Unit 1 – present simple and present continuous

We need to know when and how to use the present simple and continuous in context.
Let’s look at:
When we use the present simple.
When we use the present continuous.
How we make sentences in the present simple and continuous.
Adverbs of frequency and adverbial phrases.
When do we use the present simple?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

Function: When do we use the present simple?
I go snowboarding every weekend in winter. I absolutely love it!
Wow! Snowboarding is an expensive hobby. I read a book a few months ago about a professional female snowboarder. She has no money at the beginning of the book, but in the end, she starts winning competitions and gets sponsorship.
Look at the conversation above. Match the sentences in bold to the uses in the table. One is done for you as an example.
I go snowboarding every weekend.
I absolutely love it!
Snowboarding is an expensive hobby.
She has no money at the beginning of the book.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

Function: present simple and continuous
We will learn more about state verbs later…
She has no money at the beginning of the book.
I absolutely love it!
present simple
I go snowboarding every weekend.
Snowboarding is an expensive hobby.
When do we use the present continuous?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

Function: When do we use the present continuous?
I’m reading that book at the moment! It’s so inspiring! People are always complaining that snowboarding is too expensive, but actually, it’s getting cheaper because more people are doing it.
Look at the next part of the conversation. Match the sentences in bold to the uses in the table.
I’m reading that book at the moment.
People are always complaining…
It’s getting cheaper because more people are doing it.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

Function: present simple and continuous
She has no money at the beginning of the book.
I absolutely love it!
present simple
I go snowboarding every weekend.
Snowboarding is an expensive hobby.
present continuous
it’s getting cheaper because more people are doing it.
People are always complaining that snowboarding is too expensive.
I’m reading that book at the moment!
We never use state verbs in the continuous.
This is usually something you aren’t happy about.
Let’s consider…
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

Something to consider…
Look at the next part of the conversation.
This sentence talks about a temporary action, one that is changing, but notice that it is in the present simple, not continuous. This is because have in this context is a state verb, not an action verb.
We do not use state verbs in continuous structures. They are always in the simple tenses.
We can also use time expressions to describe actions happening now or around now with state verbs in the present simple.
Some verbs can be state verbs or action verbs depending on the context, e.g.
I was thinking about Laura when she walked in.
Think here is an action verb. You can imagine the speaker’s brain working.
I think he’s German.
Think is a state verb here meaning the same as believe.
How do we make sentences in the present simple and continuous?
At the moment, I have a bad back, so I can’t go.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

Form: present simple and continuous
I’m reading that book at the moment!
Look at these parts of the conversation again and answer the questions.
She has no money at the beginning of the book, but in the end she starts winning competitions.
I go snowboarding every weekend.
Look at this sentence: ‘I go snowboarding every weekend.’ How do we make this sentence negative?
We add don’t, e.g. ‘I don’t (do not) go snowboarding every weekend.’
How do we make this sentence negative: ‘I’m reading that book at the moment?’
We add not, e.g. ‘I’m not (am not) reading that book at the moment.’
Can you make these two sentences into questions using you?
1. Do you go snowboarding every weekend?
2. Are you reading that book at the moment?
Look at the bold sentences in the red bubble. Why does the verb start end in -s? Has is the irregular present simple form of what verb?
We add an -s to verbs in the third person singular (he/she/it) in the present simple. Has comes from the verb to have.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

Form: present simple and continuous
present simple
present continuous
The bare infinitive is without to.
Careful with spelling in the third person. Depending on the verb, we can add
-s/-es/-ies.
Open questions require a question word and a longer answer. Closed questions don’t use a question word and we answer yes/no.
With the present continuous, we make the negative by changing the verb to be.
With the present continuous, we make questions by inverting the subject and the verb to be.
Adverbs and adverbial phrases...
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+

I go snowboarding .
1
2
3
always
Adverbs and adverbial phrases
It’s important to know where these types of words go in a sentence.
4
Look at the adverbs/adverbial phrases and choose where you think they go in the sentence.
never
in winter
sometimes
most days
Now look at this sentence and do the same thing.
Snowboarding is exciting .
1
2
3
4
always
never
in winter
sometimes
most days

Adverbs and adverbial phrases: Word order
Adverbs of frequency are commonly used in the present simple tense, e.g. always, sometimes, never, often.
They can also go at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis, e.g. ‘Most days, I go snowboarding.’ If we do this, we must add a comma after the adverbial phrase.
adverbs of frequency
1. Before the main verb.
2. After the verb to be.
I always go snowboarding.
Snowboarding is always expensive.
adverbial phrases
1. At the end of the sentence.
I go snowboarding in winter.
Adverbial phrases often tell us when we do something, e.g. most days, every day, in summer, at the weekends.
Let’s practise!
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+