Present Simple – Present Continuous

1 Present simple
take place happen, occur, come about
come about (that…) to happen
Can you tell me how the accident came about?
+ take place happen, occur, come about
regularly adv with equal or similar amounts of space or time between one and the
next
We meet regularly to discuss progress on the project.
The competitors set off at regularly spaced intervals.
The best advice is to eat regularly and get plenty of sleep.
regularly adv often
She regularly appears on TV talk shows.
Accidents regularly occur on this street.
permanent adj lasting for a long time or for all time in the future; existing all the
time
a permanent job permanent staff
They are now living together on a permanent basis.
Opposite impermanent, temporary
state to say or write something, especially clearly and carefully
Our warranty clearly states the limits of our liability.
[ + (that) ] Union members stated (that) they were unhappy with the proposal.
[ + question word ] Please state why you wish to apply for this grant.
general adj including the most important aspects of something; not exact or detailed
SYNONYM OVERALL
I check the bookings to get a general idea of what activities to plan.
I know how it works in general terms.
go round spin, revolve, rotate
plot [countable, uncountable] the series of events that form the story of a novel, play,
film/movie, etc.
a conventional plot about love and marriage
The book is well organized in terms of plot.
2 Present continuous
moment a particular time or occasion
When would be the best moment to tell the family?
Don't leave it to/till the last moment (= the latest time possible).
wear be dressed in, put on
temporary adj lasting or intended to last or be used only for a short time; not
permanent
temporary relief from pain I'm looking for some temporary work.
They had to move into temporary accommodation.
Opposite permanent
We're busy at the moment (= now).
 I'm sorry he's out at present (= now).
look around/round (something) to visit a place or building, walking around it to
see what is there
Let's look round the town this afternoon.
navy blue (also navy) [uncountable] a very dark blue colour
She was dressed in navy blue.
rise go up, get higher, increase, grow, advance, climb
continually adv in a way that is repeated many times so that it is annoying
They argue continually about money.
annoy to make somebody slightly angry
SYNONYM IRRITATE, get on someone's nerves, displease
annoy somebody His constant joking was beginning to annoy her.
it annoys somebody when… It really annoys me when people forget to
say thank you.
annoy somebody to do something It annoys me to see him getting ahead
of me.
criticise denounce, condemn
criticize somebody/something The decision was criticized by
environmental groups.
criticize somebody/something for something The government has been
criticized for not taking the problem seriously.
Opposite praise
3 State verbs
Stative verbs are verbs that express a state rather than an action. They usually relate
to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements.
mostly adv mainly; generally
The sauce is mostly cream.
We're mostly out on Sundays.
thought [countable] something that you think of or remember
thought of (somebody/something) doing something I don't like the
thought of you walking home alone.
thought of something The very thought of it makes me feel sick.
thought (that…) She was struck by the sudden thought that he might
already have left.
I've just had a thought (= an idea).
belongings (plural) the things that you own which can be moved, for example not
land or buildings
SYNONYM POSSESSIONS insurance of property and personal belongings
She packed her few belongings in a bag and left.
sense [countable] one of the five powers (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) that
your body uses to get information about the world around you
the five senses
Dogs have a keen (= strong) sense of smell.the sense organs (= eyes, ears,
nose, etc.)
deserve (not used in the progressive tenses) if
somebody/something deserves something, it is right that they should have it,
because of the way they have behaved or because of what they are
deserve something You deserve a rest after all that hard work.
deserve to do something They didn't deserve to win.He deserves to be
locked up for ever for what he did.
deserve doing something Several other points deserve mentioning.
thought [countable] something that you think of or remember
thought of (somebody/something) doing something I don't like the
thought of you walking home alone.
thought of something The very thought of it makes me feel sick.
thought (that…) She was struck by the sudden thought that he might
already have left.
