A. Complete the email using the present simple or present continuous form of these verbs.
Behave come cost eat enjoy feel go
have like love pay realise say seem serve show smile stay take visit
Dear Stephanie,
How are you doing? Our trip round the States (1) is going well and we (2)______________________ ourselves a lot. The biggest surprise is that things (3)______________________ less here than back home. For instance, this weekend we (4)_____________________ in a motel beside a lake and we (5)_____________________ only seventy bucks per night for a room with a queen size bed and the lovely sea view.
The only thing we (6) ________________________ (not) much is the food there. Restaurants (7)__________________________ dinner rather early. We (8) ______________________ (never) at six o’clock at home so we (9)_____________________ (not) hungry. Also, food portions in America (10)__________________ very big to us. Apart from that, we (11)__________________ a wonderful time in the US. We (12)____________________ lots of interesting little towns and we absolutely (13)___________________ the scenery.
The Americans (14)________________________ in a very friendly manner towards strangers.
All the shop assistants (15)________________________ at us enthusiastically. Everyone (16)_______________________ ‘Have a nice day!’ after serving us. At home, the TV (17)______________________________ (always) us bad and negative news about the States, but in fact, you (18)_____________________ it’s a great place to visit when you actually (19)______________________ there. We (20)_________________________ lots of photos to show you. See you soon!
Love,
Nick and May
Grammar exe.
B. Choose and underline the correct verb forms.
1. I want / am wanting to help out at the camp this summer.
2. Most French companies belong / are belonging to multinationals nowadays.
3. I think / am thinking about interviewing my grandpa’s friend, who collects vintage cars.
4. My father went to that university, so he knows / is knowing all about it.
5. James has / is having a lot of problems with his peers at the moment.
6. Every town needs / is needing a library, even though everyone has the Internet in the
world we live / are living.
Grammar exe.
ANS OF PRACTICE 1
PART A:
1. Is going well (given)
2. Are enjoying 3. Cost 4. Are staying 5. Are paying 6. Don’t like 7. Serve 8. Never eat 9. Don’t feel 10. Seem 11. Are having 12. Are visiting 13. Love 14. Behave 15. Smile 16. Says 17. Is always showing 18. Realize 19. Go 20. Are taking
PART B:
1. Want 2. Belong 3. Am thinking 4. Knows 5. Is having 6. Needs; are living Grammar exe.
PRACTICE 2
A. Choose and underline the correct form of the verbs in the following text.
My granny is ninety-three and she has come to live with us at our house. We’re all pleased
because we love having her around near us. She’s a very independent woman and she (1)
refused / was refusing t o move to the flat on our ground floor. Until this year, she suddenly (2)
er why. She explained
changed / was changing her mind last month, so I (3) asked / would ask h
that for years, nobody in her village (4) would lock / was locking their front doors and the
n old neighbourhood (5) used to feel / would feel safe. One day, she (6) met / was meeting a
ome from grocery stores. She (8) heard / was
friend when she (7) was walking / would walk h
hearing some bad news that thieves (9) were breaking / got used to breaking into people’s
houses while they (10) were sitting / would sit i n their back gardens.
My granny (11) realised / was realising t hat she (12) wasn’t wanting / didn’t want to live alone
anymore. She (13) isn’t used / didn’t use to being in the town yet, but it’s not as difficult as she
(14) was thinking / thought it might be, and she loves seeing us more often.
B. Fill in the gaps with suitable form of be/get used to.
oing to 1. Rita was exhausted this morning. She ____________________________ (not) g bed late. 2. Don’t worry about the children. They ________________________ going to school on foot. 3. My new boss ________________________ giving orders, not receiving them. 4. She __________________________ (not) drinking strong coffee as it made her ill. 5. _________________________ (you) our chilly weather or do you still miss the sunshine in Florida? 6. I had never stayed in such a luxury apartment before, but I soon _________________________ it. Grammar exe.
