Exercise 29. Comment on the use ot the Present Indefinite, Present Continuous, Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous.

1. Women

are

constantly

trying

to commit suicide for love, but generally they take care not to succeed. (Maugham)2. You probably

haven't seen

her since those summer holidays when Mum and Dad were abroad. (Christie)3. Gerald, if you

are going away

with Lord Illingworth, go at once. Go before it

kills

me: but don't ask me to meet him. (Wilde)4. There's the car. Arnold's

come back

. I must go and bathe my eyes. I don't want them to see

I've been crying

. (Maugham)5.

I am seeing

the other nurse, Nurse O'Brien, to-day. (Christie)6. As she turns to go, she finds that Bella

has entered

and

is staring

at her and her father with impassive hatred. (Gow and D’Usseau) 7, Bella is a Negro woman of fifty who

has been

in the Langdon home for twenty-four years and thus

occupies

a favored position. (Gow and D’Usseau) 8. "You

are being

very absurd, Laura," she said coldly. (Mansfield)9. When

I've taken off

my things we shall go into the next room and have tea. (Mansfield)10.

I'm

always

doing

things on the spur of the moment to ray own inconvenience and other people's. (Maugham)11. He has all the virtues. Dr. Ramsay, Miss Glover, even Mrs. Branderton

have been drumming

his praise into my ears. (Maugham)12. Fatty came over to Lanny's table. A fat, cheerful Greek with laughing wrinkles at the sides of his eyes. "You're alone to-day," Fatty said. Lanny nodded and lit a cigarette. "

I'm leaving

to-night." "Leaving?" "Yes, Fatty.

I'm going

home to the Karroo." (Abrahams)13. D'you know that Robert Qldham and Caroline

have been

madly in love with one another for the last ten years? They'

ve waited

all this time, and now at last Caroline is free. (Maugham)14. This will be the death of her when she

hears

it. (Dreiser)15. You

have

told my learned friend that you

have known

Mr. Pickwick a long time. (Dickens)16. He is always

breaking

the law. (Shaw)17. "It is Mrs. Sedley's coach, sister," said Miss Jemima. "Sambo, the black servant,

has

just

rung

the bell." (Thackeray)18. She

doesn't like

me... She's always

saying

sharp things to me. (Christie)19. "I think you

are being

very wise. A complete holiday, a complete rest, that is what you need.

Have

you

decided

where you

are going

?" "

I've changed

my mind," I said. "

I don't think I'm doind away

after all." (Murdoch)20. Ah, Miss Marple. Good morning. Glad you'

ve come

. My wife's

been ringing

you

up

like a lunatic. (Christie)21. A woman never acknowledges such a nondescript age as forty-eight unless she

is going

to marry a widower with seventeen children. (Maugham)22. "By the way, you'

ve been talking

about me. I see it written in your faces. Your silence tells me all. I could even guess what you've

been saying

..." "You'

ve been listening

," Gladys cried, making a face at him. (Priestley) 23. You

are being

far too romantic about it. (Hilton) 24. "Do you like me at all, Bertha?" he asked. "