Practical grammar online: the present indefinite tense, the present continuous tense

OUR PLAN:
Revision: categories and classification of verbs.
2. Revision: the Present Indefinite Tense.
3. Exercise 1. Notes.
4. The Present Continuous Tense.
5. Exercises 2 and 3.

REVISION: the verb
Verbs are words…
Verbs have 7 categories…
Verbs can be classified according to…
There are two types of contexts…

Categories of verbs
Verbs have seven categories:
Mood [not this semester]
Tense [Present / Past / Future / Future-in-the-Past]
Aspect [Continuous / Non-Continuous]
Time Correlation [Perfect / Non-Perfect]
Voice [Active / Passive]
Person [1st, 2nd, 3rd]
Number [singular/ plural]
NB: The word ‘indefinite’ means ‘non-perfect + non-continuous’

Describe the forms in these sentences:
1. The friends climbed that mountain.
2. The TV had been fixed before.
3. Why are you whispering?
4. This ship will sink soon.
5. The universe has been expanding since the Big Bang.

Run this sentence through all the forms:
We lose this key regularly.

Classifications of verbs
According to the function in the sentence:
1)
2)
3)
4)
II. According to the type of object they take:
1)
2)
III. According to the ability to be used in the continuous form:
1)
2)
IV. According to the limit inside the action:

Classify these verbs:

Classify these verbs:

THE PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE: MEANINGS
1) to denote …
2) to express …
3) to denote actions at …
a)
b)
4) to denote …
a) with verbs of …
b) in …
c) after the phrases…
5) to denote
a) in …
b) in …

THE PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE: MEANINGS
1) to denote habitual actions or everyday activity;
2) to express a general statement or a universal truth;
3) to denote actions at the moment of speaking:
a) to show a succession of actions;
b) with stative verbs;
4) to denote a future action:
a) with verbs of motion to denote a settled plan;
b) in adverbial clauses of time, condition and concession
c) after the verb “to see” and the verbal phrases “to make sure”, “to take care”;
5) to denote a past action:
a) in newspaper headlines;
b) in vivid narration;

NB 1: Emphatic “Do”:
When the speaker wants to put special stress on the verb in a very emotional sentence, he or she may use the auxiliary “do” in the affirmative sentence.
e.g. Ask him again, he does know what it was.
She does help me so much!
I do understand that you are very busy, but will you explain this to me?
We do appreciate your help.

NB 2: THE INVISIBLE POSTER

NB 2: THE INVISIBLE POSTER:
We never use any future tenses
in adverbial clauses of
time, condition and concession.
When
After
Before
Until
While
Once
As
As soon as
If
Unless
Whatever
Whenever
Wherever
Whoever
Whichever
No matter how

EXERCISE 1.
1. I sleep here. My father sleeps in his study.
2. In case she wants to see him, he’ll come over.
3. ‘Your mouth is bleeding. Does it hurt?” Martha asked me.
4. Where do we go from here?
5. Please see that the children don’t get nervous.
6. I do a lot of travelling, you know.
7. One lives and learns.
8. He owns a big car.

EXERCISE 1.
9. “It won’t do any good to anyone if you get ill,” I said.
10. “His men act silently as a rule. They wear dark glasses and they call after dark,” he added.
11. You understand what we’re talking about?
12. Changes happen very quickly here.
13. How quickly you leap to his defence!
14. I said, “I take things as they come.”

EXERCISE 1.
15. His temper will not be right until we are at home again.
16. “Do you often,” I asked, “take holidays in these parts?”
17. She beat with her hand on the back of the sofa and cried to them: “You talk too much.”
18. “It’s too late to go anywhere.” “What do we do then?”
19. “Perhaps after breakfast I could ring up my family.” “The telephone does not work.”

EXERCISE 1.
20. Then the captain announced in a duty voice: “Tomorrow afternoon we arrive by four o’clock.”
21. The news calls for champagne,” Jones said.
22. Why don’t you go back home?
23. They wish to make sure that he does not alter his plans.
24. She thought he wanted to look a mystery man to her. “You play your role fine,” she said.
25. I brush my teeth every night.

EXERCISE 1.
26. “I give up,” she said. “You win”.
27. It is a scene in which Mr. Dante, in a white dinner-jacket, arrives at the ground floor by lift. The lift door opens, Dante gets out, looks at something on his left, registers alarm and walks away briskly.
28. I must be well by that time, whatever happens.
29. I’ve got to get him to the station. His train leaves at eleven.

