Business English – Teacher: Roberta Galvao 1

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PRESENT SIMPLE VS PRESENT CONTINUOUS EXERCISES

1. Put the verbs into the correct tense (present simple OR present continuous):
The train always ________________(1: leave) on time.

"What's the matter? Why ________________(2: cry/you)?"

That's strange. They________________(3: not to watch) TV.

He________________(4: not to speak) very good English.

Please be quiet! I________________(5: do) my homework.

Where________________(6: live/they)?

Listen! John ________________ music! (7: play)

I never ________________(8: go) to the swimming pool.

Harold Black's a famous pianist. He________________(9: give) two or three concerts

every week.

He ________________(10: travel) a lot and this week he's in New York.

He________________(11: stay) at an expensive hotel. He's at his hotel now.

He________________(12: have) his breakfast in the dining−room.

He________________(13: drink) a cup of coffee and he________________(14: read) a

newspaper.

Harold's always very busy. He________________(15: play) the piano regularly.

He________________(16: practise) for four hours every day.

He________________(17: go) to bed late and he always ________________(18: get

up) early.

But he sometimes________________(19: get) dressed too quickly, and this morning

he________________(20: wear) one blue sock and one red one!

2. Complete the sentences below using one of the verbs in the box in the correct form.
You may use each verb once only.

enjoy, prefer, play, produce, work, seem, know, interview, wait, talk, finish

1. I always ________ tennis on Fridays.

2. He ________ his report. He will bring it into the office when it is complete.
 Business English – Teacher: Roberta Galvao 2

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3. "My parents phoned me this morning. They _________ themselves in the

Seychelles. Champagne every night! In fact, they don't want to leave."
4. We ________ to entertain our guests in a local restaurant rather than the canteen.
Although it is expensive, we can talk freely there.
5. I ___________ the answer to your problem. Get a new computer.
6. "Where is John?" "In his office ____________ for an important telephone call."
7. I can't make the meeting tomorrow. I _____________ the applicants for the sales
manager's job.
8. My brother _____________ for Shink Inc. which makes bathroom fittings.
9. Who ___________ to Bill? Is it the new secretary?
10. The new contract ________________ fine to me. However, could you just check it
through once more?

3. Choose the correct form for each verb.

1. Marie-Claude isn't a Canadian. I ________ she comes from France.

A. believe B. am believing

2. Look! Junko ________ into the water.

A. jumps B. is jumping

3. I ________ you're crazy!

A. think B. am thinking

4. Don't give Jan any cheese. She ________ it!

A. hates B. is hating

5. I ________ to Toronto next Thursday. Do you want to come?

A. go B. am going

6. Once a week, I ________ to an art class at the college.

A. go B. am going

7. I ________ lunch in the cafeteria every day.

A. have B. am having

8. Salman is rich — he ________ a Mercedes.

A. drives B. is driving

9. You won't find Jerry at home right now. He ________ in the library.
A. studies B. is studying

10. It ________ quite hard — perhaps we shouldn't go out tonight.

A. snows B. is snowing
 Business English – Teacher: Roberta Galvao 3

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4. Put the verb in brackets in the correct form (present simple or present continuous)

Next week, my friends and I _________ (go) camping in the woods. I ____________
(organize) the food, because I _____________ (like) cooking. Dave ________________
(have) a big car with a trailer, so he _____________ (plan) the transportation. Sam
______________ (bring) the tent — he ___________ (go) camping every year, so he
_________ (have) a great tent and lots of other equipment. My wife _______ (think)
we're crazy. She (like) _______________ holidays in comfortable hotels, so she
______________ (take) a trip to Paris instead.

5. Present Simple or Continuous? Choose the correct alternative(s) in the sentences

1-8 below.

1 Today she ’s spending/spends time with her grandmother.

2 They usually are going/go to the gym on Sundays.
3 We ’re having/have a barbecue later on. Do you want to come?
4 No, she can’t answer the phone, she has/is having a shower.
5 I always have/am having a coffee before I ’m leaving/leave for work in the morning.
6 They sometimes fly/are flying to Sweden, but usually they are going/go by boat.
7 Where are you? I ’m sitting/sit outside in the sunshine!
8 He always brings/is bringing a monolingual dictionary to his English class.
 Business English – Teacher: Roberta Galvao 4

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KEY EXERCISE 1 1. leaves | 2. are you crying | 3. are not watching (= aren't watching) |
4. does not speak (= doesn't speak) | 5. Am doing | 6. do they live | 7. is playing | 8. Go
9. gives | 10. travels | 11. is staying (= he's staying) | 12. is having | 13. is drinking | 14.
is reading | 15. plays | 16. practises | 17. doesn't go | 18. gets up | 19. gets | 20. is
wearing

EXERCISE 2 1. I always play tennis on Fridays. 2. He is finishing his report. He will bring
it into the office when it is complete. 3. "My parents phoned me this morning. They
are enjoying themselves in the Seychelles. Champagne every night! In fact, they don't
want to leave." 4. We prefer to entertain our guests in a local restaurant rather than
the canteen. Although it is expensive, we can talk freely there. 5. I know the answer to
your problem. Get a new computer. 6. "Where is John?" "In his office waiting for an
important telephone call." 7. I can't make the meeting tomorrow. I am interviewing
the applicants for the sales manager's job. 8. My brother works for Shink Inc. which
makes bathroom fittings. 9. Who is talking to Bill? Is it the new secretary? 10. The new
contract seems fine to me. However, could you just check it through once more?

EXERCISE 3 1. Marie-Claude isn't a Canadian. I ________ she comes from France. A.

believe B. ? am believing 2. Look! Junko ________ into the water. A. ? jumps B. is
jumping 3. I ________ you're crazy! A. think B. ? am thinking 4. Don't give Jan any
cheese. She ________ it! A. hates B. ? is hating 5. I ________ to Toronto next
Thursday. Do you want to come? A. ? go B. am going 6. Once a week, I ________ to an
art class at the college. A. go B. ? am going 7. I ________ lunch in the cafeteria every
day. A. have B. ? am having 8. Salman is rich — he ________ a Mercedes. A. drives B. ?
is driving 9. You won't find Jerry at home right now. He ________ in the library. A. ?
studies B. is studying 10. It ________ quite hard — perhaps we shouldn't go out
tonight. A. ? snows B. is snowing

EXERCISE 4 Next week, my friends and I are going (go) camping in the woods. I am
organizing (organize) the food, because I like (like) cooking. Dave has (have) a big car
with a trailer, so he is planning (plan) the transportation. Sam is bringing(bring) the
tent — he goes (go) camping every year, so he has (have) a great tent and lots of other
equipment. My wife thinks (think) we're crazy. She likes (like) holidays in comfortable
hotels, so she is taking (take) a trip to Paris instead.
 Business English – Teacher: Roberta Galvao 5

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EXERCISE 5 1 she’s spending 2 go 3 We’re having 4 she’s having 5 have 6 fly/go 7 I’m
sitting 8 brings