15/03/2016

StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense

Reading ESL stories and readings in English for ESL learners

STORIES
PRESENT TENSE

Mornings
(simple present, habits)

It Snows in Canada
(simple present)

A Phone Call

(present continuous)

My Dog Mandy

Mornings (simple present, habits)

(present perfect)

Everyweekdaymorningmyalarmclockringsat7oclock
andeveryweekdaymorningItrytoignoreit.Idonotlike
mornings!IhidemyheadunderthecoversandIpretend
thatitisntreallymorning.Igroan.Icomplain.Isay
nastythingsaboutmornings.SomemorningsIfallbackto
sleepforafewminutes!AfterashorttimeIrealizethatI
havetogetup.Isigh.IstruggleoutofbedandIstartmy
day.

Studying
(use of the infinitive)
back to
grammar section

back to verb page

photobyalancleaver_2000(flickr)

Vocabulary help:
complain(verb)tosaythatsomethingiswrongorthatyouareannoyedaboutsomething
groan(verb)tomakealonglowsoundwhenexpressingpainorunhappiness
habitual(adjective)usualortypical.Anhabitualactionissomethingthatyoudooften.
ignore(verb)topaynoattentiontosomeoneorsomething
nasty(adjective)bad,unkind,angry
realize(verb)tonoticeorunderstandsomething
sigh(verb)tobreatheoutslowly&noisily,oftenbecauseyouareannoyedorunhappy
struggle(verb)tryveryhardtodosomethingdifficult
fallasleepinfrontoftheTV(expression)tofallasleepwhilewatchingTV
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft

Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Myalarmringsat7o'clocksevendaysoftheweek.Yesorno?
2.Ijumpoutofbedwhenmyalarmclockrings.Yesorno?
3.SometimesIfallbacktosleepaftermyalarmrings.Yesorno?

Fill in the Blanks:

4.Ihidemy_____________underthecovers.
5.EveryweekdaymorningItryto________________thealarm.
6.Gettingoutofbedinthe________________isastruggle.
7.Isay_______________thingsaboutmornings.
8.Igroanand________________alotinthemorning.

>>Answers

http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm

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StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense

It Snows in Canada
(simple present, statement of fact)
ItsnowsinCanadainthewinter.Snowiscoldandwet.
Snowcoverstheroadsandmakesdrivingdifficult.Snow
coversthesidewalkstooandmakeswalkingdifficult.
Snowplowscleartheroadsandsidewalks.Peopleshovelthe
snowofftheirdriveways.Snowcausesproblems!
Sometimessnowispretty.Itsparklesandglistenswhen
thesunshinesonit.Somepeopleenjoyplayinginthe
snow.Theybuildsnowmenorsnowforts.Theyhave
snowballfights.Theyslidedownhillsonsledsortoboggans.
Theyskidownhills.Snowisfun!

Vocabulary help:
causes(verb)tomakesomethinghappen
clear(verb)toremove
covers(verb)toformalayeronthesurfaceofsomething
difficult(adjective)noteasy
enjoy(verb)tolikedoingsomething
glisten(verb)shines,oftenbecauseitiswet
slide(verb)tomovesmoothlyoverasurface
sparkles(verb)toshinebrightlyinthelight
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft

Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Itsnowsinthewinter.Yesorno?
2.Snownevercausesproblems.Yesorno?
3.Somepeopleliketobuildsnowmeninthewinter.Yesorno?
4.Snowiswarm.Yesorno?

FillintheBlanks
5.Sometimessnowsparklesand___________________inthesun.
6.Youcanskionsnowyhillsinthe_________________________.
7.Whenthesnowfalls,it__________________theroadsandsidewalks.
8._______________________removesnowfromtheroads.
9.Snowis_____________andwet.
10.Snowcanbefunbutsometimesitcauses_____________________.

>>Answers

A Phone Call (present continuous)

Don:HiSally,IhopethatImnotphoningatabadtime.Areyoudoingyourhomework?

http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm

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StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense
Sally:No,IamwatchingTV.Myhomeworkisfinished.
Why?
Don:IamtryingtofinishmymathhomeworkbutIm
havingalotoftroublewithit.
Sally:SorryIcanthelpyou.I'mnotverygoodatmath!
Don:ThatsOK.ImcallingyoubecauseImmeeting
JohnandKateafterschooltomorrowandIwantedtoknowif
youwanttojoinus.
Sally:SorrybutIcant.Imgoingshoppingwithmysister
tomorrowafternoon.Thanksforaskingthough.
Don:Maybenexttimethen.
Sally:OK.Ihopeyougetyourmathhomeworkdone!

Thepresentcontinuousverbtenseisusedtotalkabout
thingsthatarehappeningrightnow(Wearereadingright
now).Itcanalsobeusedtotalkaboutthingsthatmightor
mightnothappeninthenearfuture(Theyarecomingtothe
partyonSaturday).

Vocabulary help:
afternoon(noun)thetimeofdaybetweennoonandevening.
homework(noun)schoolworkthatistobedoneathomeratherthanatschool.
math(noun)theshortformofmathematics.
phoning(verb)presentparticipleoftophonetocallonthetelephone.
tomorrow(noun)thedayaftertoday.
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft

Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Donhasfinishedhishomework.Yesorno?
2.SallyhelpedDonfinishhismathhomework.Yesorno?
3.DonismeetingJohnandKateafterschooltomorrow.Yesorno?
4.Sallyisgoingshoppingtomorrow.Yesorno?
5.Sallyisdoingherhomeworknow.Yesorno?

