How`s it going?

Chapter 3

Present Continuous Tense

In English , the present continuous tense (sometimes referred to as present progressive tense) is very important when expressing actions happening NOW .

Construction:

Key Questions What are you doing ? What's happening ? What is going on?

Describe what's happening in the following pictures.

We use present continuous when we speak about action verbs happening at the moment of speaking.

come - coming drive - driving run - running

cook - cooking watch - watching listen - listening

dance - dancing sing - singing talk - talking

sit - sitting read - reading eat - eating

We use the simple present tense when we talk about things in general or when we are stating a fact but we use the present continuous when we talk about an action that is going on now. A good example of this difference is when we discuss sports or talk about languages. Don't forget that with the simple present tense we must put a "s" at the end of the verb for:

He, She and It.

Ex.

I play basketball. ( = I play on a regular basis, in general)

I am playing basketball. (= I am playing at this moment, right now)

Monica speaks Spanish. ( =She usually speaks Spanish. It is her native language.)

Monica is speaking English. (= She is speaking English now. We don't know if it's her native language or not)

When we talk about doing sports in the present tense, we often use the word play/plays . The rule is if it is a team sport we need to use the verb PLAY but if it is an individual sport we use the verb itself. Let me show you what I mean.

Team Sport Individual Sport

Bruce plays basketball.(not He basketballs) but Mira skies. (not She plays ski.).

I play tennis. You swim.

My sister and I play soccer. They run.

Exception : Since golf can be played individually or in a group, you can use either form.

My father golfs. or My father plays golf.

Sports Vocabulary :

baseball hockey basketball

skiing skating soccer

swimming gymnastics rugby

cycling hiking running

roller blading dancing badminton

wrestling boxing weightlifting

snowboarding surfing diving

walking football tennis

Note : if you talk about martial arts, eg. kung fu, kendo, karate

you must using the verb to practice

Ex. I practice karate. Now, I am practicing kung fu.

Negative formation Question formation

Present continuous questions can also be made up using the WH- question words:

What are you doing ?

Where is Carlos going ?

What are Susan and Edward eating ?

Why are they watching on television ?

What kind of music are they listening to ?

Who is she thinking about ?

When are we having a party ?

Where are you calling from ?

Who are you talking to ?

Substitute present continuous in the following sentences :

Listen ! Elvis is playing the guitar.

They ______ ____________ in an expensive restaurant.

Look ! The children _______ ______________ in the lake.

You ______ ______________ on my foot.

Hurry up ! The subway ______  _____________ .

Where are you, Mom ? In the kitchen. I ______ ____________ dinner.

"Hello. Can I speak you Jamie, please ?" IŽm sorry he ______ ______________ a shower right now."

What ______ you ____________ on television ?

9. Who ______ your sister _____________ to at this time of night ?

10. Why _____ he _____________ the music so loud ?

Class Activity : Look around the classroom or outside the window and describe what you see . Exchange ideas with the other classmates and then write them down. You can also use magazines or interesting photographs to describe things that are happening in the present continuous tense.

Write it !

6. __________ ______ ____ _____ _______ ______ _________ .

Conversation Practice :

Helen : What are you doing ?

George: I'm thinking ?

Helen: What are you thinking about ?

George: I'm thinking about food ?

Helen: Are you going out to eat ?

George: Are you joking ? I don't have enough money to go out ? Why? Are you going out for lunch ?

Helen : Well, I am thinking about it. You can borrow some money from me.

George : Well, okay. Let's go. I am starving.*

Helen : Yeah, I'm starving*, too!

I am starving = I am very hungry.

What is happening ??????   Discuss these pictures with your class.

this/ that / these / those (demonstrative adjectives)

This is my passport This passport is very important when I am traveling .

We use this when we are talking about a single object that is close to us.(relatively)

Key Question : What is this? Is this passport important?

That is a bowling ball. That bowling ball is heavy.

We use that when we are talking about a single object that is far from us. (relatively)

Key Question : What is that ? Is that bowling ball heavy ?

These are flowers. These flowers are dandelions.

We use these when we are talking about two or more objects that are close to us.

Key Question : What are these ? Are these flowers daisies?

Those are hot air balloons. Those balloons are beautiful.

We use those when we are talking about two or more things that are far from us.

Key Question What are those ? Are those balloons beautiful?

Fill in the blanks using this or these.

_____________ table 5. _____________ windows

_____________ forks 6. _____________ door

_____________ computer 7. _____________ car

_____________ pencils 8. _____________ girls

This - That or These - Those

this' indicates that something is close to us. 'that' indicates that something is at a distance.

This pencil is in my hand.

That pencil is over there on the book.

the plural of this is these. the plural of that is those.

These pencils are in my hand.

Those pencils are over there on the book.

Change the following sentences from singular to plural or from plural to singular.

1.- That door is very big.

2.- That paper is blue.

3.- These markers are green.

4.- This exercise is long.

5.- Those clouds are white.

6.- That apple is terrible.

7.- Those students are wonderful.

8.- These plants are fabulous.

9.- This man is tall.

10.- That woman is thin.

11.- This knife is old.

12.- Those children are young.

13.- These babies are chubby.

14.- That rose is pretty.

15.- This building is low.

Fill in the blanks using that or those.

___________ clock 5. __________ tree

___________ socks 6. __________ eggs

___________ movie theatre  7. __________ videos

___________ airplane 8. __________ people

Class activity : Make some sentences using objects in your classroom. Each student should share four sentences, one for each of these adjectives, with the other students in the class.

