Essential Grammar in Use. Unit 8. I am doing (Present Continuous) and I do (Present Simple)

 A. Jack is watching television.
He is not playing the guitar.

But Jack has a guitar.
He often plays it and he plays very well.

Jak plays the guitar,
but he is not playing the guitar now.

Is he playing the guitar? No, he isn`t. (Present Continuous)
Does he play the guitar? Yes, he does. (Present Simple)

B. Present Continuous (I am doing) = now, at the time of speaking:

• Please be quiet. I`m working. (not I work)
• Tom is having a shower at the moment. (not Tom has)
• Take an umbrella with you. It`s raining.
• You can turn off the television. I`m not watching it.
• Why are you under the table? What are you doing?

C. Present Simple (I do) = in general, all the time or sometimes:

• I work every day from 9 o`clock to 5.30.
• Tom has a shower every morning.
• It rains a lot in winter.
• I don`t watch TV very often.
• What do you usually do at weekends?

D. We do notuse these verbs in the Present Continuous (I am -ing):

like

prefer

want

need

know

mean

understand

believe

remember

foget

Use only the present simple with this verbs (I want / Do you like? etc.):

• I`m tired. I want to go home. (not I`m wanting)
• "Do you know that girl?" "Yes, but I don`t remember her name."
• I don`t understand. What do you mean?

Exercises

8.1 Answer the questions about the pictures.

1. I`m a photographer.
   Does he take photographs? Yes, he does.
   Is he taking photograph? No, he isn`t.
   What is he doing? He`s having a bath.
2. I`m a bus driver.
   Is she driving a bus? No, she sin`t.
   Does she drive a bus? Yes, she does.
   What is she doing? She`s playing the piano.
3. I`m a window cleaner.
   Does he clean windows? Yes, he does.
   Is he cleaning a window? Yes, he is.
   What is he doing? He is cleaning a window.
4. We are teachers.
   Are they teaching? No, they aren`t.
   Do they teach? Yes, they do.
   What do they do? They teach.

8.2 Complete the sentences with am/is/are or do/don`t/does/doesn`t.

1. Excuse me, do you speak English?
2. "Where`s Kate?" "I don`t know."
3. What`s funny? Why are you laughing?
4. "What does your sister do?" "She`s a dentist."
5. It is raining. I don`t want to go out in the rain.
6. "Where do you come from?" "Canada."
7. How much does it cost to stay at this hotel? Is it expensive?
8. Steve is a good tennis player, but he doesn`t play very often.

8.3 Put the verb in the Present continuous (I am doing) or the Present Simple (I do).

1. (you / speak) Excuse me, do you speak English?
2. (he / have) "Where`s Tom?" He`s having a shower."
3. (I / not / watch) I don`t wach TV very often.
4. (sing) Listen! Somebody is singing.
5. (she / want) Sarah is tired. She wants to go home now.
6. (you / use) How often do you use your car? Every day?
7. (you / sit) "Excuse me, but you`re sitting in my seat." "Oh, I`m sorry."
8. (I / not / understand) I`m sorry I don`t understand. Can you speak more slowly?
9. (I / go) (you / come) It`s late. I`m going home now. Are  you coming with me?
10. (your father / finish) What time does your father finish work every day?
11. ( I / not / listen) You can turn off the radio. I`m not listening to it.
12. (he / cook) "Where`s Paul?" "In the kitchen. He`s cooking something."
13. (not / usually / drive) (usually walk) Mark doesn`t usually drive to work. He usually walks.
14. (not / like) (she / prefer) Sue doesn`t like coffe. She prefers tea.

Additional exercises

8. Complete the sentences.

1. Please be quiet.
   (I / work) I`m working.
2. (you / often / go) Do you often go to the cinema?
3. (you / cook) What are you cooking?
4. (play) Jack plays the piano very well.
5. (I / go) I`m going now. Goodbye!
6. (it / rain) It is rain. Can I take this umbrella?
7. (I / not / watch) I don`t watch TV very much.
8. (we / look) Excuse me, we are looking for the museum.
9. (you / pronounce) What this word? How do you pronounce it?

9. Which is right?

1. "Are you speaking / Do you speak English?" "Yes, a little."
2. Sometimes we`re going / we go away at weekends.
3. It`s a nice day today. The sun is shining / shines.
4. (You meet Kate in the street.) Hello Kate. Where are you going / do you go?
5. How often are you going / do you go on holiday?
6. Emily is a writer. She`s writing / She writes books for children.
7. I`m never reading / I never read newspapers.
8. "Where are Mark and Laura?" "They`re watching / They watch TV in the living room."
9. Helen is in her office. She`s talking / She talks to somebody.
10. What time are you usually having / do you usually have dinner?
11. Joe isn`t at home at the moment. He`s visiting / He visits some friends.
12. "Would you like some tea?" "No, thank you. I`m not drinking / I don`t drink tea."