esl blue(s) Tam-tam. Present Simple versus Progressive






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Tam-tam at the Park



Every Sunday a crowd of young people gather at a central park in Montreal to
play drums and dance to the rhythms created. Here is the conversation between
two tourists who are seeing it for the first time.
Click on following links for pop-up pages that explain the most common errors
using the present tenses and non-progressive verbs.
Main
Index    





Instructions:  Fill the blanks with the
missing words by clicking on the correct word from the
list.



First Tourist:
Wow! There are a lot of people here. And they ( 
are still coming.  )   
   

 
 
a)    are
still coming.b)    still are coming.c)
   come
still.d)    still come.
     Hint:    This is
happening right now. People are continuing to arrive. Careful with word
order. Still usually precedes the verb or auxiliary.





Second Tourist:
It's a nice atmosphere. It (  looks  ) like most of the people here are enjoying
themselves.    

 
 
a)    looksb)   
lookc)    is
looking
     Hint:    This
sentence can also be expressed in this way:It seems like most
of the people here are enjoying themselves.





First Tourist:
You're right. Everyone ( is
having ) fun.         

 
 
a)    haveb)    is
havingc)    hasd)    are
having
     Hint:    This is
happening right now. Careful: everyone is singular, not plural.






Second Tourist:
Look at that guy climbing up onto the statue. He ( thinks ) he's on Mount Everest.    

 
 
a)    thinkb)   
is
thinkingc)    's
thinkingd)    thinks

     Hint:    Here
think means believe and therefore cannot be a progressive
verb.





First Tourist:
There are a lot of police cadets around. ( Do
you suppose ) they are
expecting trouble?    

 
 
a)    Are you
supposingb)    You are
supposingc)    You
supposed)    Do
you suppose
     Hint:    This is
one of those verbs that are we rarely use in the present progressive. Make
sure you use the auxiliary verb to ask a question.





Second Tourist:
I doubt it. In the guide book it ( says ) that there's never any trouble.       

 
 
a)    saysb)   
sayc)   
is
saying
        Hint:    Compare
the following: The police cadets are dancing too. This
indicates that they are not expecting trouble.





First Tourist:
You're right. Look at all the kids down there. They look
very happy and ( are
obviously having ) fun.       

 
 
a)    have obviously
b)    obviously
havec)    are
obviously havingd)    are having obviously
     Hint:    This is
happening now. Careful with word order.





Second Tourist.
I suppose this must be seasonal. Surely no one ( dances ) here in the middle of a Montreal winter.       

 
 
a)    danceb)   
is
dancingc)    dancesd)   
are
dancing
     Hint:    This is
not happening now, it refers to a habitual event. No one is
singular.





First Tourist:
I'm not so sure. On a sunny day in the middle of winter it
must be possible to dance and still stay warm. They ( probably
dress ) warmly.       

 
 
a)    dress
probablyb)    probably are
dressingc)    are probably
dressingd)    probably
dress
     Hint:    This is a
habitual action. Careful with word order.





Second Tourist.
Yes, you may be right. These Canadians are all a bit crazy
anyway. But they ( certainly
know ) how to have a good
time.       

 
 
a)    know
certainlyb)    certainly
knowc)    are certainly
knowingd)    certainly are knowing
     Hint:   
Know is one of those verbs that is never used in the progressive
present. Careful with word order.





First Tourist:
I ( don't
suppose ) you want to
dance.  

 
 
a)    don't
supposeb)    am not
supposingc)    suppose not
     Hint:   
Suppose is one of those verbs that is rarely used in the
progressive sense. The expression I suppose not cannot be followed
by other words in the same sentence.





Second Tourist:
Hey! Why not? I love the rhythms. My feet ( are
dancing ) already. Let's
join the crowd.       

 
 
a)    danceb)   
is
dancingc)    are
dancing
     Hint:    This is
happening right now.





First Tourist:
This is a lot of fun. Look at that girl over there. She
( seems ) to be in a trance.       

 
 
a)    is
seemingb)    seemsc)   
seem
     Hint:    This is
one of those verbs that are we rarely use in the present
progressive.





Second Tourist:
This is amazing. Do you think it's spontaneous. Nobody ( is
acting ) as a
leader.       

 
 
a)    actsb)   
is
actingc)    actb)   
are acting
     Hint:    This is
happening right now. Nobody is singular.





First Tourist:
You're wrong. There is a woman sitting over there in the
center. I ( imagine ) she is setting the rhythm and the others
are following.        

 
 
a)    imagineb)   
am
imagining
     Hint:    Here
imagine means think and in this context cannot be used as a
progressive verb.




    





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