When it comes to Cambridge examinations or any other official English tests, a sound grammar literacy is pivotal. Grammar control is the basis for all candidates’ success.
Even though learners are on cloud nine to find out that there are no grammar tasks in the English official examinations, they will soon realize that grammar is omnipresent. Be it reading, writing, listening, or speaking assessment, we cannot do without grammar.
Take for instance the open cloze exam task in all the Cambridge exams as from A2 to C2. Check below the exact part in the exam:
- YLE A2 Flyers, Reading and Writing Paper, Part 6
- A2 Key, Reading and Writing Paper, Part 5
- B1 Preliminary, Reading Paper, Part 6
- B2 First, Reading and Use of English Paper, Part 2
- C1 Advanced, Reading and Use of English, Part 2
- C2 Proficiency, Reading and Use of English, Part 2
The open cloze task is second to none in terms of difficulty because the missing words, for the most part, have to do with grammar. The missing text particles are function words. These include articles, auxiliary verbs, conjunctions, modal verbs, prepositions, pronouns. They are all grammar gems.
Find out more about function words in our article What About Function Words?, where we have extensively looked into what type of words they are. Try and do the tasks we have prepared for you, and see which level you can confidently get to.
So, it goes without saying that the better English learners’ knowledge of grammar is at such levels like B1 (Preliminary), the higher the chances are to take exams like B2 (First) or C1 (Advanced) with flying colours.
In case your B1 grammar is getting rusty, brush up on it with the two activities we have prepared for you this time.
So, let us start with the basics.
B1 GRAMMAR
PRESENT SIMPLE OR PRESENT CONTINUOUS?
Read the cases below and decide which tense must be used, present simple or present continuous. Check your answer by clicking and unveiling the correct answer.
What do we use:
Present continuous
Usually with “ALWAYS”.
Present continuous
Present continuous
AT THIS MOMENT, CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW
Present simple
HAVE, OWN, POSSESS
Present simple
MEAN
Present simple
SMELL, SEE, FEEL, TASTE, HEAR
Present simple
BELIEVE, KNOW, REMEMBER, THINK, UNDERSTAND
Present continuous
THIS WEEK, THIS YEAR
Present simple
LIKE, LOVE, HATE, NEED, PREFER, WISH
Present simple
APPEAR, LOOK, SEEM, SOUND
Present simple
ALWAYS, USUALLY, FREQUENTLY, OFTEN, SOMETIMES, OCCASIONALLY, NOW AND THEN, RARELY, SELDOM, HARDLY EVER, NEVER, TWICE (a week, a month), ONCE IN A BLUE MOON
Present simple
WEIGH
Present continuous
Present simple
Present continuous
HAVE (breakfast), SMELL (a flower), TASTE (the soup), THINK, SEE (the doctor) (=to visit), WEIGH (the suitcase) (=to measure the heaviness)
Present simple and present continuous quiz
Read the sentences and choose the right present tense, simple or continuous.
There are 12 questions in each exercise.
Exercise ONE
Exercise TWO
As you have seen, there is way more to consider when using present simple or present continuous, isn’t it? Present simple refers not only to our routine. Present continuous (or progressive), likewise, expresses not only actions we are doing right now, at this moment. There are a lot of details learners of English must know when it comes to these simple at first sight tenses.
We really hope you have started to brush up on your knowledge of B1 grammar after having done the activities we have prepared for you on present simple and present continuous. If you have got there, let’s call it a day!
Stay tuned for more words of advice and handy material!
