ESL BLUE (s) A Winter Vacation: present simple versus progressive
Nadia and Suzanne are going on a trip to Guadaloupe, in the Caribbean. It is their first trip together and they are looking forward to a break from school and winter. They are very close friends but have very different personalities, as you will see.
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Nadia calls Suzanne two days before the trip. Nadia: Hey Suzanne. Two more days. ________ excited? (get) Suzanne: A little. I just hope we get good weather. Nadia: Don't worry. It never ________ in the Caribbean. (rain) Suzanne: Don't count on it.
Hey Suzanne. Two more days. Are you getting
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. Don't worry. It never rains
The adverb never
Suzanne calls Nadia the day before the trip. Suzanne: Hi Nadia. Do you have everything you need for the trip? Nadia: You bet! I have my passport, traveler's checks, insurance, my suitcases are packed. I even have a Spanish phrase book and I ________ a few expressions so I can talk to people there. (learn) Suzanne: That's great, except for one thing. They ________ French, not Spanish, in Guadaloupe. (speak) Nadia: Oh!
I even have a Spanish phrase book and I am learning
This is an action in progress. It is not a repeated or habitual action. They speak
This is a general fact, not an action in progress. This is what happens normally.
Same phone conversation. Nadia: My dad ________ me to the airport. Do you need a ride? (drive) Suzanne: No, I'm fine. You ________ on the other side of town. It's so easy for me to take the airport bus. (live)
My dad is driving
This is a planned future event. It is similar to, but more definite than My dad is going to drive me to the airport. You live
This is a permanent situation. If it is a temporary situation, then it is possible to say You are living on the other side of town.
At the airport. Suzanne: Three suitcases! That's a lot. Nadia: Hey, this is how I always ________. I don't want to wear the same clothes every day. (travel) Suzanne: Yes, but we ________ away for a week, not six months. (go)
Hey, this is how I always travel.
The adverb always Yes, but we are going
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action.
At the hotel. Nadia: Wow! This is a great hotel. You say your friends recommended it. ________ here often? (come) Suzanne: Every year. And I think they ________ here again this winter. (come)
You say your friends recommended it. Do they come
The adverb often And I think they are coming
This is a planned event in the future. It is not a habitual or repeated action in this case.
The fourth day of their vacation. They are not having luck with the weather. Suzanne: Oh no! It ________ again! No beach for us today.(rain) Nadia: What a horrible place! It ______ here every single day. Why didn't the travel agent tell us. (rain)
Oh no! It is raining
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. What a horrible place! It rains
The time expression every day
Same vacation. Same hotel room. Different day. Nadia: I don't believe it! The sun ________ out. We can go to the beach at last. (come) Suzanne: I don't trust it. Look at those black clouds over there. I ________ here until the sky is completely blue. (stay) Nadia: Oh Suzanne! You're so unadventurous. Don't forget that we're supposed to be on vacation.
I don't believe it! The sun is coming
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. Look at those black clouds over there. I am staying
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action.
Same vacation. Same day. But now at a restaurant. Nadia: This food's too spicy. I ________ it. (eat neg. ) Suzanne: But it's a curry. Curries are always spicy. Nadia: I know, but not this spicy. In Canada I ________ curry all the time but it's not hot like this. I can't eat it. (eat)
This food's too spicy. I. am not eating
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. In Canada I eat
The time expression all the time
Same vacation. Different day. Now at the beach. Nadia: Hey Sue! Look at that guy. He's so cute. Suzanne: He's ok, I suppose, but he's so vain. Just look at him. He _________ there where everybody can see him. (stand) Nadia: But of course. That's his job. He's a lifeguard. Suzanne: He's not a lifeguard. There are no lifeguards on this beach. Anyway, lifeguards ________ on high chairs so they can see the swimmers.
Just look at him. He is standing
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. Anyway, lifeguards sit
This refers to a general fact, not an act in progress. This is what lifeguards do normally.
Same vacation. Same day. A little later. Still at the beach. Suzanne: Nadia! Put on some sun-tan lotion. The sun's really strong today. Nadia: There's no need. I never ______ a sunburn. My skin is very resistant. And anyway, I'm always in the ocean. (get) Suzanne: That's worse. It's when you swim that you ________ a really bad sunburn. The water amplifies the rays of the sun. (get) Nadia: You're worse than my mother.
I never get
The adverb never It's when you swim that you get
As the expression when (= every time) I swim
Same vacation. Same day. Same beach. Suzanne: Nadia! I told you to put on some lotion. Now you're in trouble. Your skin ________ red. (turn) Nadia: Don't panic! Everything's fine. Normally, when I'm in the sun, my skin ________ red at first, but after a couple of hours I'm tanned all over. (turn)
Now you're in trouble. Your skin is turning
As the time expression now Normally, when I'm in the sun, my skin turns
The adverb normally
Same vacation. Same day, but later. Now back at the hotel. Nadia: Oh! This is horrible. My skin ________. Can you put some more of that anti-sunburn stuff on my back. (burn) Suzanne: Of course. It's supposed to be very good for sunburns. It always ________ for me. (work)
Oh! This is horrible. My skin is burning.
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. It always works
The adverb always
Same vacation. Another day. At the hotel. Nadia: Suzanne! You ________ another postcard! Let's go out and enjoy ourselves. (write neg. ) Suzanne: I ________ myself. I love writing postcards. After all, what's a vacation without postcards. (enjoy)
Suzanne! You are not writing
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. I am enjoying
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action.
Same vacation. Another day. In the hotel lobby . Nadia: Suzanne! Check out that guy! He's just my type. Mmmmm! And I think he ________ at us. (look) Suzanne: You're right. Why don't you go talk to him. Nadia: You must be joking. I can't just walk up to him and say 'hi.' Nobody ______ that. Anyway, guys like to make the first moves. (do) Suzanne: What planet are you living on? This is 1999, not 1969.
Suzanne! Check out that guy! He's just my type. Mmmmm! And I think he is looking
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. I can't just walk up to him and say 'hi.' Nobody does
This refers to a general fact, not an action in progress. Careful! The words nobody, somebody, everybody, etc. are singular, not plural.
Same vacation. Another day. A windy day at the beach. Nadia: What a beautiful day! And look at those waves! Let's go swim. Suzanne: No way! It's too dangerous. Anyway, you can't. The red flag ________. (fly) Nadia: A red flag means 'Be careful.' It does not mean that you can't go swim. Suzanne: I don't agree with you. Nobody else ________. Nobody's that crazy. (swim)
It's too dangerous. Anyway, you can't. The red flag is flying.
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. Nobody else is swimming.
This is happening right now. It is not a repeated or habitual action. More like this Main index
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