Present Negative Helping Verbs

"The Phantom Wagon" Salvador Dali, 1933












Use: "isn't", "aren't", "doesn't", "don't"

1. James isn't a very good singer.

2. He doesn't sing very well.

3. His voice coach doesn't think he uses his voice correctly.

4. Mary doesn't cook every night. Her husband sometimes cooks.

5. Marvin doesn't like to go fishing because the lakes don't have very many fish.

6. Steve and Tom aren't very good painters.

7. They don't paint very well, but they're good carpenters.

8. Alan doesn't enjoy working overtime, but he needs the cash.

9. Money doesn't grow on trees.

10. He isn't usually home on weekends and he doesn't have a cell phone.

11. Sally is happy. She doesn't have to work on weekends.

12. She isn't a good skier, so she doesn't like to go skiing. However, she skates very well.

13. Harold doesn't like to skate even through he's a good skater.

14. They don't need their tools today. They aren't working until Monday.

15. These photographs aren't clear because I don't have a very good camera.

16. Steve doesn't work on Wednesdays, but Thursday isn't his day off anymore.

17. The students don't have to pay for the class, but they need books, and the books aren't cheap.

18. My sister doesn't like to go bowling because she isn't a very good bowler. She'd rather watch.

19. Evan doesn't like to write articles. He isn't a very good writer. But he wants to learn.

20. Does Silvia like to act in plays? No, she doesn't. She isn't a very good actor.

21. These TV shows aren't very good. The actors don't remember their lines.

22. Our shower isn't working and I don't know any good plumbers.

23. My son doesn't know how to fill out the form and there isn't anyone who can help him.

24. It isn't raining now. It doesn't usually rain in August.

25. Those chairs don't belong here. Please, take them to Room 405. That room doesn't have enough chairs.

26. Ronald doesn't have to finish his work today. There aren't enough trucks for the products.

27. Several employees don't have their pay checks. Joanne still doesn't have hers.

28. I tried to call the employer. He isn't in his office. His secretaries aren'tthere either.

29. Those four houses don't have garages, and there aren't any parking spots on the street.

30. Why doesn't Arnold like to play tennis? Because he isn't a very good tennis player.

31. Those books don't sell very well because Wally isn't a very good book salesman.

32. Ana doesn't walk to work because her new shoes aren't very comfortable.

33. It isn't difficult to learn a language, but it takes a lot of practice.

Infinitive and Simple Past

"The Seranader" Jean Antoine Watteau, 1715

















MODEL CONVERSATION:

A: Is Mary going to sing a popular song for us tonight?

B: No, she isn't. She sang a popular song for us last night.

Fill the blanks in the following similar conversations:

1a. Are you going to play soccer this week?

1b. No, I'm not. I played soccer last week.

2a. Are you going to teach the Present Tense today?

2b. No, I'm not. I taught it yesterday.

3a. Is Patty going to eat ice cream tonight?

3b. No, she isn't. She ate ice cream last night.

4a. Is David going to study English this Saturday?

4b. No, he isn't. He studied English last Saturday.

5a. Is Mary going to write a letter to her friends today?

5b. No, she isn't. She wrote a letter to her friends yesterday.

6a. Is Steve going to go fishing this Sunday?

6b. No, he isn't. He went fishing last Sunday.

7a. Are you going to watch TV together tonight?

7b. No, we aren't. We watched TV together last night.

8a. Is Susan going to visit her grandparents this afternoon?

8b. No, she isn't. She visited her grandparents yesterday afternoon.

9a. Are you going to cook spaghetti this week?

9b. No, I'm not. I cooked spaghetti last week.

10a. Are you going to drive downtown this weekend?

10b. No, I'm not. I drove downtown last weekend.

11a. Is your father going to make scrambled eggs this morning?

11b. No, he isn't. He made scrambled eggs yesterday morning.

12a. Is Mrs. Johnson going to plant flowers this spring?

12b. No, she isn't. She planted flowers last spring.

13a. Is Charlie going to clean his room this week?

13b. No, he isn't. He cleaned his room last week.

14a. Are you and your family going to enjoy Disneyland this year?

14b. No, we aren't. We enjoyed Disneyland last year.

15a. Are Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins going to buy a new car this fall?

15b. No, they aren't. They bought a new car last fall.

Present Progressive or Simple Present?

"Sun and Life" Frieda Kahlo, 1947














Fill the blanks with the subject and the correct form of the verb in the parenthesis. Use the Present Progressive for actions in the present or near future. Use the Simple Present for routine actions or true facts.

