SOLUTIONS TO THE EXERCISES ON PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Exercise 1  (Negatives are given in their contracted form, affirmatives are not given in their contracted form, but in speech present continuous tenses are normally contracted in the affirmative.)

1 are you going; am going, do you want

2 do you smoke; I don't smoke, smokes, I do; spends 

3 sees; are you waiting; am waiting 

4 you usually go; belongs, wants; is using 

5 go; takes, passes; is working, am queueing 

6 Are you coming, are you waiting; think, wait, are, looks 

7 are waiting; is dialling; Do you know; phones 

8 does he come; comes; speaks 

9 wonder, is speaking; comes, suppose, is speaking 

10 are having; are opening; writes; get; have you (got) 

11 says, is coming, wants 

12 Do you have/Have you got; don't think; don't see; does a traffic warden do 

13 walks, stays, parks, sticks 

14 is putting; sees; hates

15 want; are just closing; we always close, doesn't want 

16 is listening, is reading, is doing, is writing 

17 reads; knits, isn't knitting 

18 goes, doesn't go; likes; prefers 

19 are watching; are enjoying, don't understand 

20 happens; Does the teacher give; gives, shows, discusses 

21 gets;, sits, stands, walks, runs 

22 is that man standing; is trying, is waiting; doesn't he use/isn't he using; don't bother; prefer 

23 are wearing; Do you like; suits, doesn't fit 

24 speak, come 

25 is taking, is coming 

26 talk; prefer; are talking; aren't talking 

27 are having; am meeting; Do you go 

28 go, am going; takes, costs 

29 Are you doing; am packing, am catching; are you staying 

30 Are you going; I am staying; are coming; Do you invite; invite 

31 am just going; is pouring; don't you wait; stops 

32 gets, washes, shaves, gets, don't hear; hear, makes

33 gets; makes, wakes; sings, bangs, drops, plays 

34 don't you ask; mention, doesn't do; says, doesn't make, think, believes 

35 Do you see; keeps; Do you think, is asking; expect, is making; do you make; stop, ask, write 

36 starts, stays; moves; takes, does, wishes

Exercise 2  (Negatives are given in their contracted form, affirmatives are not given in their contracted form, but in speech present continuous tenses are normally contracted in the affirmative.)

1 writes, know, is doing; Does your son write; hear; seems 

2 cost; Do you think; depends 

3 am seeing; am changing; are always changing; don't you leave 

4 look/are looking, are you thinking, am thinking; are only just starting; know, am reading, says, starts 

5 is always knocking on my door and asking; does she do; puts; don't mind, annoys, knows, needs, takes 

6 does she do, runs out; borrows, takes, wants, finds 

7 does she owe; don't know, don't keep; is leaving, is getting; am trying 

8 don't you offer; sounds; doesn't realize, owes 

9 says, owe, seem, owes, remember 

10 don't think, is enjoying; keeps, is enjoying; enjoys; know, wants, is expecting/expects 

11 are you staying; am leaving; am going 

12 are you coming, are you going; depends; agrees; expect 

13 is seeing; don't you come 

14 Do you see; is watching; do you know, is watching; comes, goes, makes 

15 are all these people doing, are they wearing; they are making; are working 

16 sounds; Do you think; don't know, see, finish, are still taking on 

17 Is Ann acting; doesn't act; imagine, knows 

18 lives, come, see; doesn't bother, climbs, knocks 

19 are moving; are you leaving; suits; know, does, is/are pulling down; are widening; say 

20 ask, likes, says, don't know, thinks, suits, is merely being 

21 want; tells, says, thinks 

22 Does your sister's frankness annoy; does; doesn't want; wants 

23 hear; am not living; are still working, is taking 

24 think, take, expects; are they doing; are putting; seem, smoke, slows 

25 are always hammering; keeps, begins, hear; shakes 

26 is stirring, is standing; says, are boiling; don't think, matters, cook, don't know, isn't getting; thickens 

27 is being painted, isn't looking; Do they stop; are having 

28 does the word 'Establishment' mean; doesn't give; means, have 

29 say, belongs, imply, accepts; isn't trying/doesn't try

30 Do all rich men belong; do, are always jeering/always jeer; is used

31 is being pulled; are using; go, get 

32 smell; do; think, is coming; is probably ironing; irons, watches, gets, forgets, is pressing; is thinking 

33 are you looking; am looking; am always looking, puts; put; don't you try 

34 are travelling; is reading, is doing, is looking out; stops, falls 

35 spends; amuses; is watching, sees 

36 does; checks; doesn't need; happens, makes; makes