Exercise: Name the uses of the Simple Present Tense in the following examples:

1. My neighbour usually practices the violin in the morning.

2. Brenda goes to church on Sundays.

3. My parents live near Dover.

4. Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. You make sure the gear-lever is in neutral and the hand brake is on; then you pull out the choke and switch on the engine. Then you push down the clutch pedal...

6. America launches space shuttle.

7. Summer follows spring.

8. Gasses expand when heated.

9. My father works in a bank.

10. The concert begins at 7.30 p.m.

11. Shakespeare says, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be."

12. Look -- here comes your husband.

13. My sister wears glasses.

14. Champion retains title.

15. We leave tomorrow at 7.30 and arrive at 11.20.

16. A notice at the end of the road warns people not to go any further.

17. There goes our bus; we'll have to wait for the next.

18. First I put a lump of butter into a pan and light the gas; then I break three eggs into a bowl, like this...

19. When the curtain rises, Juliet enters the room. The phone rings. She picks it up and listens quietly.

20. I'll be glad if it rains soon.

21. So I open the door, and I look out into the garden, and what do I see but a man wearing a policeman's helmet...

22. I hear you're getting married.

23. What are you going to do when you leave school?

24. Taylor shoots, but the ball hits the post and Harrison clears.

25. Kate Fox's novel is a historical romance set in London in the 1880's. The action takes place over a period of 30 years. A young poor girl arrives in London ......

26. I swear by almighty God to tell the truth.

27. An early bird catches a worm.

28. I marry you.

29. I will never do anything that goes against my conscience.

30. Why don't you wait till it stops raining?

31. We are having a party tonight. Why don't you come too?

habitual action sport commentary

dramatic narration: single quick past actions subordinate clause

commentary on what one is doing invitation

action regarded as permanent proverb

here/there come/go + inversion performative verb

time clause giving advice

conditional clause type 1 stage directions

permanent truth, natural law (timeless) quoting a notice

synopsis (reviews of books, films, etc) step-by-step instruction

newspaper headline

general truth or natural law

scheduled future event (event in the calendar)

with verbs like "say" -- opening a quotation

itinerary, scheduled future event

hear, see, gather, etc. used to mean the past

Practical Grammar Year 1

Agnieszka Piasecka

---