I've just had a thought (= an idea).
mean (not used in the progressive tenses) to have something as a meaning
mean something What does this sentence mean?What is meant by ‘batch
processing’?
mean something to somebody Does the name ‘Jos Vos’ mean anything to
you (= do you know who he is)?
mean (that)… The flashing light means (that) you must stop.
mean (not used in the progressive tenses) to intend to say something on a
particular occasion
mean something What did he mean by that remark?
mean (that)… Did he mean (that) he was dissatisfied with our service?
realise [transitive, intransitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to understand or
become aware of a particular fact or situation
realize (that)… I didn’t realize (that) you were so unhappy.
realize how, what, etc… I don't think you realize how important this is to
her.
realize (something) I hope you realize the seriousness of this crime.
it is realized that… There was a cheer when it was realized that
everyone was safely back.
suppose [intransitive, transitive] to think or believe that something is true or
possible (based on the knowledge that you have) / assume, presume
Getting a visa isn't as simple as you might suppose.
suppose somebody/something to be/have something (formal) This
combination of qualities is generally supposed to be extremely rare.
suppose somebody/something(tobe/have)
something | suppose somebody/something +adj.(formal) She had
supposed him (to be) very rich.
suppose somebody/something + noun (formal) I had supposed his wife a
younger woman.
suppose (that)… I don't suppose for a minute that he'll agree (= I'm sure
that he won't).
feeling (of something) C something that you feel through the mind or through the
senses
a feeling of hunger/excitement/sadness, etc. guilty feelings
I've got a tight feeling in my stomach.
adore somebody (not used in the progressive tenses) to love somebody very
much
It's obvious that she adores him.
adore (not used in the progressive tenses) (informal) to like something very much
adore something I simply adore his music!Don’t you just adore that
dress!
adore doing something She adores working with children.
despise somebody/something (not used in the progressive tenses) to dislike and
have no respect for somebody/something / detest, hate, loathe, look down on
She despised gossip in any form.
He despised himself for being so cowardly.
belong to sb to be owned by somebody
Who does this watch belong to?
The islands belong to Spain.
sense [countable] one of the five powers (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) that
your body uses to get information about the world around you
the five senses
Dogs have a keen (= strong) sense of smell.the sense organs (= eyes, ears,
nose, etc.)
smell [intransitive] to have a particular smell
+ adj. The room smelt damp.
smell of something His breath smelt of garlic.
smell like something What does the perfume smell like?
smell something (not usually used in the passive) to put your nose near something
and breathe in so that you can discover or identify its smell
SYNONYM SNIFF
Smell this and tell me what you think it is.
I bent down to smell the flowers.
smell [intransitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to have an unpleasant smell
The drains smell. It smells in here.
He hadn't washed for days and was beginning to smell.
taste (not used in the progressive tenses) linking verb to have a particular flavour
+ adj. It tastes sweet.
taste of something The ice tasted of mint.
taste like something This drink tastes like sherry.
taste something to test the flavour of something by eating or drinking a small
amount of it
SYNONYM TRY Taste it and see if you think there's enough salt in it.
taste something to eat or drink food or liquid
I've never tasted anything like it.
deserve (not used in the progressive tenses) if
somebody/something deserves something, it is right that they should have it, because
of the way they have behaved or because of what they are
deserve something You deserve a rest after all that hard work.
deserve to do something They didn't deserve to win.
deserve doing something Several other points deserve mentioning.
moment [singular] an exact point in time
We're busy at the moment (= now).
At that very moment, the phone rang.
From that moment on, she never felt really well again.
tired worn out, exhausted, fatigued, weary
contain hold
deserve (not used in the progressive tenses) if
somebody/something deserves something, it is right that they should have it, because
of the way they have behaved or because of what they are
deserve something You deserve a rest after all that hard work.
deserve to do something They didn't deserve to win.
deserve doing something Several other points deserve mentioning.
fit [intransitive, transitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to be the right
shape and size for somebody/something
I tried the dress on but it didn't fit.
a close-fitting dress
fit somebody/something I can't find clothes to fit me.
matter [intransitive, transitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to be important
or have an important effect on somebody/something
matter (to somebody) The children matter more to her than anything
else in the world.
matter (to somebody) who, what, etc… Does it really matter who did it?
It doesn't matter to me what you do.
matter (to somebody) that… It didn't matter that the weather was bad.
weigh linking verb (+ noun) to have a particular weight
How much do you weigh (= how heavy are you)?
These cases weigh a ton (= are very heavy).
