English Grammar Exercises for B1 B2 – Present simple and present continuous

A. Underline the correct option.

It’s the middle of the afternoon. In a quiet neighbourhood a burglar (1) tries / is trying to break into a house. He (2) creeps / is creeping round the house when he (3) hears / is hearing a voice. ‘Spider-Man (4) watches / is watching you!’ The burglar (5) turns / is turning round quickly but he (6) doesn’t see / isn’t seeing anything. So he (7) starts / is starting creeping across the garden again.

‘Spider-Man (8) watches / is watching you!’

The burglar (9) hears / is hearing the voice again and this time he (10) sees / is seeing a parrot. The parrot (11) sits / is sitting by the side of the house.

(12) ‘Do you talk / Are you talking to me?’ (13) asks / is asking the burglar.

‘Yes,’ (14) says / is saying the parrot. ‘How do you do? I’m Batman.’

‘That’s a silly name,’ (15) laughs / is laughing the burglar. ‘Why (16) does your owner call / is your owner calling you that?’

‘I have no idea,’ (17) replies / is replying the parrot, ‘and (18) I don’t know / I’m not knowing why the rottweiler’s name is Spider-Man.’

‘I (19) don’t want / am not wanting to find out!’ the burglar (20) says / is saying.

And he (21) runs / is running away!

B. Match each text 1-5 to a description a-e. Then complete the texts using the words in brackets and either the present simple or the present continuous.

1   …c…

      You ……go…… (go) along this street and you ……turn…… (turn) left at the end. The shop is on your right.

2   ……

      As oil prices rise, the cost of air travel ………………. (increase). Reports show that as a result more and more people ………………. (stay) at home for their holidays and ………………. (not travel) abroad.

3   ……

      What annoys me about my sister? Well, she ………………. (always talk) to her friends on the phone! And she ………………. (always lose) things.

4   ……

      I ………………. (work) at the garage until September.

5   ……

      I enjoyed this. It’s about a guy who ………………. (go) round the world and ………………. (travel) on as many different forms of transport as possible.

a   a description of change

b   a book review

c   directions

d   criticism

e   temporary situation

C. Match the pairs.

a   is coming out.

b   always comes after rain.

a   at home in the evenings.

b   in the country for very long.

a   is rising

b   rises early.

a   it’s getting cold

b   it gets cold.

a   to meeting you at the interview tomorrow.

b   to seeing you in town tomorrow.

D. Complete the sentences using the verbs from the box in the present simple or present continuous. Each verb is used twice.

1   The child ……weighs…… 21 kilos.

2   He ………………………… all the ingredients for a cake.

3   They ………………………… any pets.

4   Alex ………………………… breakfast this morning.

5   What ………………………… about?

6   What ………………………… of this photo?

7   You ………………………… very happy.

8   You won’t find it. You ………………………… in the right place.

E. Complete the questions using the verbs in brackets in either the present simple or present continuous.

1    A: ……Do you know…… that woman? (know)

      B: No, I’ve never met her before.

2    A: When …………………………? (get home)

      B: Usually at about 4.

3    A: Where ………………………… she …………………………? (go)

      B: To the shop, I think.

4   A: ………………………… you …………………………? (agree)

      B: Yes, I think you are right.

5    A: Why …………………………? (laugh)

      B: I just heard a funny joke.

6    A: ………………………… his name? (remember)

      B: I think it began with B.

7    A: What …………………………? (read)

      B: It’s a novel by a new young writer.

8    A: Why …………………………? (cry)

      B: It’s a really sad film.

F. Complete the sentences in an appropriate way.

1   First of all, the oven has to be not ……and then you put the cake in for 20 minutes…… .

2   ………………………… because he’s a vegetarian.

3   On Saturday I work in a café all day but ………………………… .

4   ………………………… but she wants to be a doctor one day.

5   Hurry up – ………………………… .

6   Look – ………………………… .

7   I’m an only child – ………………………… .

8   He makes me angry – ………………………… .

G. Complete the descriptions by inventing answers to the questions.

1    Where are you? And what are you doing?

      I’m in bed and I’m sleeping.

      What happens next? The alarm rings. I turn it off and go back to sleep.

      How do you feel? I feel tired.

2    When is it? And where are you?

      ……………………………………………………

      What happens next? I see my brother.

      How do you feel? …………………………

3    When is it? And where are you?

      ……………………………………………………

      What happens next? The lights go out.

      How do you feel? …………………………

4    Where are you? And what are you doing?

      ……………………………………………………

      What happens next? I see someone famous and I go up to her.

      How do you feel? …………………………

5    When is it? And what are you doing?

      ……………………………………………………

      What happens next? The car breaks down.

      How do you feel? …………………………

6    When is it? And what are you doing?

      ……………………………………………………

      What happens next? A stranger comes up to me.

      How do you feel? …………………………

H. Circle the correct option.

1   The Pyrenees ……………… on the border between France and Spain.

      a lie     b lies     c are lying

2   This bag ……………… to me.

      a doesn’t belongs

      b doesn’t belong

      c isn’t belonging

3   We sometimes ……………… the car racing in the holidays.

      a watch     b watches

      c are watching

4   It’s Sunday and I’m bored. It ……………… heavily.

      a rain     b rains     c is raining

5   This film is great – I ……………… it!

      a really like

      b am really like

      c am really liking