StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense
Mornings
(simple present, habits)
It Snows in Canada
(simple present)
A Phone Call
(present continuous)
My Dog Mandy
(present perfect)
Everyweekdaymorningmyalarmclockringsat7oclock
andeveryweekdaymorningItrytoignoreit.Idonotlike
mornings!IhidemyheadunderthecoversandIpretend
thatitisntreallymorning.Igroan.Icomplain.Isay
nastythingsaboutmornings.SomemorningsIfallbackto
sleepforafewminutes!AfterashorttimeIrealizethatI
havetogetup.Isigh.IstruggleoutofbedandIstartmy
day.
Studying
(use of the infinitive)
back to
grammar section
Vocabulary help:
complain(verb)tosaythatsomethingiswrongorthatyouareannoyedaboutsomething
groan(verb)tomakealonglowsoundwhenexpressingpainorunhappiness
habitual(adjective)usualortypical.Anhabitualactionissomethingthatyoudooften.
ignore(verb)topaynoattentiontosomeoneorsomething
nasty(adjective)bad,unkind,angry
realize(verb)tonoticeorunderstandsomething
sigh(verb)tobreatheoutslowly&noisily,oftenbecauseyouareannoyedorunhappy
struggle(verb)tryveryhardtodosomethingdifficult
fallasleepinfrontoftheTV(expression)tofallasleepwhilewatchingTV
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft
Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Myalarmringsat7o'clocksevendaysoftheweek.Yesorno?
2.Ijumpoutofbedwhenmyalarmclockrings.Yesorno?
3.SometimesIfallbacktosleepaftermyalarmrings.Yesorno?
>>Answers
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm
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15/03/2016
StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense
It Snows in Canada
(simple present, statement of fact)
ItsnowsinCanadainthewinter.Snowiscoldandwet.
Snowcoverstheroadsandmakesdrivingdifficult.Snow
coversthesidewalkstooandmakeswalkingdifficult.
Snowplowscleartheroadsandsidewalks.Peopleshovelthe
snowofftheirdriveways.Snowcausesproblems!
Sometimessnowispretty.Itsparklesandglistenswhen
thesunshinesonit.Somepeopleenjoyplayinginthe
snow.Theybuildsnowmenorsnowforts.Theyhave
snowballfights.Theyslidedownhillsonsledsortoboggans.
Theyskidownhills.Snowisfun!
Vocabulary help:
causes(verb)tomakesomethinghappen
clear(verb)toremove
covers(verb)toformalayeronthesurfaceofsomething
difficult(adjective)noteasy
enjoy(verb)tolikedoingsomething
glisten(verb)shines,oftenbecauseitiswet
slide(verb)tomovesmoothlyoverasurface
sparkles(verb)toshinebrightlyinthelight
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft
Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Itsnowsinthewinter.Yesorno?
2.Snownevercausesproblems.Yesorno?
3.Somepeopleliketobuildsnowmeninthewinter.Yesorno?
4.Snowiswarm.Yesorno?
FillintheBlanks
5.Sometimessnowsparklesand___________________inthesun.
6.Youcanskionsnowyhillsinthe_________________________.
7.Whenthesnowfalls,it__________________theroadsandsidewalks.
8._______________________removesnowfromtheroads.
9.Snowis_____________andwet.
10.Snowcanbefunbutsometimesitcauses_____________________.
>>Answers
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm
2/6
15/03/2016
StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense
Sally:No,IamwatchingTV.Myhomeworkisfinished.
Why?
Don:IamtryingtofinishmymathhomeworkbutIm
havingalotoftroublewithit.
Sally:SorryIcanthelpyou.I'mnotverygoodatmath!
Don:ThatsOK.ImcallingyoubecauseImmeeting
JohnandKateafterschooltomorrowandIwantedtoknowif
youwanttojoinus.
Sally:SorrybutIcant.Imgoingshoppingwithmysister
tomorrowafternoon.Thanksforaskingthough.
