The document provides information on using the present simple and present continuous tenses in English. It explains that the present simple is used for habitual or repeated actions, while the present continuous is used for actions happening now or around now. It then provides examples for learners to choose the correct verb form. The document also covers the past simple and past continuous tenses, explaining their uses and providing exercises for learners to practice identifying the correct tense form.

1. Present Simple and Continuous
Pre-intermediate
M.O

2. Present Simple or Continuous?
• Remember!
• 1.Present Continuous: Actions happening now and
around now, the developing situations and in the
moment we are speaking.
• 2. Present Simple: Daily activities or habitual actions, and
true satements, ideas, feelings and emotions.

3. Look at these sentences and choose the
correct form of the verbs in parenthesis.
a) Maria _____ a newspaper every morning.
(read/reads)
b) Ingrid _____ to the church every Sunday.
(goes/go)
c) I ______ English during the week.
(teaches/teach)
d) Hélio and Elisabeth _____ late every day for
the class. (arrives/arrive)

4. Look at these sentences and choose the
correct form of the verbs in parenthesis.
a) Maria _____ a newspaper every morning.
(read/reads)
b) Ingrid _____ to the church every Sunday.
(goes/go)
c) I ______ English during the week.
(teaches/teach)
d) Hélio and Elisabeth _____ late every day for
the class. (arrives/arrive)

5. Look at these sentences and choose the
correct form of the verbs in parenthesis.
a) Maria _____ a newspaper every morning.
(read/reads)
b) Ingrid _____ to the church every Sunday.
(goes/go)
c) I ______ English during the week.
(teaches/teach)
d) Hélio and Elisabeth _____ late every day for
the class. (arrives/arrive)

6. Look at these sentences and choose the
correct form of the verbs in parenthesis.
a) Maria _____ a newspaper every morning.
(read/reads)
b) Ingrid _____ to the church every Sunday.
(goes/go)
c) I ______ English during the week.
(teaches/teach)
d) Hélio and Elisabeth _____ late every day for
the class. (arrives/arrive)

7. Look at these sentences and choose the
correct form of the verbs in parenthesis.
a) Maria _____ a newspaper every morning.
(read/reads)
b) Ingrid _____ to the church every Sunday.
(goes/go)
c) I ______ English during the week.
(teaches/teach)
d) Hélio and Elisabeth _____ late every day for
the class. (arrives/arrive)

8. Once a week, I ______________ to an art class at the
college. (go)
go
Look! it _____________ quite hard. (snow)
is snowing

9. Harry is not at home right now. He _____________ in the
library. (study)
is studying
Don't give Lisa any cheese. She ______________it! (hate)
hates

10. I _____________ you're crazy! (think)
think
I ___________ lunch in the cafeteria every day. (have)
have

11. Look! John __________________ into the
water. (go)
is going
Salman is rich, he ________________ a
Ferrari. (drive)
drives

12. Marie-claude isn't Canadian. I ________ she comes from
France. (believe)
believe
I ________ to Toronto next Thursday. Do you want to come?
(go)
am going

13. Present Simple or Continuous?
• 1. She (go) to school every day.
_____________________________________
2. We (learn) English now.
_____________________________________
3. The sun always (shine) in California.
_____________________________________
4. I (sit) on a chair and (eat) a hamburger.
_____________________________________
She goes to school every day.
We are learning English now.
The sun always shines in California.
I am sitting on a chair and eating a hamburger.

14. Present Simple or Continuous?
• 5. Most of the students (not work) hard.
_____________________________________
6. It (rain) in winter. It (rain) now.
_____________________________________
7. I (wake up) at 7 and (have) breakfast at 7.30.
_____________________________________
Most of the students don’t work hard.
It rains in winter. It is raining now.
I wake up at 7 and have breakfast at 7.30 am.

15. Past Simple and Past Continuous
Pre-intermediate
M.O

16. REMEMBER!
• Past Simple: Specific time, actions in the past
or in the past but not now and habitual
actions.
• Past Continuous: Past action over a period of
time or in the middle of the past action.
M.O

17. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

18. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

19. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

20. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

21. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

22. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

23. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

24. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

25. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

26. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. I lived/was living in France for eight years.
2. Sue lived/was living in France when her uncle died.
3. At 6:15, when you phoned, I had/was having a
shower.
4. We watched/were watching TV all evening.
5. Bill watched/was watching TV when Ann came in.
6. My father worked/was working hard all his life.
7. They got married while they studied/were studying at
London University.
8. Yesterday we drove/were driving from Oxford to
Edinburgh and back.
9. It was nice evening, so she walked/ was walking
home from work.
M.O

