Exercise 1. Translate into English and comment on the use of the present simple

THE PRESENT SIMPLE

Formation

We make the present simple by using the infinitive without to. We add –s or – es to the verb in the third person singular.

Example: Martin lives in Canada.

I work in a hospital.

Spelling of third person singular forms

Most verbs: work works Add –sto infinitive sit sits stay stays

Verbs ending in consonant +y: cry cries changes yto i and add -es hurry reply replies

Verbs ending in –s, -z, -ch, - sh -x: miss misses add –es to infinitive buzz buzzes watch watches push pushes fix fixes

Exceptions: have has go goes do does

Questions are made by using the auxiliary do/does. The auxiliary is placed before the subject.

Example: Do you enjoy hospital dramas?

Does Carina enjoy hospital dramas?

Negatives in the present simple are formed by putting do not (don’t)or does not (doesn’t) before the notional verb.

Example: I don’t enjoy hospital dramas.

Carina doesn’t enjoy hospital dramas.

Affirmative I work you work he/she/it works we work you work they work

Questions do I work? do you work? does he/she/it work? do we work? do you work? do they work?

Negative I do not work you do not work he/she/it does not work we do not work you do not work they do not work

Passive forms

When we say what people and things do, we use active verb forms. We often use passive verb forms when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what performs the action. A phrase with the preposition ‘by’ introduces the person or thing that does the action. We use ‘with’ to refer to a tool used by somebody. The present simple passive has the following structure:

am/is/are + past participle

Active: They speak English here.

Passive: English is spoken here.

Active: Tom delivers the mail.

Passive: The mail is delivered by Tom.

Active: I chop onionswith a sharp knife.

Passive: Onions are chopped with a sharp knife.

Use of the Present Simple

1. We use the present simple to talk about

ü permanent situations;

Martin lives in Canada. Мартін живе у Канаді.

I work in a hospital. Я працюю у лікарні.

ü things that happen on a regular basis (we often use adverbs of frequency such as always, never, occasionally, often, sometimes, usually or expressions of frequency such as on Tuesdays, every day, once a …);

Do they often go out to restaurants? Вони часто ходять у ресторани?

She travels to London twice a year. Вона подорожує до Лондона двічі на рік.

ü facts and universal truths;

Americans drink a lot of coffee. Американці п’ють багато кави.

Water freezes at the temperature of zero degrees Celsius. Вода замерзає при температурі нуль градусів Цельсія.

Two and two make four. Два додати два буде чотири.

2. We use the present simplein adverbial clauses of time (after conjunctions after, as soon as, before, until, when) and condition that refer to the future (after conjunctions if, providing/provided (that), in case etc).

I’ll phone him when I get home. Я йому подзвоню, коли прийду додому.

We’ll stay at home if it rains. Ми залишимось вдома, якщо піде дощ.

In case I’m late, start without me. Якщо я запізнюсь, починайте без мене.

3. We use the present simple to talk about future events which are timetabled.

What time does the plane arrive in New York? Коли літак прибуває до Нью-Йорка?

The train for Birmingham departs at seven o’clock. Потяг до Бірмінгему відходить о сьомій.

4. We use the present simple to ask and give directions, instructions (as an alternative to the imperative).

– How do I get to Svoboda square? Як пройти до площі Свободи?

– From here you cross the road and turn to the left. Перейдіть дорогу та поверніть ліворуч.

You wait inside the office until I arrive. Ти чекай на мені в офісі доти, доки я не прибуду.

5. We use the present simple when you talk about series of actions that are completed as we speak. This happens, for example, in demonstrations and commentaries.

Watch carefully. First I take a bowl and break two eggs into it. Next… Дивись уважно. Спочатку я беру миску, розбиваю два яйця. Потім …

France gets the ball from Zidane and scores a goal. Франс перехоплює м’яч у Зідана і забиває гол.

NB

The present continuous is used for longer actions.

Watch my experiment attentively. I take a crushed hexamine fuel tablet, add silver nitrate. I’m heating the mixture and we can see silver on the test tube. Дивись уважно за моїм експериментом. Я беру подрібнене сухе пальне, додаю нитрат срібла, нагріваю суміш і ми бачимо на стінках пробірки наліт срібла.

6. We use the present simple in the introductory expression I hear to say that you have been told something.

I hear (that) you are getting married. Я чула, що ти одружуєшся.

7. We use the present simple to tell stories about the past. The present simple makes them more exciting and holds people’s attention.

Just imagine. There’s an old woman with thick glasses who is serving drinks. I go up to her and ask…Тільки уяви. Жінка у товстих окулярах, яка подає напої. Я підхожу до неї і питаю…

NB

The main events are usually described in sequence using the present simple and longer background events are described using the present continuous.

8. We use the present simple in summaries of plays, stories.

In Act 1, Hamlet meets the ghost of his father. У першому акті Гамлет зустрічає привид батька.

Chapter 5: Sam goes to New York and finds jewelry. Глава 5: Сем їде до Нью-Йорка і знаходить прикраси.

