Emploi
Present Progressive
Le Present Progressive (ou Present Continuous) s'emploie pour parler de:
- ce qui se passe maintenant:
- I'm reading a page on the Internet at the moment. Je suis en train de lire une page sur Internet en ce moment;
- ce qui se passe ces temps-ci:
- Prices are going up; the value of the Euro is going down. Les prix montent; la valeur de l'euro baisse;
- ce que l'on a prévu de faire dans un futur proche:
- I'm visiting my parents next Sunday. Je rends visite à mes parents dimanche prochain.
Present Simple
Le Present Simple s'emploie pour parler de:
- ce qui est toujours vrai:
- The sun rises in the east. Le soleil se lève à l'est;
- Water boils at 100°C. L'eau bout à 100°C.
- ce qui est d'habitude le cas:
- The postman usually comes before noon. D'ordinaire, le facteur passe avant midi;
- ce qui est en général le cas:
- In France, people drive on the right-hand side of the road. En France, on conduit à droite;
- un événement futur programmé (dans un horaire, etc.):
- Our plane leaves at 10 PM on Thursday. Notre avion part jeudi à 22h00.
Le Present Simple est aussi employé pour les verbes d'état, c'est-à-dire les verbes qui font référence à un état mental, émotionnel, etc. Voici quelques exemples:
- états mentaux: believe (croire), doubt (douter), know (savoir, connaître), think (penser), understand (comprendre):
- Mary knows how to play the piano - Mary sait jouer du piano;
- émotions: like, love (aimer), need (avoir besoin), prefer, want (vouloir), wish (souhaiter):
- I want to go to New York for my holidays - Je veux aller à New-York pour les vacances;
- perceptions: feel (sentir), hear (entendre), see (voir), sound (sonner), smell (sentir), taste (gouter):
- This apple tastes very sweet - Cette pomme a un goût très sucré;
- Her perfume smells lovely - Son parfum sent bon;
- apparences: look (avoir l'air), seem (sembler):
- The boss looks angry today - Le patron a l'air fâché aujourd'hui.
Present Simple or Continuous
1. Let's go out. It (not/rain) now.
2. Julia is very good at languages. She (speak) four languages very well.
3. Hurry up! Everybody (wait) for you.
4. 'Can you drive?' 'I (learn).
5. My father (teach) me.
6. The River Nile (flow) into the Mediterranean.
7. Look at the river. It (flow) very fast today -much faster than usual.
8. ' (you / listen) to the radio ?' 'No, you can turn it off.'
9. 'How is your English?' 'Not bad. It (improve) slowly.
10. Ron is in London at the moment. He (stay) at the Park Hotel.
11. He (always/stay) there when he's in London.
12. Can we stop walking soon? I (start) to feel tired.
13. Normally I (finish) work at 5.00,
14. but this week I (work) until 6.00 to earn a bit more money.
15. (at a party) Usually I (enjoy) parties ...
16. ... but I (not/enjoy) this one very much.
17. 'What (your father / do)? What is his job?'
18. 'He's an architect but he (not/work) at the moment.'
19. The train is never late. It (always/leave) on time.
Keys
1. Let's go out. It IS NOT RAINING (not/rain) now.
2. Julia is very good at languages. She SPEAKS (speak) four languages very well.
3. Hurry up! Everybody IS WAITING (wait) for you.
4. 'Can you drive?' 'I AM LEARNING (learn).
5. My father IS TEACHING (teach) me.
6. The River Nile FLOWS (flow) into the Mediterranean.
7. Look at the river. IS FLOWING (flow) very fast today -much faster than usual.
8. ' ARE YOU LISTENING (you / listen) to the radio ?' 'No, you can turn it off.'
9. 'How is your English?' 'Not bad. It IS IMPROVING (improve) slowly.
10. Ron is in London at the moment. He IS STAYING (stay) at the Park Hotel.
11. He ALWAYS STAYS (always/stay) there when he's in London.
12. Can we stop walking soon? I AM STARTING (start) to feel tired.
13. Normally I FINISH (finish) work at 5.00,
14. but this week I AM WORKING (work) until 6.00 to earn a bit more money.
15. (at a party) Usually I ENJOY (enjoy) parties ...
16. ... but I AM NOT ENJOYING (not/enjoy) this one very much.
17. 'What DOES YOUR FATHER DO (your father / do)? What is his job?'
18. 'He's an architect but he IS NOT WORKING (not/work) at the moment.'
19. The train is never late. It ALWAYS LEAVES (always/leave) on time.
