Nonprogressive Verbs

Although these verbs are happening at the present, in this very moment, they use simple present tense.  These verbs talk about or describe mental states, emotional states, possession, sense perceptions, or other existing states.

Verbs that change meaning according to tense:

I think you are nice. (Opinion)

I am thinking about that problem. (Action – considering)

She feels sick. (Health)

She is feeling the cat’s fur. (Action – touching)

I have a new car. (Possession)

Expressions with the progressive tense.

I am having a good time.  I am having lunch. (Eating)  I am having a baby.  I am having trouble with this.  I am having a party.

You look beautiful. She looks cold. (Perception)

I am looking for my keys. I am looking out the window. (Action)

This soup tastes wonderful. (Perception)

The cook is tasting the soup.  The chef is tasting the dish. (Action)

You appear to be ill. You look like you’re ill. (Perception)

He is appearing on stage in Vegas. (Action)

This soup smells great! (Perception)

Look at John.  He is smelling the roses. (Action)

He weighs too much. (State – condition)

He is weighing the vegetables. (Action)

I see the car. (Perception)

I am seeing a doctor. (Consulting/visiting) I am seeing Bob. (Dating)

He is a nice person.  (State – condition)

He is being nice. (Action = behaving; a temporary characteristic)

He is being foolish, nice, kind, lazy, careful, patient, silly, rude, polite, and impolite. (Some of the most common – expressions)

Nonprogressive Verbs or Nonaction Verbs

Exercise

Jokes in English for the ESL/EFL Classroom

PUPIL: "Would you punish me for something I didn`t do?"
TEACHER:" Of course not."
PUPIL: "Good, because I haven`t done my homework."
Submitted by Miguel de Paco Moltó

A teacher asked a student to write 55.
Student asked: How?
Teacher: Write 5 and beside it another 5!
The student wrote 5 and stopped.
teacher: What are you waiting for?
student: I don't know which side to write the other 5!
Submitted by Mahmoud Zeidan

Son: Dad, what is an idiot?
Dad: An idiot is a person who tries to explain his ideas in such a strange and long way that another person who is listening to him can't understand him. Do you understand me?
Son: No.

Man: I could go to the end of the world for you.
Woman: Yes, but would you stay there?

Man: I offer you myself.
Woman: I am sorry I never accept cheap gifts.

Man: I want to share everything with you.
Woman: Let's start from your bank account.
Submitted by kara dolson

Teacher: Why are you late?
Student: There was a man who lost a hundred dollar bill.
Teacher: That's nice. Were you helping him look for it?
Student: No. I was standing on it.
Submitted by Fred G. Stone

"You look very funny wearing that belt."
"I would look even funnier if I didn't wear it."

"I was born in California."
"Which part?"
"All of me."

The teacher to a student: Conjugate the verb "to walk" in simple present.
The student: I walk. You walk ....
The teacher intruptes him: Quicker please.
The student: I run. You run ...
Submitted by: Mouhssin

The Internet TESL Journal

The present continuous tense

The present continuous tense is used for two main types of action:

Here are some examples:

When you are sure you understand the topic clearly, you can click on "First exercise" to continue.

The simple present tense

The simple present tense is used for two main types of action:

Some examples will help to make this clearer:

The simple present tense is often confused with the present continuous tense.

Jokes in English for the ESL/EFL Classroom

Q: What starts with E, ends with E and only has one letter?
A: An envelope

Q: What is white when it's dirty and black when it's clean?
A: A blackboard

Q: Why did God create the man before he created the woman?
A1: The answer that men give: To give him the chance to enjoy Heaven on Earth for a few moments.
A2: The answer that women give: Everyone makes a draft first!

Shrek (1)

One upon a time there was a lovely princess. But she had an enchantment upon her of a fearful sort

Which could only be broken by love’s first kiss? She was locked away in a castle…Guarded by a terrible fire-breathing dragon. Many brave knights had attempted to free her from this dreadful prison

But none prevailed. She waited in dragon’s keep…In the highest room of the tallest tower…For her true love and true love’s first kiss. Like that’s ever gonna happen. What a load of

(1:30) somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me

I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed

She was look in kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb

In the shape of an “L” on her forehead

The years start coming and they don’t stop coming

Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running

Didn’t make sense, not to live for fun

Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb

So much to do so much to see

So what’s wrong with taking the backstreets

You’ll never know if you don’t go

You never shine if never glow

Hey. Now you’re an all-star

Get your game on, go play

Hey. Now, you’re a rock star. Get the show on, get paid

And all that glitters is gold

Only shooting stars break the mold

It’s a cool place and they say it gets colder

You’re bundled up now but wait till you get older

But the meteor men beg to differ

Judging by the hole in the satellite picture

The ice we skate is getting pretty thin

The water’s getting warm so you might as well swim

My worlds on fire, how about yours

That’s the way I like it and I’ll never get bored

Hey. Now, you’re an all star

Get your game on. Go play

Hey. Now, you’re a rock star. Get the show on, get paid

And all that glitters is gold   (belches!)   -GO! –GO!

