9.The canteen staff don’t usually complain.
10.He doesn’t usually hitch-hike.
NB! Mixed Verbs
«Mixed Verbs» (to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh, etc.) have more than one meaning. In a way, each meaning is a unique verb. Some meanings behave like «Non-Continuous Verbs», while other meanings behave like «Normal Verbs».
List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:
to appear:
•Donna appears confused. Non-Continuous Verb
=Donna seems confused.
•My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club tonight. Normal
Verb
=My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club tonight.
to have:
•I have a dollar now. Non-Continuous Verb
=I possess a dollar.
•I am having fun now. Normal Verb
=I am experiencing fun now.
to hear:
•She hears the music. Non-Continuous Verb =She is hearing the music her ears.
•She is hearing voices. Normal Verb
=She hears something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices in her mind.
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to look:
•Nancy looks tired. Non-Continuous Verb =She seems tired.
•Steve is looking at the pictures. Normal Verb =He is looking with his eyes.
to miss:
•Harry misses Sally. Non-Continuous Verb =He is sad because she is not there.
•Kate is missing her favorite TV program. Normal Verb
=She is not there to see her favorite program.
to see:
•I see her. Non-Continuous Verb
=I see her with my eyes.
•I am seeing the doctor. Normal Verb
=I am visiting or consulting with a doctor. (it’s also used with dentist and lawyer)
•I am seeing her. Normal Verb
=I am having a relationship with her.
•He is seeing ghosts at night. Normal Verb
=He sees something others cannot see. (e.g., ghosts, a vision of the future, etc.)
to smell:
•The coffee smells good. Non-Continuous Verb =The coffee has a good smell.
•I am smelling the flowers. Normal Verb
=I am sniffing the flowers to see what their smell is like.
to taste:
• The coffee tastes good. Non-Continuous Verb =The coffee has a good taste.
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• I am tasting the cake. Normal Verb
=I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.
to think:
•He thinks the test is easy. Non-Continuous Verb =He considers the test to be easy.
•She is thinking about the question. Normal Verb =She is pondering the question, going over it in her mid.
to weigh:
•The table weighs a lot. Non-Continuous Verb
=The table is heavy.
•She is weighing herself. Normal Verb
=She is determining her weight.
NB! Very Confusing Verbs:
to be:
•Paul is American. Non-Continuous Verb
=Paul is an American citizen.
•Paul is being very American. Normal Verb =Paul is behaving like a stereotypical American.
•Paul is being very rude. Normal Verb
=Paul is behaving very rudely. Usually he is not rude.
• Paul is being very formal. Normal Verb
=Paul is behaving very formally. Usually he is not formal.
Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is noticeably different.
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to feel:
•The massage feels great. Non-Continuous Verb
=The massage has a pleasant feeling.
•I don't feel well today. Sometimes used as Non-Continuous Verb
=I am a little sick.
•I am not feeling well today. Sometimes used as Normal Verb
=I am a little sick.
The second meaning of «feel» is very flexible and there is no real difference in meaning between «I don't feel well today» and «I am not feeling well today».
Unit 3
Simple Present / Present Continuous
1.Complete the text below with the appropriate tenses:
1.Every Monday Sally (drive) __________ her kids to football practice.
2.Usually, I (work) _________ as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) _________ French at a language in Paris. That’s why I am in Paris.
3.Be quiet! John (sleep) __________ .
4.Don’t forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) __________ .
5.I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) ____________ .
6.I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) __________ because everybody (talk) so loudly.
7.Justin (write, currently) ____________ a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.
8.Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) ___________ to a movie tonight with some friends.
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9.The business cards (be, normally) ___________ printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be) ___________ inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.
10.She always (borrow) ____________ money and never (give)
____________ it back.
2.Underline the correct item.
1.I don’t know/I am not knowing where they keep the papers.
2.The bag smells/ is smelling of fish.
3.They weigh/ are weighing their baby every other week.
4.Do you enjoy/Are you enjoying the party?
5.What is he thinking/ does he think about?
6.My friend has/ is having a nice umbrella.
7.He is American. He comes/ is coming from the United States.
8.Great. I think/ am thinking it is worth seeing.
9.The shirt looks/ is looking nice on him.
10.We have/ are having a class at the moment.
3.Put the verbs into the correct form, Present Continuous or Present Simple.
1.My parents … (live) in Manchester. They were born there and have never lived anywhere else. Where …. (your parents/live)?
2.Can we stop walking soon? … (I/start) to feel tired.
3.The river Nile … (flow) into the Mediterranean.
4.Hurry up! … (Everybody/wait) for you.
5.A: How’s your English? B: Not bad. I think … (it/ improve) slowly.
6.A: What … (your brother /do)? B: He’s an architect, but … (he/not/work) at the moment.
7.Ann is good at languages. She … (speak) four languages very well.
8.A: Can you drive? B: … (I/learn). My father … (teach) me.
9.The river … (flow) very fast todaymuch faster than usual.
4.Use the correct present tense in each sentence.
1.The men (fix) the car now........................................................
2.The girl (speak) English very well............................................
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