1. in San Francisco in a few minutes.
(The plane/land) answerThe plane is landing

2. usually their laundry on the weekend. (They/do) answerThey usually do

3. coffee every morning before work. (I/drink) answerI drink

4. her coffee right now. She'll be here soon. (She/drink)answerShe's drinking

5. Roger isn't available. to a customer. Can he call you back later? (He/talk) answerHe's talking

6. sometimes class because he has to work. (Steve/miss) answerSteve sometimes misses

7. the news on TV every evening at 7:00 pm. (Maria/watch) answerMaria watches

8. In San Francisco, a lot in January and February. (it/rain) answerit rains
often town over the weekend. (we/leave) answerWe often leave

9. an interesting story in class today. (we/read) answerWe're reading

10. always at 8:30 am. (Our class/start) answerOur class always starts

11. Frank has a bad cold. medicine for it. (He/take) answerHe's taking

12. in downtown San Francisco three days a week. (Sally/work) answerSally works

13. I'm busy. at the health club all afternoon. (I/swim)answerI'm swimming

14. a movie tomorrow morning. Would you like to see it? (The teacher/show)answerThe teacher is showing

15. never dessert because she's trying to watch her weight. (She/have)answerShe never has

16. important visitors to our office this afternoon. (We/meet) answerWe're meeting

17. many letters to customers daily. (She/send) answerShe sends

18. I'm busy. a report about the distribution of our product. (I/write) answerI'm writing

20. me a lot. I appreciate it because I'm a new employee. (They/help) answerThey help

21. sometimes that they can't understand our pronunciation on the phone. (Customers/complain) answerCustomers sometimes complain

22. Right now, this website to improve our pronunciation. (we/use) answerwe're using

23. The performance now. (begin) answeris beginning Ann to sing a very popular song. (get ready) answeris getting ready

24. Listen to that applause! because Ann sang very beautifully. (The people/clap) answerThe people are clapping

25. The audience is leaving now, but still about Ann's performance. (they/talk) answerthey're still talking

26. her plants every other morning. (Susan/water) answerSusan waters

27. at everyone because he hopes they'll vote for him. (He/smile) answerHe's smiling

28. after a mouse, but I don't think she'll catch it.(Our cat/run) answerOur cat is running

29. The doctor works from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm. patients all day. (She/see) answerShe sees

Past Tense of Irregular Verbs

"Portrait of a Lady with a
Spindle Basket"
by Pontormo 1516-1517


1. The movie began at 7:00. You missed the first half hour. (begin)

2. Jack dug several holes in his yard. He want to plant trees. (dig)

3. Wilma wrote several letters to her friends this morning. (write)

4. We fed the dogs and cats before we left on our trip. (feed)

5. Tom broke the toy we gave him last Christmas. (break)

6. He shouldn't have another glass of wine because he already drank three glasses. (drink)

7. They chose the green carpet because it goes better with their walls. (choose)

8. We rode in a very slow bus. That's why we're late.
(ride)

9. I met our company's new director. She's very intelligent. (meet)

10. The ground shook violently during the earthquake. (shake)

11. James wore his old blue shirt to work. That was a mistake. (wear)

12. It was a terrible accident and I thought about it for a long time. (think)

13. The walls were very strong. They withstood the force of the storm very well and didn't fall down. (withstand)

14. Mary fell in love with Steve at the lake last summer. (fall)

15. Roger tore his pants while we were running through the woods. (tear)

16. We taught our dog how to sit and shake hands with people. (teach)

17. The forty-niners won a few games last season. (win)

18. After the wind storm, I swept the sidewalk in front of our house. (sweep)

19. The teacher will be glad because I brought my notebook to class today. (bring)

20. When I heard about my friend's accident, I was very upset. (hear)

21. The ducks swam towards us very fast because we put bread in the lake. (swim)

22. She said that she enjoyed the flowers Steve gave her yesterday. (say)

23. It was a windy day so we flew a kite.(fly)

24. He drove his car to the park. (drive)

25. She hid under the sofa so her mom couldn't find her.
(hide)

26. Our teacher taught us about dinosaurs in class today.
(teach)

27. The cup fell off the table and broke. (break)

28. He became very angry when the other kids teased him.
(become)

29. I asked him to sit down, but he just stood by the door. (stand)

30. She hit the baseball and got a home run. (hit)

31. He hurt his hand when he fell down. (fall)

32. He put away his toys and cleaned his room. (put)


33. It took us a long time to memorize the irregular verbs. (take)

34. My father woke up at four o'clock and couldn't go back to sleep. (wake)