Fill in the Blanks:

6.Sallyisgoingshoppingwithher_______________tomorrow.
7.Donis______________troublewithhismathhomework.
8.Sallyis__________________TVnow.
9.Donis_________________JohnandKate___________schooltomorrow.
10.SallyandDonare_________________onthephoneinthisstory.

>>Answers

http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm

My Dog Mandy (present perfect)

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StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense

My Dog Mandy (present perfect)

ThisisMandy.Sheisthebestdog!Igotherafewmonths
agowhenshewasjustalittlepuppy.Shehasgrownalot
sincethen!
Overthepastfewmonthswehavebecomegoodfriends.
Wehavespentlotsoftimetogetherhavingfun.Wehave
gonetotheparkalmosteveryday.Wehavefriendsthatwe
meetattheparksoMandyhasotherdogstoplaywith.They
runandbarktogether.Mandyhaslearnedhowtocatcha
ball.Shehasshortlegsbutshecanjump!Itisagamethat
shelikestoplaysowehaveplayeditalot!.Shewagsher
tailwhenshecatchestheball.
Shehasbeengoodcompany.

Vocabulary help:
bark(verb)tomakethesoundofadog.
become(verb)tobegintobesomething.
grown(verb)pastparticipleoftogrowtogetbigger
jump(verb)topushyourselfintotheairwithastrongmovementofyourlegs.
leg(noun)thepartofthebodybetweenthehipandthefoot.
park(noun)anareaofpubliclandthatanyonecanuseforrestandenjoyment.
puppy(noun)ayoungdog.
spent(verb)pastparticipleoftospendtousetimedoingaparticularactivity.
tail(noun)apartofananimal'sbodythatsticksoutfromthebackend.
together(adverb)withsomeoneelse,orinagroup.
wag(verb)tocausetomovequicklyupanddownorfromsidetoside
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft

Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.Mandyhasgrownalotinafewmonths.Yesorno?
2.Mandyrunsandbarkswithotherdogsinthepark.Yesorno?
3.Mandyhasshortlegs.Yesorno?
4.Mandycan'tjump.Yesorno?
5.Shewagshertailwhenshecatchestheball.Yesorno?

Fill in the Blanks:

6.We_________playedwithaballintheparkalmosteveryday.
7.Mandy_________beengoodcompany.
8.IgotMandywhenshewasalittle_____________.
9.MandyandI_______friendsatthepark.
10.WhenMandy______________theball,shewagshertail.
11.Wehave_____________goodfriendsoverthepastfewmonths.

>>Answers

http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm

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StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense

Studying (use of the infinitive)

IhavedecidedtoimprovemymarksbecauseIwantto
succeedinschool.Idontliketostudyverymuch.Idont
meantodopoorlybutoftenIdontremembertofinishmy
homework.Iprefertoplayonmycomputer.Ialsoloveto
watchTV.SometimesIforgettobringmybookstoschool.
Ineedtolistenmoretotheteacher.SometimesIpretend
topayattentioninclassbutIhappentobethinkingabout
otherthingsinstead.Myfriendshaveofferedtohelpme
study.
IpromisetotrytoworkharderinthefuturebecauseI
hopetodobetter.Idontliketofail.Ihavetopass!

(Weoftenusetheinfinitiveformofaverbifitisafter
anotherverb.Therearemanyverbsthatcanhavean
infinitiveafterthemincludingafford,ask,begin,wish,
refuse,prepare,hate.)

Vocabulary help:
afford(verb)haveenoughmoneytobuysomething
hate(verb)todislikeverymuch
homework(noun)schoolworkthatisassignedtobedoneathome
improve(verb)tomakebetter
payattentiontolookandlistencarefullytosomethingorsomeone.
poorly(adverb)badly,notwell
pretend(verb)tobehaveasifsomethingistruewhenitsnot
Morevocabulary?Clickontheiconthatlookslikeabook,totheleft

Comprehension Check:
Didyouunderstandthestory?Arethesesentencestrue?
1.IliketowatchTV.Yesorno?
2.IdopoorlyinschoolbutIwanttodobetter.Yesorno?
3.Idomyhomework.Yesorno?
4.Ialwayspayattentiontotheteacher.Yesorno?
5.Iliketoplayonmycomputer.Yesorno?

Fill in the Blanks:

6.I___________tolistentotheteacher.
7.Myfriendshave_____________tohelpmestudy.
8.Iwantto__________________inschool.Idon'twanttofail.
9.Idon'tlike__________________.Iprefertoplayonmycomputer.
10.Ihavedecided____________mymarksinschool.

>>Answers

http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm

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StorieswritteninsimpleEnglish,PresentVerbtense

Answers:

Mornings
1.no,2.no,3.yes
4.head,5.ignore,6.morning,7.nasty,8.complain

Back^
It Snows in Canada
1.yes,2.no,3.yes,4.no
5.glistens,6.winter,7.covers,8.snowplows,9.cold,10,problems

Back^
A Phone Call
1.no,2.no,3.yes,4.yes,5.no
6.sister,7.having,8.watching,9.meeting/after,10.talking

Back^
My Dog Mandy
1.yes,2.yes,3.yes,4.no,5.yes
6.have7.has,8.puppy,9.meet,10.catches,11.become

Back^
Studying
1.yes,2.yes,3.no,4.no,5.yes,
6.need,7.offered,8.succeed,9.tostudy,10.toimprove,

Back^

http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/present.htm

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