same.
When describing a photograph, we usually describe the scene as if it is
happening now, and use the present continuous.
Present tense forms are also used to refer to future time. See Grammar 3.
Where some languages use present tenses, English uses the present perfect. See
Grammar 2.
I've lived in Milan all my life.