B1 Present Tense Simple and Progressive Exercise
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Fill in the correct form of the present tense. 1. They normally _________ a coffee break at ten, but today there's a lot of work to do so they _________ one. (HAVE, NOT HAVE) 2. Why _________ my coat? - I'm sorry. - It _________ just like mine. (YOU WEAR, LOOK) 3. _________ the men in black suits over there? - They _________ at us in a strange way. (YOU SEE, LOOK) 4. The food _________ chemicals that make it last longer. (CONTAIN) 5. It _________ the moon about 28 days to travel around the earth. (TAKE) 6. Everything in this box _________ to my grandfather. He _________ it to me instead of my brother. (BELONG, GIVE) 7. Mary _________ through a very difficult period at university this year. (GO) 8. Dad _________ everything about airplanes. He always _________ books about aviation. (KNOW, READ) 9. I used to play football in school but now I _________ rugby. (PREFER) 10. Hi Dan! - What _________ to do this evening? - Well, I _________ to a concert with a few friends and after that we _________ a good meal at a fine restaurant. (YOU PLAN, GO, HAVE) 11. What _________ for a living? - Well, he's a lawyer but he quit his old job and at the moment he _________ for a new one. (YOUR DAD DO, LOOK) 12. You _________ shopping every Saturday. - Why _________ that? (GO, YOU DO) 13. I _________ absolutely no idea what this movie is about. (HAVE) 14. The two department managers _________ lunch at the moment. We shouldn't disturb them. (HAVE) 15. Teachers _________ us homework every day, but this weekend they _________ us any because of the mid-term break. (GIVE, NOT GIVE) 16. Where _________ from? I think they _________ from Jamaica, but not sure. (NEW NEIGHBOURS COME, BE) 17. The air _________ strange. There must be something going on in the factory. (SMELL) 18. I can't listen to what you _________ to tell me because I'm so nervous at the moment. (TRY)
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Hi Ahmet, let's work through these present tense exercises together to sharpen your grammar skills.
Present Tense Practice
For item one, the habitual action uses the present simple, so we say have. The contrast for today requires the present continuous, so we use are not having.
1. They normally have a coffee break at ten, but today there's a lot of work to do so they are not having one.
In sentence two, we use the present continuous to describe an action occurring right now. So we ask why are you wearing my coat, and reply that it looks like yours.
2. Why are you wearing my coat? - I'm sorry. It looks just like mine.
Number three asks about a current action, so we use present continuous: are you seeing. The second part is a current observation, so we use the present continuous: are looking.
3. Are you seeing the men in black suits over there? - They are looking at us in a strange way.
For items four and five, we are dealing with facts. The food contains chemicals, and it takes time for the moon to orbit the earth.
4. The food contains chemicals that make it last longer.
5. It takes the moon about 28 days to travel around the earth.
For number six, belonging is a state verb, so we use belongs. The second part is a habitual action in the present, so we use gives.
6. Everything in this box belongs to my grandfather. He gives it to me instead of my brother.
Seven describes a temporary situation happening this year, so we use the present continuous: is going.
7. Mary is going through a very difficult period at university this year.
Eight uses state verbs and habits: dad knows about airplanes, and he always reads aviation books.
8. Dad knows everything about airplanes. He always reads books about aviation.
For number nine, the verb prefer is typically used in the present simple, so we say I prefer rugby.
9. I used to play football in school but now I prefer rugby.
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