Exercises

18.1 Complete these sentences with use(d) to... + a suitable verb.

1. Dennis gave up smoking two years ago. He used to smoke 40 cigarettes a day.

2. Liz --- a motorbike, but last year she sold it and bought a car.

3. We came to live in Manchester a few years ago. We --- in Nottingham.

4. I rarely cat ice cream now but I --- it when I was a child.

5. Jim --- my best friend but we aren't friends any longer.

6. It only takes me about 40 minutes to get to work since the new road was opened. It --- more than an hour.

7. There --- a hotel opposite the station but it closed a long time ago

8. When you lived in London, --- to the theatre very often?

18.2 Brian changed his lifestyle. He stopped doing some things and started doing other things:

He stopped studying hard/going to bed early/running three miles e3very morning

He started smoking/going out in the evening/spending a lot of money

Write sentences about Brian with used to and didn't use to.

1. He used to smoke.

2. He didn't use to smoke.

3. ---

4. ---

5. ---

6. ---

18.3 Compare what Carol said five years ago and what she says today:

FIVE YEARS A GO

I travel a lot,

I play the piano.

I'm very lazy.

I don't like cheese.

I've got a dog.

I'm a hotel receptionist.

I've got lots of friends.

I never read newspapers.

I don't drink tea.

I go to a lot of parties.

TODAY

I eat lots of cheese now.

I work very hard these days.

I don't know in people these days.

I work in a bookshop now.

I don't go away much these days.

My dog died two years ago.

I read a newspaper every day now.

I haven't been to a party for ages.

I haven't played piano for years.

Tea's great! I like it now.

Now write sentences about bow Carol has changed. Use used to/didn't use to/never used to in the first part of your sentence.

1 She used to travel a lot but she doesn't go away much these days.

2. She used --- but ---

3. --- but ---

4. --- but ---

5. --- but ---

6. --- but ---

7. --- but ---

8. --- but ---

9. --- but ---

10. --- but ---

UNIT 19. Present tenses (I am doing/I do) for the future

A. Present continuous J am doing) with a future meaning

Study this example situation:

This is Tom's diary for next week.

He is playing tennis on Monday afternoon.

He is going to the dentist on Tuesday morning.

He is having dinner with Ann on Friday.

In all these examples, Tom has already decided and arranged to do these things.

Use the present continuous to say what you have already arranged to do. Do not use the present simple J do):

* A: What are you doing on Saturday evening? (not 'what do you do')

B: I'm going to the theatre. (not 'I go')

* A: What time is Cathy arriving tomorrow?

B: At 10.30. I'm meeting her at the station.

* I'm not working tomorrow, so we can go out somewhere.

* Ian isn't playing football on Saturday. He's hurt his leg.

'(I'm) going to (do)' is also possible in these sentences:

* What are you going to do on Saturday evening?

But the present continuous is more natural for arrangements. See also Unit 20B.

Do not use will to talk about what you have arranged to do:

* What are you doing this evening? (not 'what will you do')

* Alex is getting married next month. (not 'will get')

B. Present simple (I do) with a future meaning

We use the present simple when we talk about timetables, programmes etc. (for example, for public transport, cinemas etc.):

* The train leaves Plymouth at 11.30 and arrives in London at 14.45.

* What time does the film begin?

* It's Wednesday tomorrow.

You can use the present simple for people if their plans are fixed like a timetable:

* I start my new job on Monday.

* What time do you finish work tomorrow?

But the continuous is more usual for personal arrangements:

* What time are you meeting Ann tomorrow? (not 'do you meet')

Compare:

* What time are you leaving tomorrow?

but * What time does the train leave tomorrow?

* I'm going to the cinema this evening.

but * The film starts at 8.15 (this evening).