Hey. Now you’re an all-star

Get your game on. Go play

Hey. Now, you’re a rock star. Get the show on, get paid

And all that glitters is gold

Only shooting stars break the mold(3:30)

Think it’s in there?- all right. Let’s get it!

Whoa. Hold on. Do you know what that thing can do to you?

Yeah. It’ll grind your bones for it’s bread.

Yes, well, actually. That would be a giant.

Now. Ogres—they’re much worse.

They’ll make a suit from your freshly peeled skin.

-no! They’ll shave your liver.

Squeeze the jelly from your eyes!

Actually. It’s quite good on toast. Back! Back. Beast!!

 Back! I warn ya! {gasping} – Right.

This is the part where you run away(4:30).  And stay out!

 Wanted. Fairy tale creatures.

All right. This one’s full. Take it away! Move it along. Come on! Get up! – Next!

Give me that, your flying days are over. That’s 20 pieces of silver for the witch. Next!

Get up! Come on! Twenty pieces

Sit down there! Keep quiet! This cage is too small. Please don’t turn me in. I’ll never be stubborn again. I can change. Pleas! Give me another chance!

Oh. Shut up. Oh! Next! What have you got? This little wooden puppet.

I’m not a puppet. I’m a real boy.(5:30) Five shillings for the possessed toy.

Take it away. Father. Please! Don’t let them do this! Help me!

Next. What have you got? Well. I’ve got a talking donkey. Right. Well. That’s good for ten shillings. If you can prove it. Oh . go ahead. Little fella. Well? Oh. Oh. He’s just---he’s just a little nervous. He’s really a chatter box. Talk. You boneheaded dolt --

That’s it. I’ve heard enough.  Guards!- No, no, he talks! He does. I can talk. I love to talk.

I’m the talkingest damn thing you never saw. Get her out of my sight. No, no!

I swear! Oh! He can talk! Hey! I can fly! He can fly! He can fly! He can talk! Ha. Ha! That’s right. Fool! Now I’m a flying talking donkey. You might have seen a house fly.(6:30) Maybe even a superfly.

But I bet you ain’t never seen a donkey fly. Ha. Ha. Uh-oh. Seize him! After him! He’s getting away! Get him! This way! Turn! You there. Ogre! I? by the order of Lord Farquaad. I am authorized to place you both under arrest…and transport you to a designated…resettlement facility. Oh really? You and what army?

(7:32)Can I say something to you? Listen. You was really. Really something back there. Incredible! Are you talking to me? Whoa! Yes I was talking to you. Can I tell you that you was a great back there? Those guards! They thought they was all of that. Then you showed up. And bam! They was tripping over themselves  like babes in the woods. That really made me feel good to see that.. oh, that’s great. Really. Man. It’s good to be free. Now. Why don’t you go celebrate your freedom with your own friends? Hmm? But. Uh. I don’t have any friends. And I’m not going out there by myself.  Hey wait a minute! I got a great idea! I’ll stick with you. You’re a mean. Green. Fighting machine. Together we’ll scare the spit out of any body that crosses us. That was really scary. If you don’t mind me saying: if that don’t work. Your breath certainly will get the job done. Cause you definitely need some Tic Tacs or something. Cause your breath stinks!(8:30) You almost burned the hair outta my nose.

Just like the time---then I ate some rotten berries. I had strong gases eking out of my butt that day. Why are you following me? I’ll tell you why.

Cause I’m all alone.  There is no one here beside me. My problems have all gone. There is no one to deride me. But you  gotta have friends---

stop saying! It’s no wonder you don’t have any friends. Wow. Only a true friend would be that cruelly honest. Listen. Little donkey take a look at me. What am I? really tall? No! I’m an ogre. You know. Grab your torch and pitchforks.  Doesn’t that bother you? Nope.(9:30) Really? Really. Really. Oh. Man. I like you. What’s your name? uh. Shrek. Shrek? Well. You know what I like about you. Shrek? You got that kind of

 I –don’t-care-what-nobody-thinks-of-me thing.

I like that. I respect that. Shrek. You all right.. 

Whoo! Look at that. Who’d want to live in a place like that? That would be my home. ( 10:00)