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE:
Formation:
Meanings:
1)
2)
3)
4)
+ NB:

EXERCISE 2.
1. Bill, stop that disgusting game you’re playing.
2. They’ve moved to their London house. They are buying new furniture.
3. He paused and looked at her. “You are shaking. Are you all right?”
4. He is always having to check his emotions.
5. I am meeting Jason at his office on the 25th. Would you join us?
6. You know that cinema audiences are declining in the United States.

EXERCISE 2.
7. The rain is just beginning.
8. Sally put down the telephone. “It was Dan. He’s staying at the club tonight. He’s too tired to drive home.”
9. You are always drinking tea when I come here for a snack.
10. I miss her very much, almost every minute of the day I think of her, or I think I’m hearing her.
11. He started into the house ahead of us shouting, “Mary, what are you doing? Your guests have come.”

EXERCISE 2.
12. “I’m sorry,” I said, “I’m being clumsy.”
13. My cousin just rented an old barn to a young man who repairs bicycles. He’s there all the time. Even on Sundays. He’s working on some kind of invention.
14. My father is always saying things he shouldn’t say in front of me.
15. “Don’t go,” he said. “I feel faint. The room is spinning around.”

EXERCISE 2.
16. I’ll say good night to you, Mr. Brown, now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m feeling kind of exhausted this evening.
17. “Why are you still dressed?” her father asked. “I’m working tonight. Mr. Hardy has a meeting at his house. I’m going out there to take notes.”
18. “I’m not scared,” she said. “You are. You’re wishing I hadn’t done it.”
19. Paris is wonderful. I like the food here, and I’m eating like mad.
20. The aspirin isn’t working, I’m in pain.

EXERCISE 2.
21. Albert is doing quite nicely in the used-car business.
22. By the way, I’m having some people over for dinner tonight.
23. Helen, please don’t talk to me in a tiresome voice. You are not being scolded. We are simply discussing what can be done.
24. Come and sit by Leo and me. We’re having a boring gossip all about Peter’s chances.
25. Hello, Alice. You’re looking healthy, prosperous and fine.
26. “I’ve heard the whole story, all the town is talking of it,” he said.

EXERCISE 3.
1. He has suffered a great deal of pain. You (not to think) he (to behave) very well, though?
2. “I (to live) up there,” she said, indicating the gates.
3. I never (to change) my shoes even when I (to get) my feet wet.
4. “By the way,” I asked Arthur, “what Bill (to do) now?
5. The guard stared at him. “You (to have) a pass?”
6. “Mr. Brown (to play) cards?” he asked.
7. “Luis (to keep) something secret.” “He (not to tell) you everything?”

EXERCISE 3.
8. They will have to stay with us when they (to arrive) here.
9. “And what has become of Mr. Jones?” the man asked. “He (to do) well.”
10. “You must forgive me,” Mr. Smith said, “but I (not to touch) alcohol.”
11. It’s no use mumbling at me out of the side of your mouth, and imagining that you (to speak) French.
12. “Dan,” she said, turning to her husband with her hand over the mouthpiece, “why your brother (to call) so early?”
13. I (to believe) she (to feel) foolish this morning.

EXERCISE 3.
14. If there is one thing I (not to like) on a voyage it is the unexpected. Naturally I (not to talk) of the sea. The sea (to present) no problem.
15. He will give me a welcome whenever I (to come) here.
16. A very old woman was staring at them intently. “We (to do) something to attract attention?” Grace asked.
17. At the further end of the village (to stand) the medieval church.
18. “I shall go mad if this (to go) on much longer,” said Rex.
19. “Where’s Mrs. Hardy?” “Downstairs, Sir. She (to greet) the guests.”

EXERCISE 3.
20. May I put my car away in your garage in case anyone (to come)?
21. He gave me a smile as much as to say: “I only (to joke).”
22. Mr. Smith and I never (to travel) anywhere without a bottle of aspirin.
23. The wheel of her bicycle was bent out of shape. “What I (to do) now?” she asked.
24. She always (to try) to show off to her husband that she can do without him.
25. The doctor (not to see) the patients today. He has been called away.
26. “If you (to feel) so strongly,” she said, “why you (not to do) something about it?”