English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Present simple and present continuous

A. Underline the correct option.

1   Ice melts / is melting above 0°C.

2   Have you got an umbrella? It starts / is starting to rain.

3   Gabriela looks lovely today – she wears / is wearing her new dress.

4   Paul’s daughter lives in Spain – he visits / is visiting her two or three times a year.

5   There goes / is going Maggie, on her way to work, I suppose.

6   Don’t worry, I promise /am promising I won’t tell anyone your secret.

7   This carpet gets / is getting very dirty – maybe we should wash it.

8   That’s great tennis from Thompson as he hits / is hitting another winning shot into the corner!

B. Complete the sentences, using the present simple or present continuous form of the verb given.

1   always go

      a   Sue and I ………………… to the cinema on Thursdays,

      b   I saw Mary in the travel agent’s this afternoon – she ………………… on holiday!

2   play

      a   Giovanni ………………… football for a local team,

      b   Anthony ………………… in goal today because our normal goalkeeper is injured.

3   have

      a   I ………………… lunch at the moment. Can I phone you back in half an hour?

      b   The hotel ………………… 14 double rooms, all with bathrooms.

4   wonder

      a   We ………………… whether we should buy a birthday present for Lucie.

      b   l ………………… what time the next train is.

5   come

      a   Look – here ………………… the bus, at last!

      b   More and more people ………………… to live here these days.

6   (you) think

      a   You look worried – what ………………… about?

      b   Why ………………… Jim is so happy today? Is it his birthday or something?

7   stand

      a   St Thomas’s Tower ………………… at the entrance to the harbour.

      b   A strange woman ………………… outside the house. Do you know her?

8   work

      a   It’s 8.30 on a hot July evening. Gordon Stevens ………………… late in his office, when suddenly…

      b   These tablets ………………… better if you take them with food.

C. Underline the correct option. Sometimes both options are possible.

1   John regrets / is regretting the wav he behaved yesterday.

2   Mistakes like that cost / are costing the company a lot of money.

3   Sue has / is having the flu, so she’s off work today.

4   It’s a very simple camera. You just press / are just pressing the button and that’s it!

5   My neighbours are really noisy – they always play / are always playing loud music late at night.

6   Annie’s car doesn’t sound / isn’t sounding very good. She should take it to a garage.

7   I don’t have / am not having much time right now. Can we talk tomorrow instead?

8   The company hopes / is hoping to expand into Europe in the next few years.

D. Complete the sentences with the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

1   I ………………… a little Italian, but I can’t speak it. (understand)

2   My cousins ………………… skiing nearly every winter, (usually go)

3   Here ………………… Michelle. Maybe she wants to talk to me. (come)

4   I invited Jill to the party – she ………………… to it. (look forward)

5   ………………… what time the bank opens? (you know)

6   This bed ………………… 180 centimetres by 210 centimetres – I think it’s too big. (measure)

7   A:   What …………………?

     B:   My homework. Don’t interrupt me. (do)

8   I just heard Wendy’s news – she ………………… a baby. (expect)

9   The first thing to do is peel the potatoes. Then you ………………… them in salted water for about 20 minutes. (boil)

10   And at the line… Powell ………………… – in 9.64 seconds – a new personal best! (win)

E. Complete the news story, using the present simple or continuous form of the verbs in the box.

JOHNSON 1………………

FOR NEW CONTRACT

City striker Simon Johnson 2……………… a new contract, and the club 3……………… the possibility of offering him a five-year deal, according to Johnson’s website. The news 4……………… Johnson’s winning goal in last Saturday’s game against their rivals United. Johnson’s agent told reporters: ‘Simon 5……………… the best football of his career, and the fans 6……………… him. He 7……………… a lot of goals at the moment, and he 8……………… he can help the club to win the league. Simon 9……………… one of the best players at the club, and right now he 10……………… scoring lots more goals for them in the next twelve months.’

F. Write three things that you are doing at this minute, three things that you are doing these days buy only temporarily, and three things that you always do.

Examples: I’m wearing black jeans. I’m reading War and Peace. I always go to bed early.

………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………….

G. Circle the correct option.

1   I ………………… there are going to be a lot of people at the match tonight.

      a   am hearing

      b   can hear 

      c   hear

2   Hey, look. Here ………………… Robert. I wonder why he’s smiling.

      a   goes

      b   comes

      c   is coming

3   ………………… for money. It’s really annoying.

      a   She forever asks

      b   She asks forever

      c   She’s forever asking

4   ………………… getting a new camera. This one is getting really old now.

      a   I’m thinking of

      b   I think of

      c   I think about

5   Do we have to go home now? ………………… so much fun!

      a   I’ve got

      b   I have

      c   I’m having