by R. S. Karunaratne

The use of present progressive tense

We use the present progressive tense to say that things are happening now.
I can't come now. I'm still working in office.
It's raining again.
She's taking driving lessons.
I'm not enjoying this party.
We're wasting our time here.

[Activity 1]

Make present progressive sentences using the following words. Check your answers with the key.

1. Jane / read / the magazine.
.......................................

2. The child / cry / again.
........................................

3. It / rain / now.
........................................

4. She / look / very pretty / today.
........................................

5. Your / tea / get / cold.
........................................

6. I / play / a lot of / cricket / this / year.
.........................................

7. We / wait / for / a bus.
.........................................

8. Malith and Sam / spend / a week / in Delhi.
.........................................

9. A lot of people / listen / to him.
.........................................

10. Vinod / take / French / lessons.
.........................................

We make present progressive questions with 'am / are / is + subject + ...ing.' Study the following statements (S) and questions (Q).

S: It is raining.
Q: Is it raining?
S: You're listening to me.
Q: Are you listening to me?
S: They are making a kite.
Q: Are they making a kite?

[Activity 2]

Make present progressive questions using the following words and check your answers with the key.

1. everybody / listen / to me / ?
.......................................

2. you / wait / for / somebody / ?
.......................................

3. your sister / enjoy / the / concert / ?
.......................................

4. he / take / my / car / ?
.......................................

5. you / talk / to / her / ?
.......................................

6. it / is / rain / ?
.......................................

7. we / go / too / fast / ?
.......................................

8. minister / his wife / stay / here / ?
........................................

9. laugh / the people / why / ?
........................................

10. the dog / bark / at / strangers / ?
........................................

[Activity 3]

Put the following words in the correct order and check your answers with the key.

1. me / you / talking / are / to / ?
............................................

2. getting / are / you / up / ?
............................................

3. you / what / eating / are / ?
............................................

4. not / she / is / listening / ?
............................................

5. going / where / he / is / ?
.............................................

6. talking / fast / too / I / am / ?
.............................................

7. We / play / enjoying / not / this / are / ?
.............................................

8. looking / all / those / people / at / are / what / ?
.............................................

9. is / for / you / she / working / not / ?
.............................................

10. are / you / director / looking / for / the / ?
.............................................

Key:

[Activity 1]

1. Jane is reading the magazine.
2. The child is crying again.
3. It's raining now.
4. She is looking very pretty today.
5. Your tea is getting cold.
6. I am playing a lot of cricket this year.
7. We are waiting for a bus.
8. Malith and Sam are spending a week in Delhi.
9. A lot of people are listening to him.
10. Vinod is taking French lessons.

[Activity 2]

1. Is everybody listening to me?
2. Are you waiting for somebody?
3. Is your sister enjoying the concert?
4. Is he taking my car?
5. Are you talking to her?
6. Is it raining?
7. Are we going too fast?
8. Are the minister and his wife staying here?
9. Why are the people laughing?
10. Is the dog barking at strangers?

[Activity 3]

1. Are you talking to me?
2. Are you getting up?
3. What are you eating?
4. Is she not listening?
5. Where is he going?
6. Am I talking too fast?
7. Are we not enjoying this play?
8. What are all those people looking at?
9. Is she not working for you?
10. Are you looking for the director?

Starters:

Non-progressive verbs

Although many verbs can be used in the present progressive tense by adding '-ing', some verbs are normally used in the simple present tense, even if we mean 'just now.'

I hate him for what he is doing.
How do you know it?
Children like ice-cream.
She loves her parents.
What does it mean?
I need a pair of scissors.
We prefer tea to coffee.
He seems to be angry with me.
I don't understand what you say.
What do you want?

[Activity 1]

Make sentences using the following words. Check your answers with the key.

1. Lasantha / seem / unhappy / today.
....................................................

2. you / need / money / ?
....................................................

