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There should be some
principle of using them safely, shouldn’t there? A safe rule of thumb is finding
out what meaning the verb expresses in the sentence. Once you get the meaning
correctly, you are in the position to decide whether there is something dynamic
taking place or, on the contrary, something is said about a state
characterizing the subject.
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Good luck!
31 The simple present and the present continuous tenses
Put
the verbs in brackets into the simple present or the present continuous tense.
(Adapted form Thomson & Martinet's 1986 'A Practical English Grammar')
1
Cuckoos (not
build) nests. They (use) the nests of other birds.
2
You can’t
see Tom now: he (have) a bath.
3
He usually
(drink) coffee but today he (drink) tea.
4
What she
(do) in the evenings? ~
She usually (play) cards or (watch) TV.
5
I won’t go
out now as it (rain) and I (not have) an umbrella.
6
The last
train (leave) the station at 11.30.
7
He usually
(speak) so quickly that I (not understand) him.
8
Ann (make) a
dress for herself at the moment. She (make) all her own clothes.
9
Hardly
anyone (wear) a hat nowadays.
10 I’m afraid I’ve broken one of your coffee cups. -
Don’t worry. I (not like) that set anyway.
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12 Tom can’t have the newspaper now because his aunt
(read) it.
13 I’m busy at the moment. I (redecorate) the sitting
room.
14 The kettle (boil) now. Shall I make the tea?
15 You (enjoy) yourself or would you like to leave now? -
I (enjoy) myself very much. I (want) to stay to the end.
16 How you (get) to work as a rule? -
I usually (go) by bus but tomorrow I (go) in Tom’s
car.
17
Why you
(put) on your coat? ~
I (go) for a walk. You (come) with me? ~
Yes, I’d love to come. You (mind) if I bring my dog?
18
How much you
(owe) him? ~
I (owe) him £5. ~
You (intend) to pay him?
19
You (belong)
to your local library?- Yes, I do. ~
You (read) a lot? ~
Yes, quite a lot. ~
How often you (change) your books? ~
I (change) one every day.
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21
I always
(buy) lottery tickets but I never (win) anything.
22
You (like)
this necklace? I (give) it to my daughter for her birthday tomorrow.
23
I won’t tell
you my secret unless you (promise) not to tell anyone. ~ I (promise).
24
You always
(write) with your left hand?
25
You (love)
him?-
No, I (like) him very much but I (not love) him.
26
You (dream)
at night? -
Yes, I always (dream) and if I (eat) too much supper I (have) nightmares.
27
The milk
(smell) sour. You (keep) milk a long time?
28
These
workmen are never satisfied; they always (complain).
29
We (use)
this room today because the window in the other room is broken.
30
He always
(say) that he will mend the window but he never (do) it.
31
You (know)
why an apple (fall) down and not up?
32
You (write)
to him tonight? ~
Yes, I always (write) to him on his birthday. You (want) to send any
message?
33
Tom and Mr
Pitt (have) a long conversation. I (wonder) what they (talk) about.
34
You
(believe) all that the newspapers say? - No, I (not believe) any of it. -
Then why you (read) newspapers?
35
This car
(make) a very strange noise. You (think) it is all right? - Oh, that noise (not
matter). It always (make) a noise like that.
36
The fire
(smoke) horribly. I can’t see across the room. - I (expect) that birds (build)
a nest in the chimney. —
Why you (not put) wire across the tops of your chimneys? - Tom (do) that
sometimes but it (not seem) to make any difference.
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