Unit 2: Present Simple (I do)


A: Study this example situation

Alex is a bus driver, but now he is in bed asleep.

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 use it to say that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general:

- Nurses look after patients in hospitals.

- I usually go away at weekends.

- The earth goes round the sun.

- The café opens at 7.30 in the morning.

Remember:

I work ... but He works...

They teach... but My sister teaches...

C:

We use do/does to make questions and negative sentences:

do

does

I/we/you/they

he/she/it

work?

drive?

do?

I/we/you/they

he/she/it

don't

doesn't

work

drive

do

- I come from Canada. Where do you come from?

- I don't go away very often.

- 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 (do you do / doesn't do etc):

- What do you do? I work in a shop.

- He's always so lazy. He doesn't do anything to help.

D:

We use the present simple to say how often we do things:

- I get up at 8 o'clock every morning.

- How often do you go to the dentist?

- Julie doesn't drink tea very often.

- Robert usually goes away two or three times a year.

E: I promise/I apologise

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 "I suggest...":

- I promise I won't be late. (not I'm primising)

- "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.

Unit 2: Exercises


2.1 Complete the sentences using the following verbs:

cause(s)

connect(s)

drink(s)

live(s)

open(s)

speak(s)

take(s)

1- Taya ........ German very well.

2- I don't often .............. coffee.

3- The swimming pool ......... at 7.30 every morning.

4- Bad driving ......... many accidents.

5- My parents ......... in a very small flat.

6- The Olympic Games ................ place every four years.

7- The Panama Canal ................ the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

2.2 Put the verb into the correct form.

1- Julie ......... (not/drink) tea very often.

2- What time................ (the banks/close) here?

3- I've got a computer, but I ............... (not/use) it much.

4- "Where ................ (Martin/come) from?" "He's Scottish".

5- "What .......... (you/do)?" "I'm an electrician.".

6- It ............. (take) me an hour to get to work. How long ......... (it/take) you?

7- Look at this sentence. What ........................ (this word/mean)?

8- David isn't very fit. He ................. (not/do) any sport.

2.3 Use the following verbs to complete the sentences. Sometimes you need the negative:

believe

eat

flow

go

grow

make

rise

tell

translate

1- The earth ..... goes round the sun.

2- Rice .............. in Britain.

3- The sun ........... in the east.

4- Bees ...... honey.

5- Vegetarians ......... meat.

6- An atheist ........... in God.

7- An interpreter ......... from one language into another.

8- Liars are people who ......... the truth.

9- The River Amazon ........... into the Atlantic Ocean.

2.4 You ask Liz questions about herself and her family. Write the questions.

1- You know that Liz plays tennis. You want to know how often. Ask her.

How often .....................................?

2- Perhaps Liz's sister plays tennis too. You want to know. Ask Liz.

........... your sister ......................?

3- You know that Liz reads a newspaper every day. You want to know which one. Ask her.

..........................................................?

4- You know that Liz's brother works. You want to know what he does. Ask Liz.

..........................................................?

5- You know that Liz goes to the cinema a lot. You want to know how often. Ask her.

...........................................................?

6- You don't know where Liz's grandparents live. You want to know. Ask Liz.

............................................................?

2.5 Complete using the following:

I apologise

I insist

I promise

I recommend

I suggest

1- It's nice day. ................ we go out for a walk.

2- I won't tell anybody what you said. ......................... .

3- (in a restaurant) You must let me pay for the meal. ......................... .

4- ......... for what I did. It won't happen again.

5- The new restaurant in Hill Street is very good. .................. it.