C. Complete the sentences with past simple or past continuous form of the verbs.
1. Don’t ask me about the concert! I ____________________________(work) in the
stadium cafe when the band _________________________ (play).
2. I ______________________________ (look) round the palace when a man
_________________ (stop) me to ask for directions.
3. The lights ____________________ (go) out while she ____________________ (have) a
party in her house.
4. She ________________________ (sneak) out of her bedroom and
________________________ (stand) quietly behind the door so she could hear what
they ______________________________ (whisper) about.
5. I ______________________ (hope) my colleagues would wish me happy birthday when
I got to work, but nobody _________________________ (say) anything.
D. Underline the mistakes and correct them in the following sentences.
1. When I was a child, I am used to go camping. used
2. My parents used to often take me to the zoo.
3. They didn’t used to help their parents with household chores, but now they do.
4. We use to go to the beach every day last summer.
5. Helen is a kindergarten teacher, so she used to teach children.
6. I would like to be a sports instructor as I was used to train tennis players before
I came to England. Grammar exe.
ANS FOR PRACTICE 2
PART A: 1. Refused 2. Changed 3. Asked 4. Would lock 5. Used to feel 6. Met 7. Was walking 8. Heard 9. Were breaking 10. Were sitting 11. Realised 12. Didn’t want 13. Isn’t used 14. Thought
PART B: 1. Isn’t used to 2. Are used to 3. Is used to 4. Wasn’t used to 5. Have you got used to / are you getting used to 6. Got used to
PART C: 1. Was working; was playing 2. Was looking; stopped 3. Went; was having 4. Sneaked; stood; were whispering 5. Was hoping; said
PART D:
2. Used to often → often used to
3. Used → use 4. Use → used 5. Used to teach → is used to teaching 6. Was used → used Grammar exe.
PRACTICE 3
A. Read the text below and decide which answer best fits each blank.
A musican is discovered
When Jimmy Yates was a small boy, his family spent their holidays on his grandfather’s farm.
This was in a valley (1) _______ by mountains. It was during one of these visits that Jimmy’s (2)
________ to remember a tune led to the suggestion that the boy should (3) _________ a
musical instrument. One evening a discussion (4) _______ among the adults about the
differences between two hit songs. His father tried to prove the (5) _______ of the two tunes by
playing them, not very well, on his guitar. No one thought that Jimmy, who was only five, was
listening, but suddenly he made his (6) ______ to the ancient piano which stood in the corner
and played first one of the tunes and then the other. The family was amazed (7) _______ no
one had heard him play any music before. In this way, Jimmy’s musical (8) _____ began.
1. 4. 7. A. surrounded A. happened A. so B. closed B. came B. although C. held C. entered C. when D. circled D. arose D. as
2. 5. 8. A. talent A. comparison A. work A. gift B. closeness B. living B. ability C. likeness C. career C. skill D. similarity D. study
3. 6. A. take up A. path B. start up B. way C. pick up C. route D. join up D. line Grammar exe.
B. Without looking up the dictionary, write the past simple form of the following verbs.
1. Arose 2. Flew 3. Let 4. Caught 5. Fought 6. Forbade 7. Hit 8. Cost 9. Froze 10. Hurt 11. Laid 12. Lent Grammar exe.
PRACTICE 4
A. Fill in the gaps with suitable verbs in the present perfect or the past simple.
Dear dad and mum,
I (1) ______________________________ here in Spain for two weeks now and I’m having a
great time. When I (2) ___________________________ at the airport, I (3)
___________________________ very lonely. But I (4) _____________________________
(already) some friends and I’m staying with a very nice family. They (5)
____________________________ me to the seaside last weekend and we (6)
_______________________ in the sea. I really (7) __________________________ it. I (8)
____________________________ some Spanish but I (9) ____________________________
(not) t o any language classes yet - they start next week.
It’s now midnight and I need to go to bed as I (10) _________________________ a very busy
day. I (11) _______________________________ shopping this morning and I (12)
______________________ football this afternoon.
See you in a month!