Don:Maybenexttimethen.
Sally:OK.Ihopeyougetyourmathhomeworkdone!
Thepresentcontinuousverbtenseisusedtotalkabout
thingsthatarehappeningrightnow(Wearereadingright
now).Itcanalsobeusedtotalkaboutthingsthatmightor
mightnothappeninthenearfuture(Theyarecomingtothe
partyonSaturday).
Vocabulary help:
afternoon(noun)thetimeofdaybetweennoonandevening.
homework(noun)schoolworkthatistobedoneathomeratherthanatschool.
math(noun)theshortformofmathematics.
phoning(verb)presentparticipleoftophonetocallonthetelephone.
tomorrow(noun)thedayaftertoday.
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft
Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Donhasfinishedhishomework.Yesorno?
2.SallyhelpedDonfinishhismathhomework.Yesorno?
3.DonismeetingJohnandKateafterschooltomorrow.Yesorno?
4.Sallyisgoingshoppingtomorrow.Yesorno?
5.Sallyisdoingherhomeworknow.Yesorno?
>>Answers
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm
3/6
15/03/2016
StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense
Vocabulary help:
bark(verb)tomakethesoundofadog.
become(verb)tobegintobesomething.
grown(verb)pastparticipleoftogrowtogetbigger
jump(verb)topushyourselfintotheairwithastrongmovementofyourlegs.
leg(noun)thepartofthebodybetweenthehipandthefoot.
park(noun)anareaofpubliclandthatanyonecanuseforrestandenjoyment.
puppy(noun)ayoungdog.
spent(verb)pastparticipleoftospendtousetimedoingaparticularactivity.
tail(noun)apartofananimal'sbodythatsticksoutfromthebackend.
together(adverb)withsomeoneelse,orinagroup.
wag(verb)tocausetomovequicklyupanddownorfromsidetoside
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft
Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Mandyhasgrownalotinafewmonths.Yesorno?
2.Mandyrunsandbarkswithotherdogsinthepark.Yesorno?
3.Mandyhasshortlegs.Yesorno?
4.Mandycan'tjump.Yesorno?
5.Shewagshertailwhenshecatchestheball.Yesorno?
>>Answers
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm
4/6
15/03/2016
StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense
(Weoftenusetheinfinitiveformofaverbifitisafter
anotherverb.Therearemanyverbsthatcanhavean
infinitiveafterthemincludingafford,ask,begin,wish,
refuse,prepare,hate.)
Vocabulary help:
afford(verb)haveenoughmoneytobuysomething
hate(verb)todislikeverymuch
homework(noun)schoolworkthatisassignedtobedoneathome
improve(verb)tomakebetter
payattentiontolookandlistencarefullytosomethingorsomeone.
poorly(adverb)badly,notwell
pretend(verb)tobehaveasifsomethingistruewhenitsnot
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft
Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.IliketowatchTV.Yesorno?
2.IdopoorlyinschoolbutIwanttodobetter.Yesorno?
3.Idomyhomework.Yesorno?
4.Ialwayspayattentiontotheteacher.Yesorno?
5.Iliketoplayonmycomputer.Yesorno?
>>Answers
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm
5/6
15/03/2016
StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense
Answers:
Mornings
1.no,2.no,3.yes
4.head,5.ignore,6.morning,7.nasty,8.complain
Back^
It Snows in Canada
1.yes,2.no,3.yes,4.no
5.glistens,6.winter,7.covers,8.snowplows,9.cold,10,problems
Back^
A Phone Call
1.no,2.no,3.yes,4.yes,5.no
6.sister,7.having,8.watching,9.meeting/after,10.talking
Back^
My Dog Mandy
1.yes,2.yes,3.yes,4.no,5.yes
6.have7.has,8.puppy,9.meet,10.catches,11.become
Back^
Studying
1.yes,2.yes,3.no,4.no,5.yes,
6.need,7.offered,8.succeed,9.tostudy,10.toimprove,
Back^
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm
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