Conversation Practice :

Danny : Is this a good book ?

Randy : Yes, this is an excellent book.

Danny : What about that one ?

Randy : No, I donŽt like it. Danny are these your glasses ?

Danny : No, those ones are mine, not these ones.

Randy : Oh, yeah these are too strong for you.

one / ones

* We use one or ones when we know which object or objects we are talking about because you can see it or because of the previous sentence.

Review the conversation:

Yes, this is an excellent book.

What about that one (that book) ? It is understood by both Danny and Randy that they mean book because of the context.(the previous sentence clearly states they are referring to a book).

More examples :

These cookies are delicious. Would you like one (a cookie) ?

Can I borrow a pencil ? Sure, you can use this one (this pencil) .

Which flowers do you want ? I want these red ones. (these red flowers).

This box is too small. I need that one (that box).

That cup is dirty. Can I use this one (this cup) ?

Simple Future Tense

In the story we use the future tense to talk about events in the future. The future tense is one of the easiest tenses to learn in English because you only have to remember the word WILL . Take any present participle of any verb and put the word will before it and you have the simple future.

Ex. :

Contractions

I will see a good movie tonight. (to see) IŽll see a good movie tonight.

You will be on television next week.(to be) YouŽll be on television next week..

He will have a big exam next Monday.(to have) HeŽll have a big exam next Monday.

She will give a speech for her campaign.(to give) SheŽll give a speech for her campaign

It will change by Friday.(to change) ItŽll change by Friday.

We will invite friends over for dinner.(to invite) WeŽll invite friends over for dinner.

You will come to my house tomorrow.(to come) YouŽll come to my house tomorrow.

They will play at the nightclub at 10p.m..(to play) TheyŽll play at the nightclub at 10.

Negative formation Question formation

Answer the following questions using the simple future tense :

Ex. Will the bus arrive soon ? Yes, it will. ItŽll arrive in 10 minutes.

Will the soup be ready soon ? Yes, _____. _________ in a few minutes.

Will Dr. Jones be here soon ? Yes, _____ . _________ in about half an hour.

3. Will the supper be ready soon ? Yes, _____ . _________ in the next few minutes.

4. Will you get the new job ? Yes, _____ . _________ next week.

5. Will they go to the party ? Yes, _____ . _________ tomorrow night.

6. Will we go to Europe in June ? Yes, _____ . ________ in June.

7. Will Janet leave the hospital ? Yes, _____ . ________ next Friday.

I CANŽT WAIT FOR SPRING !

Winters in Canada are very long. They are usually four to five months. What a pain in the neck* ! I'm tired of winter. I'm sick of the snow and ice. IŽm sick of the icy weather and the winter coats, winter boots and winter hats ! In a few more weeks it won't be winter any more. It'll be spring. Yeah ! No more cold weather. The sun will be warm. I won't have to shovel snow or worry about slipping on the ice. I won't have to wear heavy winter clothes any more. I will be able to take nice, long walks outside. IŽll be able to ride my bicycle to work.

In a few weeks, the neighborhood won't look slushy and gray. The flowers will begin to grow and things will start to look green again. Now that spring is coming, my family will spend more time outside. We will work hard in the garden. We will have picnics on Sunday afternoons in the park. Everything will start to bloom and the cycle of life will continue. The birds will return home. I really love the spring.

a pain in the neck = something that is uncomfortable, irritating, annoying

Winter Spring Fall / Autumn Summer

Questions about the seasons : discuss together in the class

What's your favorite season ? Why ?

What season is it now ? What is the weather like now ?

Describe the weather right now using the present continuous.

Ex. It is raining. It is sunny. etc...

What will the next season be ? (use future tense)

How many seasons do you have in your country ?

How would you describe winter, spring, summer and fall ?

Do you like the change of seasons ?

Gail and Sheila are getting ready to go out to a party and are trying to decide what to wear.. Underline the present continuous, demonstrative adjectives and the future tense in their conversation. Then practice the conservation with a classmate and change the conversation using yourselves instead of Gail and Sheila.

Gail: Do you think this party will be fun ?

Sheila : Sure, what are you going to wear ?

Gail: I'm not sure maybe this red dress.

Sheila : That one, are you kidding ? That's a little too sexy for this party.

Gail : Why? I think a lot of people will get dressed up ?

Sheila : Dressed up maybe but I still think you will get into trouble if you wear that dress ?

Gail : Okay, okay. Maybe you're right. What about this green one ? Is it conservative enough for you ?

Sheila : Yeah, that one is perfect. It looks great on you!

Gail : What are you going to wear ?

Sheila : I am thinking about this black strapless dress ?

Gail : Oh brother! Then I am definitely wearing the red one!

Discuss the following questions in class.

Do you think it'll rain tomorrow ?

Do you think you will get married ?

Do you think that the summer will be very hot this year ? Do you think the winter will be long this year ?

Do you think there will be another world war ?

Do you think there will be world peace someday ?

Do you think that we will travel to other planets in the future ?

Now come up with some of your own questions using the simple future or the present continuous tenses. Write them down in the spaces below.

__________ ______ ____ __________ ______ ____ _____________

__________ ______ ____ __________ ______ ____ _____________

__________ ______ ____ __________ ______ ____ _____________

__________ ______ ____ __________ ______ ____ _____________