B2.1 - Unit 2B: Present simple and present continuos

This is a difficult issue for Spanish speakers as we have the same tenses in our language but we don't use them in the same way, especially when we use present continuous for future actions like Tomorrow I'm having dinner with Susan.

These videos may help you to revise this grammar point:

• this simple one
• this is a comparison between present simple and continuous

Some exercises you could do are these: exercise 1   exercise 2   exercise 3  exercise 4    a list of exercises to choose.

Pay attention to the verbs which are dynamic or static (which are not usually used in progressive forms) and the spelling of the -ING form (when to double the consonant and ending in -Y). As I told you in class, I'd rather speak about permanent actions (habitual present o present simple) or temporary actions (present continuous)

VERB	PRES. SIMPLE  (permanent actions)	PRES. CONTINUOUS (temporary actions)
HAVE	I´ve got/have a car (possession)	I’m having a shower (taking)
THINK	She thinks he’s nice (opinion)	We’re thinking of going away next (planning)
SEE	I see quite well (sense)	I’m seeing Peter (meeting)
FEEL	I feel sorry for you (habitual feelings)	I’m feeling sick (getting)

If you need more help, please let me know in class. See you!

B2.1 - Present Simple versus Present Continuous

To work with these tenses, you may use previous entries lik this or you may find exercises if you look for them on the internet.
About the spelling, you can revise the general rules about adding sufixes:

• Consonant + Vowel + Consonant in the final syllabel, the last consonant must be double;  e.g.: win --- winner, prefer --- preferred  shop --- shopping
• When the verb finishes in -E,  you drop the -e and add the sufix; e.g.: write --- writing,  cold --- colder, start --- started 

For extreme and gradable adjectives you can go to this video we saw in class: click here. If you want to read some grammar explanation, go to this page: click here. Another example can be found here. Remember to use these adjectives when you describe things, places, people...

To revise the collocations for DO and MAKE you may use this web page  but you can search or the internet many more; nevertheless, here you are a video (not very appealing but useful) with some clues about how to use DO and MAKE: click here. This video is much more entretaining. Here you are some exercises to practise:

• exercise 1        exercise 2

To practise some listening comprenhension, here you are an exercise from British Council for B2.

NI1 - Present simple versus present continuous

In these first lessons of our book we are dealing with present tenses. Here you are some explanation and exercises to practise.

PRESENT SIMPLE or habitual present is used to speak about ordinary actions, something you usually do (habitual actions). That's the reason why this tense is normally related to frequency adverbs (usually, hardly ever, never, often, sometimes...) or similar expressions of time (once a week, from time to time, every Monday, every other week...)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS or present progressive is used for actions which are being performed at that moment or for a period of time (actions in progress). It also has a sense of future when you are very sure that the action is going to take place in a short time (dates, arrangements...)

Let's see some examples:

• I always go to work by car but today I'm going by bus.
• I usually play tennis with my friend Tom but tomorrow I'm playing with Susan.

Here you have some links to work with:  

• this web page has a long but clear explanation and many exercises at the end: click here
• this link has grammar points and some exercises: click here
• try these exercises: exercise 1     exercise 2       exercise 3 

Hope this heps you. See you in class!