FILE 1A

PRESENT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS.ACTION AND NON-ACTION VERBS

USE THE PRESENT SIMPLE FOR:

1. Habits/ routines.e.g.: John starts work at eight o’clock.

2. Things that are always true/permanent.e.g.: Spain is a hot country.

3. Describing a state.e.g.: Dimitri is really happy about his job.

4. With the present simple use the following time expressions:e.g. every day, once a month, sometimes, never, and

other adverbs of frequency ( before the main verb and after be)

3RD PERSON PRONUNCIATION

-s can be pronounced in different ways:

/ s/- with verbs ending in an unvoiced consonant.e.g. cooks, eats

/ z / - with verbs ending in a vowel sound or voiced consonant.e.g. plays, has

/ iz /- with verbs where you add –ese.g. watches, finishes

USE THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS FOR:

1. Things that are happening now, at this moment.e.g. Janet is having a shower.

2. Temporary situations that are happening around now ( but not at this exact moment).

e.g. I am learning Spanish for my job.3. For future arrangements.

e.g.What are you doing after class?- I’m going to the cinema.

4. Time expressions used with the present continuous:e.g. now, at the moment, this week, today…

Present continuous: Form and spelling

FORM:Be + verb + -ingSPELLING( remember ) Living, studying, getting

ACTION AND NON-ACTION VERBS

Action verbs are verbs which describe actions. They can be used in the present simple or continuous.e.g. make, cook

Non-action verbs are verbs which describe states or feelings ( not actions), e.g. like, want, be are not normally used in the present continuous.

Common non-action verbs are:

Have ( possess), like, love, hate, need,

want, hope, prefer, find, know, think, realise, believe, understand, remember, seem, depend, suppose, mean, see, hear, smell, taste, agree.

have

Have has action and non-action meaning.action meaning –( experience) e.g.

I’m having lunchwe’re having a wonderful holiday

non-action meaning- ( possession)e.g.

we have a lovely room by the sea

Listening

Let's practise some more. Listen to the following conversation and find out which tenses are used:

http://www.english-test.net/esl/lesson-plans/grammar_tenses.html

Transcript part 1

- Good morning Darling, how are you feeling today?

- Thanks, I'm feeling OK, thanks. What's that sound? Are our neighbours testing their new power tools?

- No, this time it's not our neighbours but our kids.

- Our kids? What are they doing?

- Well, you'll be surprised -- they are listening to the CD you bought them for Christmas.

- Ah, I see. But why aren't they using their headphones?

- Headphones? Do they have headphones?

- Yes, of course they do. They are just not using them to provoke us.

Transcript part 2

Oh, come on. Don't say that. They probably think we should be listening to their music, too.

- Right. I should be listening to Techno songs at 9 o'clock on a Sunday morning. You must be kidding!

- 9 o'clock? It's 10:30, the sun is shining and your parents are coming in two hours. How about getting ready for them?

Transcript part 3

- Why are my parents visiting us today? Did you tell them about my promotion?

- Well, how did you think I could hide such news from them? Of course I told your mother about your success. We're are so proud of you!

- Thanks a lot. Maybe, today you are cooking lunch for a change?

- That won't be necessary I suppose. Our kids are already working hard in the kitchen.

- Is that true? We have wonderful kids, don't we?

Thanks to:

Face2face intermediate New English File intermediate http://www.english-test.net/esl/lesson-plans/g

rammar_tenses.html

By Elena Gómez