EXPRESSING PRESENT EVENTS, STATES
PRESENT SIMPLE / CONTINUOUS
Pr. Perf. Continuous [state verbs – Present Perfect]
- information about present facts
- information about present facts + how long
I smoke [generally]
I have been smoking for 10 years.
I’m smoking now
I have been smoking this cigarette for 4 minutes.
She lives in Cracow
She has lived / has been living in Cracow since 1990.
She is living in Spain this month
I learn English
She has been living in Spain for 2 weeks now
I’ve been learning English since highschool.
I’m learning English now I’ve been learning English all day
STATE VERBS [cannot have –ing] STATE VERBS [cannot have –ing]
I have a dog.
I’ve had a dog for 10 months.
We know each other very well.
We have known each other for many years
Bob is married
Bob has been married since September
EXERCISE
Put the verbs in the correct form – Present Simple / Present Continuous / Present
Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous
1. Sandra ______________ [live] in Kraków ever since she left university.
2. I ___________ [know] Bob very well because we ______________ [be] friends for many
years.
3. A: I had a covid test this morning. I _____________ [wait] for the test results now.
B: How long ___________ you __________ for the test results?
4. Anna _______________ [jog] every day.
5. Anna _____________[ jog] for the last 5 months. She __________ [try] to lose weight.
6. How long ___________ Bob _____________ [smoke]?
7. Why ___________ you ____________ [watch] TV, go to bed, it’s 2.00am!
8. Bob is a vegetarian. He ________________ [not eat] meat.
9. Bob is on a diet. He _________________ [not eat] sweets this month.
10. Andy _________________ [not eat] meat, he’s a vegetarian. He ____________ [not eat]
meat for 5 years now.
WHICH OF THE SENTENCES BELOW ARE TRUE FOR YOU?
1. I have a friend who is married
2. I am reading an interesting book
3. I’m watching an interesting tv series now
4. I have a new gadget
5. I have a new piece of clothing
6. I am living with a friend
7. I work
8. I have a hobby
9. I am wearing shoes / slippers
10. I wear glasses
11. I smoke
12. I’m sitting in front of a computer
13. I’m sitting at home
14. I am on a diet
15. I know my neighbours
16. I have a car
TALKING ABOUT PRESENT SITUATION
PAST
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
- information about present facts
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
PRESENT PERFECT
- information about present facts + how long - information about how much is
/ isn’t done so far
I am reading a book
I have been reading for 4 days.
I have read 100 pages.
She is saving money for a bike
She has been saving for 3 months
She has saved 700 zł
Bob is doing homework
He’s been doing homework since dinner
He hasn’t finished yet
They are doing shopping
They have been doing shopping for 3 hours They have bought most of the
things from their list
EXERCISE
Put the verbs in the correct form – Present Simple / Present Continuous / Present
Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous
1. Anna ……………………… [prepare] invoices now. She …………………..[issue] 5 invoices so
far which is not many because she ……………………………..[work] on them for hours.
2. A: Why ….. Bob ……………………[talk] on the phone for so long?
B: He ……………………….. [discuss] important issues with his client.
They ……………………… [not cover] all the matters yet.
3. Presently our team …………………[work] on a new project.
We ………………………. [work] on it for 2 weeks now.
4. Bob ……………………… [make] dumplings since 2 pm.
He ……………….. [make] 100 dumplings so far and he is still working.
5. Anna …………………. [cook] dinner. She ……………………[cook] for 30 minutes, she
……………… [make] soup but she ……………….. [not make] the second course yet.
6. Children ……………….. [clean] their room. They ……………. [already / arrange] their books
on the shelves but they ……………… [not put] all the toys into their boxes yet.
7. Bob ……………….. [not learn] French for a long time but he ……………. [read] two books in
French. Respect!
8. Betty …………………….. [save] money for a car. She …………………. [save] 10 thousand so
far.