Stative verbs are verbs that express a state rather than an action. They usually relate
to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements.
term (North American Englishalso trimester) [countable, uncountable] (especially
in Britain) one of the three periods in the year during which classes are held in
schools, universities, etc.
the spring/summer/autumn/fall term
Many students now have paid employment during term.
taste (not used in the progressive tenses) linking verb to have a particular flavour
+ adj. It tastes sweet.
taste of something The ice tasted of mint.
taste like something This drink tastes like sherry.
 taste something to test the flavour of something by eating or drinking a small
amount of it
SYNONYM TRY Taste it and see if you think there's enough salt in it.
taste something to eat or drink food or liquid
I've never tasted anything like it.
DVD the abbreviation for ‘digital versatile disc’ or ‘digital videodisc’ (a disk on
which large amounts of information, especially photographs and video, can be stored,
for use on a computer or DVD player)
a DVD drive Is it available on DVD yet?
meet with sb to meet somebody, especially for discussions
The President met with senior White House aides
weigh linking verb (+ noun) to have a particular weight
How much do you weigh (= how heavy are you)?
These cases weigh a ton (= are very heavy).
weigh somebody/something/yourself to measure how heavy
somebody/something is, usually by using scales
He weighed himself on the bathroom scales.
She weighed the stone in her hand (= estimated how heavy it was by
holding it).
temporary adj lasting or intended to last or be used only for a short time; not
permanent
temporary relief from pain I'm looking for some temporary work.
They had to move into temporary accommodation.
Opposite permanent
impatient adj annoyed or irritated by somebody/something, especially because
you have to wait for a long time
I'd been waiting for twenty minutes and I was getting impatient.
impatient (with somebody/something) Try not to be too impatient with
her.
impatient (at something) Sarah was becoming increasingly impatient at
their lack of interest.
nice adj kind; friendly
Our new neighbours are very nice.
nice to somebody Be nice to me. I'm not feeling well.
nice of somebody (to do something) It was nice of them to invite us.
nice about something I complained to the manager and he was very nice
about it.
Grammar exercises
1 Choose the correct sentence from each pair. (B1-4)
1 b My brother is living with us until he can find a flat of his own.
2 a Megan goes to Hong Kong every January.
3 a I don’t have enough money for a long holiday this year.
4 a Everyone needs a break from work sometimes.
 break [countable] a short period of time when you stop what you are doing and
rest, eat, etc.
a coffee/lunch/tea break
Let's take a break.a break for lunch
have, take a break
We’ll take a break now and resume in half an hour.
5 b What period of history are you studying this term?
term (North American Englishalso trimester) [countable, uncountable] (especially
in Britain) one of the three periods in the year during which classes are held in
schools, universities, etc.
the spring/summer/autumn/fall term
Many students now have paid employment during term.
6 b The team manager looks bad-tempered in public, but he’s always very kind to young
players.
bad-tempered adj often angry; in an angry mood
She gets very bad-tempered when she's tired.
He sat in bad-tempered silence.
kind adj caring about others; gentle, friendly and generous
a very kind and helpful person
kind (to somebody/something) kind to animals
kind (of somebody) (to do something) It was really kind of you to help
me.
Opposite unkind
2 Complete these sentences with the present simple or present continuous form of the
verbs. (B1-4)
mend something (British English) to repair something that has been damaged or
broken so that it can be used again / repair, fix
Could you mend my bike for me?
2 smells
smell [intransitive] to have a particular smell
+ adj. The room smelt damp.
smell of something His breath smelt of garlic.
smell like something What does the perfume smell like?
smell something (not usually used in the passive) to put your nose near something
and breathe in so that you can discover or identify its smell
SYNONYM SNIFF
Smell this and tell me what you think it is.
I bent down to smell the flowers.
smell [intransitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to have an unpleasant smell
The drains smell. It smells in here.
He hadn't washed for days and was beginning to smell.
a bit [singular] (used as an adverb) (especially British English) rather
SYNONYM a little These trousers are a bit tight.
‘Are you tired?’ ‘Yes, I am a bit.’
 odd adj strange or unusual
They're very odd people.
It's most odd that (= very odd that) she hasn't written.
The odd thing was that he didn't recognize me
3 like; don’t fit
suit a set of clothes made of the same cloth, including a jacket and trousers/pants or a
skirt
a business suit a pinstripe suit
a two-/three-piece suit (= of two/three pieces of clothing)
trousers (North American English usually pants) [plural]
fit [intransitive, transitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to be the right
shape and size for somebody/something
I tried the dress on but it didn't fit.
a close-fitting dress
fit somebody/something I can't find clothes to fit me.
