A. Study this example situation:
Alex is
a bus driver, but now he is in bed asleep. So: He is not driving a bus. (He is
asleep.) but He drives a bus. (He is a bus driver.)
Drive(s)/work(s)/do(es) etc. is the present simple:
I/we/you/they drive/work/do etc.
he/she/it drives/works/does etc.
B. We
use the present simple to talk about things in general. We are not thinking
only about now. We use it to say that something happens all the time or
repeatedly, or that something is true in general. It is not important whether
the action is happening at the time of speaking:
* Nurses
took after patients in hospitals.
* I
usually go away at weekends.
* The
earth goes round the sun.
Remember
that we say: he/she/it -s. Don't forget the s:
I work
... but He works ... They teach ... but My sister teaches ...
For
spelling (-s or -es), see Appendix 6.
C. We
use do/does to make questions and negative sentences:
do
I/we/you/they work?/come?/do?
does
he/she/it work?/come?/do?
I/we/you/they don't work/come/do
he/she/it
doesn't work/come/do
* I come
from Canada. Where do you come from?
* 'Would
you like a cigarette?' 'No, thanks. I don't smoke.'
* What
does this word mean? (not 'What means this word?')
* Rice
doesn't grow in cold climates.
In the
following examples do is also the main verb:
* 'What
do you do?' (= What's your job?) 'I work in a shop.'
* He's
so lazy. He doesn't do anything to help me. (not 'He doesn't anything')
D. We
use the present simple when we say how often we do things:
* I get
up at 8 o'clock every morning. (not 'I'm getting')
* How
often do you go to the dentist? (not 'How often are you going?')
* Ann
doesn't drink tea very often.
* In
summer John usually plays tennis once or twice a week.
E. I
promise/I apologise etc.
Sometimes we do things by saying something. For example, when you
promise to do something, you can say 'I promise ...'; when you suggest
something, you can say J suggest ...'. We use the present simple (promise/suggest
etc.) in sentences like this:
* I
promise I won't be late. (not 'I'm promising')
* 'What
do you suggest I do?' 'I suggest that you ...'
In the
same way we say: I apologise .../I advise .../I insist .../I agree ... /I
refuse ... etc.
EXERCISES
2.1
Complete the sentences using one of the following:
cause(s) close(s) drink(s)
live(s) open(s) speak(s)
take(s) place
1. Ann
speaks German very well.
2. I
never --- coffee. drink
3. The
swimming pool --- at 9 o'clock and --- at 18.30 every day. Opens, closes
4. Bad
driving --- many accidents. causes
5. My
parents --- in a very at small flat. live
6. The
Olympic Games --- every four years. Take place
2.2 Put
the verb into the correct form.
1. Jane
doesn't drink (not/drink) tea very often.
2. What
time --- (the banks/close) in Britain? Do the banks close
3.
'Where --- (Martin/come) from?' 'He's Scottish.' Does Martin come
4. 'What
--- (you/do)?' 'I'm an electrical engineer.' – do you do
5. It
--- (take) me an hour to get to work. How long --- (it/take) you? – take, does
it take
6. I ---
(play) the piano but I --- (not/play) very well. Play , don’t play
7. I
don't understand this sentence. What --- (this word/mean)? Does this word mean
2.3 Use
one of the following verbs to complete these sentences. Sometimes you need the
negative:
believe eat flow
go grow make
rise tell translate
1. The
earth goes round the sun.
2. Rice
doesn't grow in Britain.
3. The
sun --- in the east. rises
4. Bees
--- honey. - make
5.
Vegetarians --- meat. – don’t eat
6. An
atheist --- in God. doesn’t believe
7. An
interpreter --- from one language into another. translates
8. A
liar is someone who --- the truth. Does not tell
9. The
River Amazon --- into the Atlantic Ocean. flows
2.4 Ask
Liz questions about herself and her family.
1. You
know that Liz plays tennis. You want to know how often. Ask her.
How
often do you play tennis?
2.
Perhaps Liz's sister plays tennis too. You want to know. Ask Liz.
--- your
sister --- - does your sister play tennis?
3. You
know that Liz reads a newspaper every day. You want to know which one. Ask her.
---
Which newspaper do you read everyday?
4. You
know that Liz's brother works. You want to know what he does. Ask Liz.
--- -
what does your brother do?
5. You
know that Liz goes to the cinema a lot. You want to know how often. Ask her.
--- How
often do you go to the cinema?
6. You
don't know where Liz's mother lives. Ask Liz.
---
Where does your mother live ?
2.5
Complete using one of the following.
I
apologise I insist I promise
I recommend I suggest
1. It's
a nice day. I suggest we go out for a walk.
2. I
won't tell anybody what you said. ---. I promise
3. (in a
restaurant) You must let me pay for the meal. ---. – I insist
4. ---
for what I said about you. It wasn't true and I shouldn't have said it. – I
apologize
5. The
new restaurant in Hill Street is very good --- it. I recommend
The answer
2.1
2 drink
3 opens
... closes
4 causes
5 live
6 take
place
2.2
2 do the
banks close
3 does
Martin come
4 do you
do
5 takes
... does it take
6 play
... don't play
7 does
this word mean
2.3
3 rises
4 make
5 don't
eat
6
doesn't believe
7
translates
8
doesn't tell
9 flows
2.4
2 Does
your sister play tennis?
3 Which
newspaper do you read?
4 What
does your brother do? or What is your brother's job?
5 How
often do you go to the cinema?
6 Where
does your mother live?
2.5
2 I
promise
3 I
insist
4 I
apologise
5 I
recommend