27. The Past Simple or The Past Continuous
1. While I _____________ down the road, I ______
Bill. (walk/see)
2. While I _____________ the newspaper, the cat
_______ on to the table. (read/ jump)
3. Alan _____________ Helen while he ___________
in Morocco. (meet/ travel)
4. Sally ___________ her leg while she __________
(break/ ski)
5. While I was _____________, somebody ________
my car (shop/ steal)
M.O
was walking saw
was reading
jumped
met was travelling
broke was skiing
shopping stole

28. Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. When I went out, it ___________. (rain)
2. When Mary got home, she ___________ tea.
(make)
3. When I saw Jon and Tom, they ___________ .
(shop)
4. When John saw us, we ___________. (shop)
5. When we saked, they ___________ ‘No’. (say)
6. When I walked in, they __________. (talk)
7. When I dropped the glass, it ___________. (break)
8. What ___________ when I phoned him? (he/do)
M.O
was raining
was making
were shopping
were shopping
said
were talking
broke
was he doing

29. • 1. I ________. I didn't hear you come in.
a) was sleeping b) slept
• 2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't
home.
a) was coming b) came
• 3. What ________? I was watching TV.
a) did you do b) were you doing
• 4. Robin Hood was a character who ________
from the rich and gave to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing
• 5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her
a) was talking b) talked
M.O

30. • 1. I ________. I didn't hear you come in.
a) was sleeping b) slept
• 2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't
home.
a) was coming b) came
• 3. What ________? -I was watching TV.
a) did you do b) were you doing
• 4. Robin Hood was a character who ________
from the rich and gave to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing
• 5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her
a) was talking b) talked
M.O

31. • 1. I ________. I didn't hear you come in.
a) was sleeping b) slept
• 2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't
home.
a) was coming b) came
• 3. What ________? -I was watching TV.
a) did you do b) were you doing
• 4. Robin Hood was a character who ________
from the rich and gave to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing
• 5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her
a) was talking b) talked
M.O

32. • 1. I ________. I didn't hear you come in.
a) was sleeping b) slept
• 2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't
home.
a) was coming b) came
• 3. What ________? -I was watching TV.
a) did you do b) were you doing
• 4. Robin Hood was a character who ________
from the rich and gave to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing
• 5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her
a) was talking b) talked
M.O

33. • 1. I ________. I didn't hear you come in.
a) was sleeping b) slept
• 2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't
home.
a) was coming b) came
• 3. What ________? -I was watching TV.
a) did you do b) were you doing
• 4. Robin Hood was a character who ________
from the rich and gave to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing
• 5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her
a) was talking b) talked
M.O

34. • 1. I ________. I didn't hear you come in.
a) was sleeping b) slept
• 2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't
home.
a) was coming b) came
• 3. What ________? -I was watching TV.
a) did you do b) were you doing
• 4. Robin Hood was a character who ________
from the rich and gave to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing
• 5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her
last night.
a) was talking b) talked
M.O

35. • 6. I ________ home very late last night.
a) came b) was coming
• 7. How long ________ the flu?
a) did you have b) were you having
• 8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!
a) Were you having b) Did you have
• 9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the
room.
a) had b) were having
• 10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I
finally ________ it.
a) bought b) was buying
M.O

36. • 6. I ________ home very late last night.
a) came b) was coming
• 7. How long ________ the flu?
a) did you have b) were you having
• 8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!
a) Were you having b) Did you have
• 9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the
room.
a) had b) were having
• 10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I
finally ________ it.
a) bought b) was buying
M.O

37. • 6. I ________ home very late last night.
a) came b) was coming
• 7. How long ________ the flu?
a) did you have b) were you having
• 8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!
a) Were you having b) Did you have
• 9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the
room.
a) had b) were having
• 10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I
finally ________ it.
a) bought b) was buying
M.O

38. • 6. I ________ home very late last night.
a) came b) was coming
• 7. How long ________ the flu?
a) did you have b) were you having
• 8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!
a) Were you having b) Did you have
• 9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the
room.
a) had b) were having
• 10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I
finally ________ it.
a) bought b) was buying
M.O

39. • 6. I ________ home very late last night.
a) came b) was coming
• 7. How long ________ the flu?
a) did you have b) were you having
• 8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!
a) Were you having b) Did you have
• 9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the
room.
a) had b) were having
• 10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I
finally ________ it.
a) bought b) was buying
M.O

40. • 6. I ________ home very late last night.
a) came b) was coming
• 7. How long ________ the flu?
a) did you have b) were you having
• 8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!
a) Were you having b) Did you have
• 9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the
room.
a) had b) were having
• 10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I
finally ________ it.
a) bought b) was buying
M.O

41. • work ____________________
• come __________________
• walk ____________________
• speak __________________
• talk _____________________
• see ____________________
• clean ___________________
• do _____________________
• live _____________________
• go _____________________
• wash ___________________
• sing ____________________
M.O
worked
came
walked
spoke
talked
saw
cleaned
did
lived
went
washed
sang