9. We use the present simple in suggestions with Why don’t you…?

Why don’t you give me your number, I’ll call you. Чому б тобі не дати мені свій номер телефона, я тобі подзвоню.

Why don’t you ask him for his advice? Чому б тобі не спитати його поради?

10. We use the present simple with performative verbs (to accept, to admit, to agree, to apologise, to assure, to congratulate, to declare, to deny, to disagree, to forbid, to forgive, to guarantee, to insist, to invite, to order, to predict, to promise, to pronounce, to recommend, to refuse, to request, to suggest, to swear, to thank, to warn) etc.

Saying I apologise performs the action of apologising etc.

I suggest that you should come with us. Я пропоную, щоб ви поїхали з нами.

I congratulate you on your birthday. Вітаю Вас з днем народження.

I agree entirely with what you have said. Я повністю згодний з тим, що ти сказав.

I swear to you, I don’t know anything. Я присягаюся, що нічого не знаю.

I refuse to compromise my principles. Я відмовляюся йти всупереч своїм принципам.

I recommend (that) he see a lawyer. Я рекомендую, щоб він зустрівся з юристом.

11. We use the present simple in newspaper headlines to refer to past events.

Freak snow stops traffic

Зненацька випавший сніг паралізував рух транспорту

Exercise 1. Translate into English and comment on the use of the present simple.

1. Якщо погода буде гарна, ми влаштуємо вечірку в саду. 2. Грем (Graham) завзятий курець. Він палить біля п’ятдесяти цигарок на день. 3. Ми гарантуємо, що ваші діти будуть доглянуті (to be supervised) професійними інструкторами. 4. Ми зазвичай збираємося раз на два тижні. 5. Що ти будеш робити, якщо це не спрацює? 6. Його потяг прибуває о пів на дванадцяту. 7. «Я натиснула Ctrl+Alt+Del. Що я роблю зараз?» «Ти натискаєш ENTER». 8. Ось як це було. Я їду по грунтовій дорозі (country road) і остаточно (completely) заблукала. Потім, я бачу цього хлопця і він каже…9. Я тебе поздоровляю зі складанням водійського тесту. 10. Плавання тренує більше м’язів, ніж будь-який інший вид спорту. 11. Зоопарк відкритий кожного дня з дев’ятої ранку до п’ятої вечора. 12. У Відені розпочалися переговори з приводу розброєння 13. Місіз Вілсон (Wilson) одна з наших постійних (regular) покупців. 14. Французькою розмовляють у Франції, Бельгії, Швейцарії, на Нормандських островах. 15. Чому б тобі завтра не взяти відгул (day off)? 16. Сара (Sarah) живе поблизу, чи не так? 17. Донельсон пасує Адріано…Адріано Джеральду… 18. Я визнаю, що вже не бачу так добре, як раніше. 19. Вона працює кур’єром (courier). 20. Дії у цьому романі розгортаються (to take place) впродовж тридцяти років (over a period of 30 years). 21. Комітет (committee) збирається завтра. 22. Ми підемо тоді, коли ти будеш готовий. 23. «Як мені дістатися до залізниці?» «Йдіть прямо до світлофора, потім поверніть ліворуч». 24. Дивись уважно. Спочатку ти кип’ятиш воду, потім ти нагріваєш чайник для заварювання, кладеш три чайні ложки чаю і наливаєш окріп (boiling water). 25. Я чула, що ти плануєш піти з роботи.

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Formation

We make the present continuous by using the verb be (am, is, are) and the –ing form of the verb.

Example: He’s watching television.

It’s raining again.

Rules for the formation of the present participle

Add -ing to most verbs without changing the spelling of their base forms.	to wait waiting to play playing
If a verb ends in -e, omit the -e and add -ing. But: ee at the end of the word is not changed.	to come coming to make making to see seeing
The final consonant after a short, stressed vowel is doubled before - ing.	to begin beginning to run running
With two-syllable verbs, the final consonant is normally doubled when the last syllable is stressed. The letter l as final consonant after a vowel is always doubled before ing. This applies only for British English; in American English there is usually only one l.	to forget forgetting to prefer preferring   to travel travelling (British English) to travel traveling (American English)
An ie at the end of a word becomes y before ing.	to lie lying to tie

Questions are made by placing be (am, is, are) before the subject.

Example: Is she watering the flowers?

What’s Bob doing?

Negatives are made by adding notafter the auxiliary.

Example: She is not (isn’t) cleaning her room at the moment.

He isn’t watching television.

Affirmative I am working you are working he/ she/ it is working we are working you are working they are working

Questions am I working? are you working? is he/ she/ it working? are we working? are you working? are they working?

Negative I am not working you are not working he/ she/ it is not working we are not working you are not working they are not working

Passive forms

The present continuous passive has the following structure:

am/is/are + being+ past participle

Active: My husband is washing the car.

Passive: The car is being washed by my husband.

Active: The police are quizzing four men about the robbery.

Passive: Four men are being quizzed about the robbery by the police.