3. you / know / his / name / ?
....................................................

4. what / this / word / mean / ?
....................................................

5. Punya / want / to / consult / a / specialist / .
....................................................

6. I / do / not / think / she / loves / me / .
.....................................................

7. the / principal / seem / to / be / in / a / bad / mood /
......................................................

8. we / need / a / new / computer / .
......................................................

9. you / know / that / woman / ?
......................................................

10. some / people / hate / rainy / weather / .

There are a few more common non-progressive verbs.

A: This is a very expensive sari.
B: I don't agree.
A: Do you believe in ghosts?
B: No, I don't.
A: Can I borrow your bicycle?
B: It depends. Until when?
A: Sorry, I lost your pen.
B: It doesn't matter.
A: I recognise you, but I can't remember your name.
B: Don't worry, I am Rohan.

Some verbs can be used in the present progressive tense with one meaning but not with another.

Non- progressive
I think you should resign.
(It's my opinion)
Now I see what you mean. (understand)
I feel you're in a hurry. (It's my opinion)

Progressive
I'm thinking about my holidays in Paris.
(plan)
I'm seeing my grandmother today. (meeting)
What are you looking at?
(turn your eyes towards)

You can say: I'm feeling ill. / I feel ill.

[Activity 2]

Read the following questions carefully and underline the most appropriate answer.

Check your answers with the key.

1. A: Is Mary enjoying her retirement?
B: I hope so. / I don't know.
2. A: Res ipsa loquitur.
B: I like it. / I don't understand it.
3. A: I'm not happy with your performance.
B: Let it be. / I see.
4. A: Is that troublesome fellow joining our company?
B: I know. / I hope not.
5. A: Do you like this teledrama?
B: I think so. / I can't remember.
6. A: Do you see Anne getting into a taxi?
B: I know. / I don't think so.
7. A: Who wrote Julius Caesar?
B: It depends. / I don't know.
8. A: Can you lend me your laptop?
B: It depends. / It's okay.
9. A: We have come to school too early today.
B: I don't know. / It doesn't matter.
10. A: What's Hema's E-mail address?
B: I don't know. / It depends.

Key:

[Activity 1]

1. Lasantha seems unhappy today.
2. Do you need money?
3. Do you know his name?
4. What does this word mean?
5. Punya wants to consult a specialist.
6. I do not think she loves me.
7. The principal seems to be in a bad mood.
8. We need a new computer.
9. Do you know that woman?
10. Some people hate rainy weather.

[Activity 2] 1. I hope so. 2. I don't understand it. 3. I see. 4. I hope not. 5. I think so. 6. I don't think so. 7. I don't know. 8. It depends. 9. It doesn't matter. 10. I don't know.

Form adverbs from nouns

Words come in families. A good knowledge of word families will enrich your vocabulary. In the following quiz we give 25 nouns in column 'A.' Write the relevant adverbs in column 'B' and check your answers with the key.

Column A Column B

1. Democracy .............
2. Demonstration .............
3. Denial .............
4. Dependence .............
5. Description .............
6. Destruction .............
7. Determination .............
8. Difference .............
9. Direction .............
10. Disagreement .............
11. Disappointment .............
12. Disaster .............
13. Distance .............
14. Disturbance .............
15. Doubt .............
16. Dream .............
17. Dress .............
18. Drunkenness .............
19. Due .............
20. Ease .............
21. Education .............
22. Effect .............
23. Effort .............
24. Electricity .............
25. Electronics .............

Key:

1. democratically
2. demonstrably
3. undeniably
4. dependably
5. descriptively
6. destructively
7. determinedly
8. differently
9. directly
10. disagreeably
11. disappointingly
12. disastrously
13. distantly
14. disturbingly
15. undoubtedly
16. dreamily
17. dressily
18. drunkenly
19. duly
20. easily
21. educationally
22. effectively
23. effortlessly
24. electrically
25. electronically