Unit 4: Present continuous and present simple 2 (I am doing and I do)

English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 4: Present continuous and present simple 2 (I am doing and I do)

We use continuous forms for actions and happenings that have started but not finished (they are eating / it is raining etc.). Some verbs (for example, know and like) are not normally used in this way. We don't say 'I am knowing' or 'they are liking'; we say 'I know', 'they like'.

The following verbs are not normally used in the present continuous:

like want need prefer

know realise suppose mean understand believe remember

belong fit contain consist seem

I'm hungry. I want something to eat. (not I'm wanting)
Do you understand what I mean?
Anna doesn't seem very happy at the moment.

Think

When think means 'believe' or 'have an opinion', we do not use the continuous:

I think Mary is Canadian, but I'm not sure. (not I'm thinking)
What do you think of my plan? (= What is your opinion?)

When think means 'consider', the continuous is possible:

I'm thinking about what happened. I often think about it.
Nicky is thinking of giving up her job. (= she is considering it)

see hear smell taste

We normally use the present simple (not continuous) with these verbs:

Do you see that man over there? (not Are you seeing)
This room smells. Let's open a window.

We often use can + see/hear/smell/taste:

I can hear a strange noise. Can you hear it?

Look feel

You can use the present simple or continuous to say how somebody looks or feels now:

You look well today. or You're looking well today.
How do you feel now? or How are you feeling now?

but

I usually feel tired in the morning. (not I'm usually feeling)

He is selfish and He is being selfish

He's being = He's behaving / He's acting. Compare:

I can't understand why he's being so selfish. He isn't usually like that.
(being selfish = behaving selfishly at the moment)
He never thinks about other people. He is very selfish. (not He is being)
(= He is selfish generally, not only at the moment)

We use am/is/are being to say how somebody is behaving. lt is not usually possible in other sentences:

It's hot today. (not It is being hot)
Sarah is very tired. (not is being tired)

4.1 Put the verb into the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

Are you hungry? ⁽¹⁾ (you / want) something to eat?
Don't put the dictionary away. ⁽²⁾ __________ (I / use) it.
Don't put the dictionary away. ⁽³⁾ __________ (I / need) it.
Who is that man? What ⁽⁴⁾ __________ (he / want)?
Who is that man? Why ⁽⁵⁾ __________ (he / look) at us?
Alan says he's 80 years old, but nobody ⁽⁶⁾ __________ (believe) him.
She told me her name, but ⁽⁷⁾ __________ (I / not / remember) it now.
⁽⁸⁾ __________ (I / think) of selling my car. Would you be interested in buying it?
⁽⁹⁾ __________ (I / think) you should sell your car. ⁽¹⁰⁾ __________ (you / not / use) it very often.
Air ⁽¹¹⁾ __________ (consist) mainly of nitrogen and oxygen.

4.2 Use the words in brackets to make sentences. (You should also study Unit 3 before you do this exercise.)

(you / not / seem / very happy today) ⁽¹⁾ .
(what / you / do?) ⁽²⁾ __________ ?
Be quite! (I / think) ⁽³⁾ __________ .
(who / this umbrella / belong to?) ⁽⁴⁾ __________ ?
I have no idea.
(the dinner / smell / good) ⁽⁵⁾ __________ .
Excuse me. (anybody / sit / there?) ⁽⁶⁾ __________ ?
No, it's free.
(these gloves / not / fit / me) ⁽⁷⁾ __________ .
There're too small.

4.3 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct them where necessary.

_____ Nicky is thinking of giving up her job.
__________
_____ Are you believing in God?
__________
_____ I'm feeling hungry. Is there anything to eat?
__________
_____ This sauce is great. It's tasting really good.
__________
_____ I'm thinking this is your key. Am I right?
__________

4.4 Complete the sentences using the most suitable form of be. Use am/is/are being (continuous) where possible; otherwise use am/is/are (simple).

I can't understand why so selfish. He isn't usually like that.
Sarah __________ very nice to me at the moment. I wonder why.
You'll like Sop hie when you meet her. She __________ very nice.
You're usually very patient, so why __________ so unreasonable about waiting ten more minutes?
Why isn't Steve at work today? __________ ill?

Answer Key

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