Simple Present vs. Present Continuous
This lesson may be a review for many people, but do you know the difference between I eat and I am eating? Is it okay to say I watch TV right now, or should you say I am watching TV right now?

The Simple Present Tense is used for things that happen regularly, like this: Sheila takes a shower every evening.
or for general facts, like this:
Birds fly in the sky.

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The Present Continuous Tense is made by a be verb (am, is, are) + verb+ing. It is used for things that are happening right now, like this:
I am taking a shower right now.
or for things that are happening nowadays, like this:
Many people are losing their jobs nowadays.

Questions and Answers
Using the words below, fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb. study speak go watch drink brush
1. Lisa her teeth every morning.
Check your answer brushes
2. Where is Charlie? He television.
Check your answer is watching
3. A: What do you do after school everyday? B: I usually to the library.
Check your answer go
4. These days I math at the college.
Check your answer am studying
5. Australians English.
Check your answer speak
6. Frank always coffee for breakfast.
Check your answer drinks

Using either, neither and too

Look at the sentences below. A is the speaker. B answers, and sometimes
a third person C answers after B.
When you agree with the speaker... A: I like ice cream. B: Me, too. or I do, too. or So do I.
A: I can play the piano. B: Me, too. or I can, too. or So can I.
A: I am hungry. B: Me, too. or I am, too. or So am I.
A: I don't like hamburgers. B: Me, either. or Neither do I.
A: I can't cook. B: Me, either. or Neither can I.
A: I'm not tired. B: Me either. or Neither am I.
In the sentences above, a third person (C) would say the same thing as the second person (B)

When you don't agree with the speaker...
A: I love fried fish. B: I don't. C: I don't either. or Neither do I.
A: I am tall. B: I'm not. C: I'm not either. or Neither am I.
A: I can sing. B: I can't. C: I can't either. or Neither can I.
A: I don't like chocolate. B: I do. C: I do, too.
A: I'm not Canadian. B: I am. C: I am, too.
A: I can't speak English. B: I can. C: I can, too.
Note- there may be a few other possible ways to answer these questions.

Now you try...
Answer the questions using the examples above. Choose one response. (There may be more than one answer.) Check your answers by clicking on the arrows.
1. A: I like to play tennis. B: . (You like to play tennis.)
Check your answer. I do too. / Me, too. / So do I.
2. A: I can't swim. B: . (You cannot swim.)
Check your answer. Me either. / Neither can I.
3. A: I'm not going to school today. B: . (You are going to school)
Check your answer. I am.
4. A: I don't have a son. B: . (You don't have a son)
Check your answer. Me either. / Neither do I.
5. A: I can't speak Russian. B: . (You can speak Russian.
Check your answer. I can.
6. A: I like to drink beer. B: I don't. C: . (C does not like beer)
Check your answer. I don't either. / Neither do I.
7. A: I can't hear the teacher. B: I can't either. C: . (C can't hear the teacher)
Check your answer. I can't either.
8. A: I'm not happy. B: Neither am I. C: . (C is not happy)
Check your answer. Me either. / Neither am I.

Simple Past vs. Past Progressive Tense

Remember- the simple past talks about something that happened before. It happened and it finished. Some words are regular and just have -ed added at the end like walked, helped, and played. Others are irregular and have many variations like ate, began, and slept. The past progressive talks about something that was happening before, but for a period of time. It uses was or were + verb-ing like was eating or were playing. It gives a background for something that was happening while a different event happened.
Example: While I was eating, the telephone rang.
So, during the time I was eating (let's say from 6:30-7:00 p.m.) somebody called my house (let's say they called at 6:49p.m.) One thing happened (simple past) during the period of time another thing was happening (past progressive.)
Here is another example: They saw an old man as they were walking down the street.
You can think of walking as a video. You see the movement. You see the time passing. Think of saw as a photo. It is one point of time. You don't think of the time passing.
I dreamed in English when I was sleeping.
She was listening to the radio when the mail came.
They visited Sydney when they were traveling in Australia.

Questions and Answers
Use the simple past or present progressive tense. Check your answers by clicking on the arrows. 1. I dropped a cup while I (wash) the dishes.
Check your answer. was washing
2. Jon and Bill were washing the car when they (see) their friend Alex.
Check your answer. saw
3. Tony came to see me while I (do) my homework.
Check your answer. was doing
4. The children (play) when their father came home.
Check your answer. were playing
5. When Inga was driving, she (notice) an animal in the road.
Check your answer. noticed
6. Annie (call) when Kerry was studying.
Check your answer. called
7. While the movie was playing, Tomoko (eat) popcorn.
Check your answer. ate

In, At, On + Time or Date

When is your birthday? Mine is ON October 12. When do you eat lunch? I usually eat it AT noon. When does the school year begin in your country? In mine it begins IN September.
Do you know which preposition to use before times, days, months and years? Here is a reminder.

Don't forget to use...

in + month or year- In March, In 2003
on + date (with the year or without it) or day of the week- On April 2, On March 3, 1999, On Saturday
at + clock time, midnight, noon- At 3:30 p.m., At 4:01, At noon

Remember also...

in + season- In the summer, In the winter
in + morning, afternoon, evening- In the morning, In the evening
at + night- At night

Questions and Answers
Write your answers in the boxes and check them by clicking on the arrows below.