4 are you thinking
quiet adj (of a person) tending not to talk very much
She was quiet and shy.
5 is; is your sister being; has
rude ill-mannered, bad-mannered, impolite, discourteous
manners [plural] behaviour that is considered to be polite in a particular society or
culture
to have good/bad manners
It is bad manners to talk with your mouth full.
He has no manners (= behaves very badly).
normally adv usually; in normal circumstances
I'm not normally allowed to stay out late.
It's normally much warmer than this in July.
It normally takes 20 minutes to get there.
3 Fill in the gaps with the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs. (B1-4)
1 looks
2 have; means; don’t undertand
3 Do/Can you see; ‘re/are looking; Do you recognize; seem; ‘re/are coming
across adv in a particular direction towards or at somebody/something
When my name was called, he looked across at me.
4 are you doing?; are waiting; ‘re/are getting; want; ‘s/is being; don’t know
4 Complete the email using the present simple or present continuous form of these
verbs. (B1-3)
go [intransitive] + adv./prep. used to talk about how well or badly something
makes progress or succeeds
‘How did your interview go?’ ‘It went very well, thank you.’
Did everything go smoothly?
2 ‘re enjoying
 enjoy yourself to be happy and get pleasure from what you are doing / have
fun, have a good time, be happy
They all enjoyed themselves at the party.
3 cost 4 ‘re staying
motel (also motor lodge)(North American English also motor inn) a hotel for
people who are travelling by car, with space for parking cars near the rooms
beside prep next to or at the side of somebody/something / alongside, by the
side of, at the side of, next to, by
He sat beside her all night.
a mill beside a stream
5 ‘re paying
view [countable] what you can see from a particular place or position, especially
beautiful countryside
There were magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.
The view from the top of the tower was spectacular.
a sea/mountain view I'd like a room with a view.
6 don’t like 7 serve 8 never eat 9 don’t feel 10 seem
portion an amount of food that is large enough for one person / helping, serving
a generous portion of meat
She cut the cake into six small portions.
11 ‘re having 12 ‘re visiting 13 love
absolutely adv used with adjectives or verbs that express strong feelings or
extreme qualities to mean ‘extremely’
I was absolutely furious with him.
She absolutely adores you.
scenery the natural features of an area, such as mountains, valleys, rivers and
forests, when you are thinking about them being attractive to look at
The scenery is magnificent.
to enjoy the scenery
14 behave
manner [singular] the way that somebody behaves towards other people
to have an aggressive/a friendly/a relaxed manner
His manner was polite but cool.
15 smile
shop assistant (also assistant) (both British English)(North American English sales
clerk, clerk) a person whose job is to serve customers in a shop/store
16 says
17 is always showing (shows is correct but does not make clear that she is criticizing)
18 come 19 realize
realize [transitive, intransitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to
understand or become aware of a particular fact or situation
realize (that)… I didn’t realize (that) you were so unhappy.
realize how, what, etc… I don't think you realize how important this is to her.
realize (something) I hope you realize the seriousness of this crime.
 it is realized that… There was a cheer when it was realized that everyone was
safely back.
20 are taking
5 Cambridge First candidates made mistakes in the following sentences. Choose the
correct verb forms. (B1-3)
1 I want to help out at the camp this summer.
help out/help sb out to help somebody, especially in a difficult situation
He's always willing to help out.
When I bought the house, my sister helped me out with a loan.
2 Most Spanish companies belong to multinationals nowadays.
belong to sb to be owned by somebody
Who does this watch belong to?
The islands belong to Spain.
multinational a company that operates in several different countries, especially a
large and powerful company
The country’s industry is largely controlled by the multinationals.
foreign multinationals operating in the UK
3 I am thinking about interviewing my grandfather's friend, who collects vintage cars.
vintage adj (British English) (of a vehicle) made between 1919 and 1930 and
admired for its style and interest
a vintage rally (= for vehicles of this type)
4 My father went to that university, so he knows all about it.
5 Ned is having a lot of problems with his teacher at the moment.
6 Every town needs a library, even though everyone has the internet nowadays.