We don’t have lessons on Saturdays.

Does Microsoft sell software?

ii The Present Continuous is used for temporary, present actions.

e.g. At the moment she’s calling her mother.

This week we’re not having any lessons.

Are you selling a lot of products in Asia this year?

 

ASSIGNMENTS

A Underline the Present Simple or the Present Continuous form of the verb to complete these sentences.

1 I stay / am staying at the Ritz every time I’m in New York. I stay / am staying at the Ritz at the moment.

2 She works / is working at home today. She works / is working at home every day.

3 She often calls / is calling Russia. At the moment, she calls / is calling a customer in Moscow.

4 I don’t usually deal / am dealing with the paperwork. I deal / am dealing with all the paperwork while Susan is away.

5 It normally takes /is taking about two months. But this delivery takes /is taking longer than usual.

6 We normally use /are using a London firm. This time, we use /are using a different company.

7 We develop / are developing three or four products every year. Currently, we develop / are develop / are developing a new type of air conditioner.

8 I think our sales figures improve / are improving this May. This is unexpected – normally they improve / are improving in autumn and winter.

9 It generally takes / is taking only one year to develop a new product, but the FX200 takes / is taking longer because of technical problems.

10 Mrs Sonara organizes / is organizing all our presentations. This week, she organizes / is organizing our next presentation in Vancouver.

 

B Complete this article with the present simple or the present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

THE INDEX GROUP

The Index group …………….¹ (own) six fashion chains including Zara. It ……………² (have) around 1,500 stores worlwide. It ……………….³ (operate) in 44 countries. Inditex ……………..⁴ (employ) 27,000 people and ……………….⁵ (have) more than 200 fashion designers.

Currently, the fashion designers ……………….⁶ (work) on next year’s designs. The Inditex group ……………….⁷ (do) very well at the moment, and it …………………. ⁸ (try) to become a global fashion leader.

Amancio Ortega, the founder of Indertex, also ……………….⁹ (invest) in property and hotels. Most of this year’s investment ………………….¹⁰ (stay) in Spain.

C Listen to two people talking about their companies. What does MetScan produce? What does Norwest make?

D Listen again and complete the table to show what the companies usually do and what they are doing at the moment.

usually	at the moment
MET scan
We manufacture1 machines for ………………. 2.	The medical team ………………..3 equipment that people can use at ………………..4.
Norwest
We make ……………5 for the …….……6 market.	Our team ……………7 a new ……………8 for the ……………9 market.

E Work in pairs. Role-play this situation. Student A works at the EBB Bank. Student B works at the Goldcrest Hotel. Take it in turns to show each other around your company. Say what happens in each area and what is happening now.

STUDENT A

EBB Bank
Area	What happens	What is happening now
Main hall	serve customers	cashier/talk / to a customer
Currency section	exchange foreign currency	customer / change / dollars into euros
Loans section	Assistant Manager arranges loans for customers	Assistant Manager / talk / to a customer on the phone
Manager’s office	Manager works	Manager / meet / an important client
Reception desk	staff answer questions from customers	receptionist / listen / to a customer’s complaint

E.g.