1. Let's meet 6:30.
2. The play is Saturday noon.
3. I was born November 3, 1970.
4. Beverly went to Los Angeles January.
5. Bill arrived in New York February 7.
6. I love to see the flowers the spring.
7. The movie starts 7:30 the evening.
8. We go to bed 11:00 night.
9. Her birthday is October the fall.
10. I saw a witch midnight Saturday October 31 1998.
Check your answers here. 1. at, 2. on/ at, 3. on, 4. in, 5. on, 6. in 7. at/ in, 8. at/ at 9. in/ in, 10. at/ on/ on/ in

Use to/ Used to

There is a little confusion on how to use the words use to and used to. One reason for the confusion is that it is sometimes used as a verb, and sometimes used as an adjective. The other reason is because it seems like the tense changes. It's really quite simple when you look at it.
Used as an adjective. Use to be + used to. This means to be accustomed to. For example- I can study with the TV on. I am used to it. It means I am accustomed, adjusted, or don't mind having the TV play while I'm studying. Or another example- Tim had a hard time living in Tokyo. He wasn't used to so many people. Tim didn't have experience being with big crowds of people before.
Used as a verb. Use to + verb is a regular verb and means something that happened but doesn't happen any more. It uses -ed to show past tense. But since it always means something that happened in the past, it should always use past tense. For example- I used to go to school in Paris. (I went to school there before, but now I don't.) Or, When Joshua was a child, he used to climb trees. (Now he doesn't climb trees.)

Remember, we always use this word when talking about the past. So when do you use use to without the d at the end? When the base form of the verb is used. Look at these examples- She didn't use to swim before noon. (Now she does swim before noon.) Or Did your father use to ride a horse? In these cases the past tense is shown with the did and didn't.

You try...
Use the correct form of use to. Decide if it is an adjective or verb. If it is a verb, does it use the base form of the verb, or does it need -ed?
1. Karen play with dolls.

Check your answer. used to (verb)

2. Sheila wasn't having to cook for herself.

Check your answer. used to (adjective)

3. Did Todd go skiing in the Alps?

Check your answer. use to (verb)

4. I never get up so late.

Check your answer. used to (verb)

5. His dog is staying home alone all day.

Check your answer. used to (adjective)

6. We didn't use to fight like this.

Check your answer. use to (verb)

7. I wonder if you will ever be working so hard.

Check your answer. used to (adjective)

8. She didn't sing so well, did she?

Check your answer. use to (verb)

9. Herbert play basketball after school.

Check your answer. used to (verb)

10. They aren't staying out so late.

Check your answer. used to (adjective)

Using the Present Perfect Tense

 The present perfect tense is made like this:
have/has + past participle.
Here are some examples of the past participle:
been eaten
gone played
done read
become written
We use it to talk about a something that started in the past and continued until now.
Examples: I have been in California for 2 years. (From 2 years ago in the past until now, I have been in California. I didn't live in another place.)
or Karen has gone to school everyday since she was 5 years old. (From the time she was 5 years old -in the past- until now, she has gone to school. She didn't stop going to school.)

Check Your Understanding
Use the present perfect tense. Check your answers by clicking on the arrows.

1. Jerry (play) basketball since he was young.
Check Your Answer has played
2. A: How long have you done karate? B: I (do) it for about 3 years now.
Check Your Answer have done
3. She was an ugly child. Now she (become) a beautiful woman.
Check Your Answer has become
4. Stephanie (be) at the library all day.
Check Your Answer has been
5. Oh no! The deer (eat) all of my flowers.
Check Your Answer have eaten
6. That little girl (read) all of the books on that shelf.
Check Your Answer has read
7. She said she (study) English for 8 years.
Check Your Answer has studied
8. Thomas and Bill (watch) TV since 8:00 this morning.
Check Your Answer have watched

Using Since and For

  Use since + (a specific time) like March 31, or 9:19 a.m., or Tuesday.
Examples:
I have been studying English since 1993.
John has helped me since 10:00 this morning.
Those people have been in Europe since August.

Note: Because we are talking about a time in the past until now, we have to use have/has + past participle when we use since.

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Use for + (a length of time) like 1 day, or 3 hours, or 5 years.
Examples:
I have been studying English for 4 years.
John has helped me for 8 hours.
Those people went to Europe for 2 months.
Note: It is possible to use the past tense when you use for if the action is finished.

Check Your Understanding
Choose the correct answer. Check your answers below.


1. Leslie has lived here ______ since for ten years.
2. I haven't seen you ______ since for last March.
3. We sat and talked ______ since for 30 minutes.
4. Young-eun studied French ______ since for nine years.
5. Caroline has been learning Spanish ______ since for March 1999.
6. We haven't had an earthquake ______ since for 23 years.
7. I haven't heard from you ______ since for Saturday.
8. Molly hasn't eaten ______ since for 7:00 this morning.
9. He played basketball ______ since for over 20 years.
10. Andre hasn't seen Becky ______ since for yesterday.

Check your answers 1. for, 2. since, 3. for, 4. for 5. since 6. for, 7. since, 8. since, 9. for, 10. since