1. PRESENT CONTINUOUS (I am doing)

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

1. PRESENT CONTINUOUS (I am doing)

A	Study this example situation: Sarah is in her car. She is on her way to work. She is driving to work. This means: she is driving now, at the time of speaking. The action is not finished. Am/is/are+ -ing is the present continuous: I am (=I’m) driving he/she/it is (=he’s etc) working we/you/they are (=we’re etc) doing etc.
B	I am doing something= I'm in the middle of doing it; I've started doing it and I haven't finished: Please don't make so much noise. I'm trying t o work. (not I try) Where's Mark?' 'He's having a shower.' (not He has a shower) Let's go out now. lt isn't raining any more. (not lt doesn't rain) (at a party) Hi, jane. Are you enjoying the party? (not Do you enjoy) What's all that noise? What's going on? (=What's happening?} Sometimes the action is not happening at the time of speaking. For example: Steve is talking to a friend on the phone. He says:   Some more examples: Kate wants to work in Italy, so she's Learning Italian. (but perhaps she isn't learning Italian at the time of speaking) Some friends of mine are building their own house. They hope to finish it next summer.
C	You can use the present continuous with today I this week I this year et c. (periods around now}: A: You're working hard today. (not You work hard today) B: Yes, I have a lot to do. The company I work for isn't doing so well this year.
D	We use the present continuous when we talk about changes happening around now, especially with these verbs: get      change       become       increase       rise       fall       grow       improve      begin      start Is your English getting better? (not Does your English get better) The population of the world is increasing very fast. (not increases) At first I didn't like my job, but I'm beginning to enjoy it now. (not I begin}

EXERCISES

1.1	The sentences on the right follow those on the left. Which sentence goes with which? 1. Please don't make so much noise. 2. I need to eat something soon. 3. I don't have anywhere to live right now 4. We need to leave soon. 5. They don't need their car any more. 6. Things are not so good at work. 7. lt isn't true what they said. 8. We're going to get wet . a. lt's getting late. b. They're lying. c. lt's starting to rain. d. They're trying to sell it. e. I'm getting hungry. f. I am trying to work g. I'm looking for an apartment h. The company is losing money. 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________ 4. ___________ 5. ___________ 6. ___________ 7. ___________ 8. ___________
1.2	Complete the conversations. 1 A : I saw Brian a few days ago. B : Oh, did you? __What’s he doing ____these days? (what/ he /do) A : He's at university. B : __________________ ? (what /he /study) A : Psychology. B : __________________ it? (he /enjoy) A : Yes, he says it's a very good course. 2 A : Hi, Nicola. How __________________? (your new job /go) B : Not bad. lt wasn't so good at first, but __________________?  (it /get) A : What about Daniel? Is he OK? B :Yes, but __________________his work right now. (he/ not/enjoy)   He's been in the same job for a long time and __________________to get bored with it. (he /begin)
1.3	Put the verb into the correct form, positive (I'm doing etc.) or negative (I'm not doing etc.) 1 Please don't make so much noise. .__ I’m trying ____(I /try) to work. 2 Let's go out now. __ It isn’t raining __(it /rain) any more. 3 You can turn off the radio. ________________ (I /listen) to it. 4 Kate phoned me last night. She's on holiday in France. ________________ (she /have) a great time and doesn't want to come back. 5 I want to lose weight, so t his week ________________ (I /eat) lunch. 6 Andrew has just started evening classes. ________________ (he/ learn) Japanese. 7 Paul and Sally have had an argument. ________________ (they/ speak) to each other. 8 ________________ (I/  get) tired. I need a rest. 9 Tim ________________  (work) today. He's taken the day off. 10 ________________  (I /look) for Sophie. Do you know where she is?
1.4	Complete the sentences using the following verbs: start        get           increase             change           rise 1 The population of the world  __ is increasing ___ very fast. 2 The world ______________________. Things never stay the same. 3 The situation is already bad and it______________________ worse. 4 The cost of living ______________________. Every year things are more expensive. 5 The weather ______________________to improve. The rain has stopped, and the wind isn't as strong.

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