Page 114 - TTTP_2_SB_SE

Grammar Reference

How often...?:
We use How often...? to show the frequency of an action:
 A: How often do you go out?
 B: I go out twice a week, but I never go out on Fridays.

Present Progressive

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE QUESTIONS
I am eating I am not eating Am I eating?
He/She/It is eating He/She/It isn’t eating Is he/she/it eating?
We/You/They are eating We/You/They aren’t eating Are we/you/they eating?
SHORT ANSWERS
I am. I am not.
Yes, he/she/it is. No, he/she/it isn’t.
future arrangements. © MM Publications
we/you/they are. we/you/they aren’t.
FORMATION OF -ING
Most verbs take -ing. talk  talking
Verbs ending in -e, drop the -e before the -ing. come  coming
Verbs with one syllable ending in one vowel + one consonant, stop  stopping
double the consonant before the -ing.

Verbs with two or more syllables ending in one stressed begin  beginning
vowel + one consonant, double the consonant before the -ing.
Verbs ending in one vowel + -l, double the -l before the -ing. travel  travelling
Verbs ending in -ie, change -ie to -y before the -ing. die  dying

We use the Present Progressive:
• for actions that are happening at the moment of speaking.
 What is Kelly doing now? She’s listening to music.
• for temporary states.
 I’m working at a supermarket these days.
• for future arrangements.
 Liz is having a party next Saturday.

Present Simple vs Present Progressive
• We use the Present Simple for habits, repeated actions and permanent states.
 Stuart plays table tennis every day.
• We use the Present Progressive for actions happening at the moment of speaking, for temporary states and for

 Stuart is playing table tennis now.

TIME EXPRESSIONS
PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
usually, always, often, etc. now, at the moment,
every day/week, etc. today, these days,
in the morning/spring, etc. this week/year, etc.
on Mondays / Monday morning, etc., at the weekend, etc. tonight, tomorrow, etc.
once / twice / three times, etc. next week/year, etc.
a week/day, etc.

Stative Verbs
The following verbs are not normally used in the Present Progressive. They are called stative verbs:
• see, hear, smell, etc. • like, love, hate, want, need, etc.
• think, understand, know, etc. • be, have, cost, etc.

112

To the Top_Plus2_SB_GrammarReference.indd 112 11/23/2018 4:27:40 PM