2. Paco is gradually improving his level of English
The Present Continuous tense
Paco is gradually improving his level of English
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| By Alexbrn Creative Commons |
Is Paco really improving his level of English? Yes, he is.Paco is taking pains to learn English. He is making a great effort to speak English properly. Although he is improving his English quickly, he is taking his time. He is not attending private lessons to lose his time. He is studying hard because he needs the English language for his journey around the world.
The most important matter is that Paco is enjoying with the learning of English. He is learning a lot about both British and American social background.
Important
One of the most common mistakes some Spanish students tend to make when they study English as a second language is to use the Present Simple tense instead of using the Present Continuous tense when we use the verb to wear, since, unlike Spanish, this verb is used in English with the present continuous.
Let's see an example. We want to ask somebody about the kind of clothes his sister is wearing at the moment. We already know that the verb to wear means in Spanish llevar puesto.
If we make the following question ¿Qué lleva puesto su hermana?, we can make a mistake if we translate What does his sister wear now?. The right translation is...
What is his sister wearing now?
Example Exercise
Filling the gaps. Put the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous Tense
a) Paco ________ (play) basketball with his friends now.
b) What________(Paco do) tonight?
c) Paco and Andrés ______ (watch) tv together.
d) Paco's father ________ (not play) tennis with him.
e) Sonia ________ (sit) besides Paco.
f) How many other friends_________ (you play) with?
g) Paco_______ (not study) English.
a) Paco tennis with Andrés tomorrow. (TO PLAY)
b) Paco for a mountain bike ride. (TO GO)
c) Andrés basketball on TV tonight. (TO WATCH)
d) Paco tennis on Wednesday? (TO PRACTICE)
e) Sonia his brother with English. (TO HELP)
Curiosity
Is William Wallace wearing a skirt?
Obviously, Wallace isn't wearing a skirt. He is wearing a kilt, which is a knee-length garment, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has been associated with the wider culture of Scotland.
Though the Scottish kilt is most often worn mainly on formal occasions or at sports events, it has also been adapted as an item of fashionable informal, and formal, male clothing in recent years.
If you are interested in learning anything else about William Wallace, have a look here.
Click on the picture and watch the video with the song "That's the way it is" by Celine Dion. With this video (click on the photograph) you can practice your listening comprehension. Then click here and complete the filling gap activity.
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| By Anirudh Koul Creative Commons |
As you can see, Céline Dion says in this song Don't give up, don't surrender. Never surrender. You will see why in the next section.