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 PRACTICE ON POINTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

• Present Summary
• General Truth
• At the Moment
• Habits & Customs
• Present Progressive
• Scheduled Events
• States of Being
• Sensory States
• Mental States
• Possession States
• Emotion States
• Other States
• Adv of Sequence
• Narration
• GenTruth Prac
• In Context
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Habits & Customs

Discussing Habits, Customs and Routines

 

 

 

Descriptions of customs or routines tend to use the present non-progressive tense.

 

 

Greek Easter

Easter, in my country, is the most sacred and celebrated of all the Greek holidays. The Gregorian calendar determines the date.  This year, we are celebrating Orthodox Easter a month later than the western Easter.  Orthodox Easter begins with a 40-day fast. We only eat "natural" products, no beef, pork, lamb or chicken. On Palm Sunday, we serve only fish courses.  On Saturday before Easter, we take the food we will serve on Easter to the church where the priest blesses it.  On Easter Sunday, roast lamb is the centerpiece of the table. In the early morning, the spits turn in backyards and courtyards as the lamb is slowly cooked. We color eggs bright red and bake them into bread, "tsoureki".  This tradition bonds one generation to the next and always is the highlight of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Present vs. Present Progressive

PRESENT	PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
For an activity, celebration, habit or custom that is:  ongoing or more permanent exists always, usually or habitually exists now, has existed in the past and will probably exist in the future	For an activity that is:  short-term, a temporary change not the usual state. happening just now
We only eat "natural" products.	This week, I am not eating fish, olive oil or dairy products.
The priest blesses the food.	This year, we are celebrating Orthodox Easter a month later.
We color eggs bright red.	Today, we are dying eggs red.
This tradition bonds one generation to the next.	This morning, we are preparing  special dishes.

 

 

Adverbs  

ADVERBS USED WITH HABITS AND CUSTOMS	ADVERBS USED WITH TEMPORARY ACTIVITIES
Telling us How Often? always most of the time usually sometimes half of the time often frequently occasionally rarely seldom hardly ever never	Telling us When? for now currently at the moment just now as we speak presently today this morning this week this month this semester this year for a little while

 

 

 

 

Practice 1

Habits & Temporary Changes

 

 

1. Select the correct verb tense.  Pay attention to the adverbs.
2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	REVEAL ANSWER
1.	Today, we're eating dinner at 5:00 because we're going to a movie. However, usually we - eat are eating dinner at 6:30.
2.	Tonight, I'm cooking dinner for my family, but I seldom - cook am cooking dinner if I am alone.
3.	This week, I'm not driving to work because my car is being repaired. Instead, I'm taking the train to work.  Most of the time , I - drive am driving .
4.	Just for now, during dinner, I'm not answering my phone. Usually, I  - answer am answering my phone.
5.	Usually, ABC shows the news at 6:00p.m.    However, tonight, they  - show are showing a baseball game.
6.	This week, I   - work am working the night shift.   More often, I work the day shift.
7.	This year, we  - get are getting   a lot of rain.           Usually, we get half as much rain.
8.	I usually feel energetic .   Right now, I  - feel am feeling   tired.

 

 

 

 

 

Word Order

Emphasizing Time Words (Adverbs)

 

 

Use of a comma depends on whether the adverb is initial, mid-sentence or final position.

• INITIAL: Usually, my family eats dinner at 6:30 p.m.   (Emphasis; a comma is placed after the adverb.)
• MID:       My family usually eats dinner at 6:30 p.m.   (Standard word order)
• FINAL:   My family eats dinner at 6:30 p.m. usually.   (Standard word order, especially for time phrases)

 

INITIAL	SUBJECT	MID-SENTENCE	VERB	OBJECT PHRASE	FINAL
Emphasis;  comma goes after adverb,		No emphasis; no comma is used			no comma
Most of the time,   Usually,   Sometimes,   Often,   Frequently,   Occasionally,   *Always.   *Never,	my family	always usually sometimes often frequently occasionally rarely seldom hardly ever never *most of the time *half of the time	eats	dinner at 6:30 p.m.	most of the time. half of the time. occasionally. frequently. usually. *always *often *rarely *hardly ever *never

 *Sounds awkward. Multiple word expressions are usually placed at the end of the sentence. Usage may vary. 

 

 

 

Practice 2

Adverb Use in Various Sentence Positions

 

 

1. Select the correct verb tense.  Pay attention to the adverbs.
2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

 

#	YOUR RESPONSE	REVEAL ANSWER
9.	-- Most of the time Always , we celebrate people's birthday on the actual birth date.
10.	-- Never Occasionally , we celebrate half-birthdays. (6 month anniversaries)
11.	Children -- usually most of the time bring gifts for the birthday child.
12.	Children attending parties receive party favors -- always most of the time

 

Additional practice: Present vs. Present Progressive

 

 

 

 

 

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