Signal Words
Identify the tense usually used with "currently" and "at the moment".
Present continuous
Choose the correct option: "I (am knowing / know) the answer."
Present Continuous
"My brother rarely _______ (cook) dinner."
cooks (Routine habit).
"I am playing tennis every Tuesday." (Is it correct?)
Incorrect. It should be "I play tennis every Tuesday" (Routine).
"This soup _______ (taste) delicious, but I am _______ (taste) it to check."
tastes / am tasting (State of having flavor vs. action of sampling).
Name three frequency adverbs that typically trigger the Present Simple.
Match these words to their tenses: seldom, right now, annually, nowadays, permanently.
Explain why "I am liking this pop song" is normally incorrect.
"Like" is a stative verb expressing a preference, so it does not normally take the continuous form.
"Look! The train _______ (leave) the station."
is leaving (Action happening right now).
"She is always losing her keys, it's so annoying!" (Is it correct?)
Correct. "Always + continuous" describes a repetitive, irritating habit.
"Why _______ (you / look) at me? I _______ (not look) like a monster."
are you looking / don't look (Action vs. state of appearance).
What nuance changes when "always" is used with Present Continuous?
It expresses annoyance, irritation, or a repetitive habit
State verbs of mind/feeling can sometimes be continuous. Correct or incorrect: "I'm loving this party!"
Correct. In modern/colloquial English, some stative verbs are used in continuous to emphasize an active, temporary emotional experience.
"The plane to London _______ (take off) at 9:00 PM tomorrow."
takes off (Official timetable / future schedule).
"Water is boiling at 100 degrees Celsius." (Is it correct?)
Incorrect. It should be "Water boils at 100 degrees" (Scientific fact / law of nature).
"I _______ (think) about moving to Madrid because I _______ (think) it's a great city."
am thinking / think (Action of pondering vs. state of opinion).
Which tense is used with time expressions like "this semester" or "these days"?
Present Continuous (for temporary situations).
Use the verb "see" in two sentences: one as a state verb and one as an action verb.
State: "I see a bird." (Perception). Action: "I am seeing my friends tonight." (Meeting/dating).
"My parents _______ (constantly / complain) about my loud music."
are constantly complaining (Annoying habit).
"What do you do right now? I listen to music." (Is it correct?)
Incorrect. It should be "What are you doing right now? I am listening to music."
"The company _______ (have) a huge warehouse, and they _______ (have) a meeting inside right now."
has / are having (State of possession vs. action of meeting/doing).
Match these words to their tenses: seldom, right now, annually, nowadays, permanently.
seldom, annually, permanently: present simple
right now, nowadays: present continuous
Explain the meaning difference between: "He is being stupid" vs "He is stupid".
"He is being stupid" = acting stupidly right now (temporary behavior). "He is stupid" = it is part of his permanent character.
"As a rule, she _______ (not work) on weekends, but she _______ (work) today."
doesn't work / is working (General rule vs. exception today).
"The climate changes rapidly due to global warming." (Is it correct?)
Incorrect. It should be "The climate is changing rapidly" (Ongoing trend/transformation).
"I _______ (see) what you mean, but tomorrow I _______ (see) the doctor anyway."
see / am seeing (State of understanding vs. action of meeting an appointment).