Love, Kate Grammar exe.
B. Read the conversation between Billy and Amy in a sports club. Choose the correct verb forms.
Amy: Excuse me. (1) We’ve waited / We’ve been waiting to use the tennis court since half past ten. It should be our turn now.
Billy: Sorry, but I don’t think so.
Amy: (2) We’ve stood /We’ve been standing here patiently watching you and it’s time for you to stop playing. How long (3) have you played / have you been playing?
Billy: Since about half past nine. (4) We’ve played / We’ve been playing t wo matches so far this morning and (5) we haven’t finished / we haven’t been finishing the third yet. You’ll have to wait or do something else.
Amy: But (6) you’ve played / you’ve been playing for more than two hours and it’s our turn now.
Billy: I said you’ll have to wait.
Amy: We’re tired of waiting and we haven’t got anything to do. (7) We’ve read / We’ve been reading the comic books we brought with us.
Billy: Why don’t you go to the gymnasium? (8) Have you tried / Have you been trying the new treadmill?
Amy: I’m afraid that we don’t want to use the gym, but to play tennis.
Billy: Well, I always use this court on a Saturday morning. Anyway, (9) we’ve already started / we’ve already been starting the third match.
Amy: Oh well, it looks like we’ve got no choice, but (10) we’ve booked / we’ve been booking for next Saturday so you’ll be unlucky then. Grammar exe.
ANS FOR PRACTICE 4
PART A: 1. have been 2. arrived 3. felt / was 4. have already made 5. took / drove 6. went / swam 7. enjoyed / loved / liked 8. have learnt 9. haven’t been/gone 10. have had 11. went 12. played
PART B:
1. We’ve been waiting
2. We’ve been standing 3. Have you been playing 4. We’ve played 5. We haven’t finished 6. You’ve been playing 7. We’ve read 8. Have you tried 9. We’ve already started 10. We’ve booked Grammar exe.
PRACTICE 5
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs. Use ‘going to’, future in the past, the present simple, ‘about to’ or the future perfect.
Mark: What are your plans for the weekend?
Susan: We’ve just changed our plans. Actually, we (1) were going to have a barbecue on Sunday. But the weather forecast says it (2) __________________________ (be) cold and windy, so we (3) ____________________________ (stay) indoors and watch a movie.
Ben: Is it alright for you to use your boss’ conference room while he’s on holiday?
Mandy: I don’t think he’ll mind when he (4) _______________________ (find out) how many profits I’ve made for the company throughout the year.
Tommy: Are you busy this afternoon?
Eddie: That depends on why you’re asking. I (5) __________________ (wash) the car. Do you have any better ideas?
Tommy: Yes, I (6) _________________________ (look around) the new shopping mall. Are you fancy coming with me? Maybe you can wash your car tomorrow.
Jim: Hurry up! We (7) _________________________ (miss) the beginning of the
fashion show.
Jenny: Don’t be silly. We’ve got plenty of time.
Jim: But it starts at nine. I want to arrive before the hall (8) ______________________________ (get) full, otherwise other people (9) __________________________ (take) all the good seats by the time we get there.
Michelle: Next month I (10) __________________________ (work) in this firm for ten years. My boss has never thanked me for anything I’ve done, so I (11) ________________________ (start) looking for another job. Grammar exe.
B. Cross out the mistakes and write the correct answers for the following sentences.
1. Do you remember that I am going to buy a laptop with my first salary earned from the
part-time job? Well, I changed my mind and I’ve bought a bike instead.
2. I’ll tell you all about it as soon as I will see you.
3. Some scientists said by the year 2090 robots will take over the world.
4. When he came to my house, I will ask him to fix the air conditioner.
5. Ms. Anderson is retiring next month, so this time next year she will have been leaving
the school.
6. When you are going to finish the job, the invoice will be paid.
7. I need the skirt today as I will give to my sister as a birthday present soon. Grammar exe.
