INTRODUCTION: In today’s class we have a dialogue in present simple between a couple who start arguing about how often they go out. Naturally, this conversation in English about routines and repeated actions means that there are dozens of examples of the present simple and adverbs of frequency.
ACTIVITY: How many examples of the present simple and adverbs of frequency can you find?
Candy: Hi. As you know, I always speak frankly.
Lynch: True.
Candy: So that’s why I want to tell you… there’s a problem in this relationship.
Lynch: What?
Candy: That we don’t go out enough.
Lynch: Of course not, that’s because we’re always too busy in bed to go out of the house.
Candy: Oh yeah?
Lynch: Oh yeah.
Candy: Says who?
Lynch: Says me. Come on, Candy, The average couple makes love once a week, how many times a week do we make love?
Candy: A couple.
Lynch: Err…I think you better explain that couple means both ‘par’ two and ‘pareja,’ two people in a relationship.
Candy: You just did.
Lynch: So I’m sure our listeners want to join me in condemning your outrageous suggestion we barely do it more than twice a week.
Candy: Okay… twice a day. Sometimes. Occasionally. But, shut up… I want to talk about going out and why we never go out. Not sex.
Lynch: I don’t….I wanna talk about our intimate life…
Candy: …And how good you are…
Lynch: Yeah, preferably.
Candy: Well, I’m sorry, but there’s a basic qualification for recommending the skills of a person in any area.
Lynch: Which is?
Candy: That they show skills in that specific area.
Lynch: Why do you always have to give the impression to the listeners that I’m not an expert in the bedroom?
Candy: Err… because you’re not.
Lynch: Bullshit.
Candy: Why do you say that?
Lynch: Why do you think?
Candy: I don’t know.
Lynch: Don’t force me to be juvenile and vulgar.
Candy: Why?
Lynch: Well, come on. I totally disagree with what I have to do now, but if you constantly tell everyone that I’m bad in bed then I just have to reply with cold, hard facts. Like how many times you (cough) each time we do it.
Candy: I’m not saying you’re bad in bed, I’m just saying that you’re not the Grandmaster Flash that you think you are. And what do you mean… how many times I (cough) each time we do it?
Lynch: You know. The big ‘O’. Come on…I mean…how many do you have usually?
Candy: I don’t count. The only people who count ‘O’s’ are men. Anyway, stick to the subject… I want to go out more. Rachel goes out all the time.
Lynch: God, Why do we always compare ourselves to bloody Rachel?
Candy: Well, it’s very useful in this case. I look at what she gets from Donald and I compare what I get from you – it’s simple. And, by the way, I assure you she gets a good, regular supply of ‘O’s’.
Lynch: Hah…so it’s true… you do count.
Candy: That’s a secret amongst girls. Anyway, I repeat – Donald and Rachel go out frequently.
Lynch: But we go out to that night club you like every month.
Candy: Exactly, once a month means we go out occasionally. I want to go out frequently – Fridays and Saturday. I want to go to restaurants, and plays, and bowling, and nice restaurants.
PART 2: A dialogue in present simple continued…
Lynch: Okay then, do you want to go out to that Greek restaurant tonight?
Candy: No…I don’t like Greek food…I’m bored of it.
Lynch: How’s that possible? How often do you eat Greek food?
Candy: When I was a kid – all the time. My father loves it.
Lynch: Does he go to Greek restaurants a lot? He never told me.
Candy: Yeah, he usually goes every Friday; and it’s horrible; he drinks too much wine and comes back drunk. Like you…except that you seldom drink wine… it’s always beer.
Lynch: Well, it’s better than spirits and liquor. In fact, I don’t know why you always drink spirits and liquor; it worries me.
Candy: I drink liquor because soft drinks and sodas are boring.
Lynch: But why is the only option – soft drinks and spirits?
Candy: Because I don’t like wine and beer. I drink gin or rum or vodka. Anyway, why do you worry about it? Do you think spirits are unhealthier than beer?
Lynch: It depends on the dose. Anyway, let’s get back to the issue. I’ll call Alex about dinner; he can get us a reservation at that trendy restaurant in the gothic quarter. He works behind the bar.
Candy: I know, he always gives us a free shot of tequila when I go with Angela and Rachel. Sometimes, he puts three cocktails on our table and says, “The drinks are on me.”
Lynch: Excellent.
Candy: In fact, he always complains that he never sees us out. You and me together. Which proves the point that we don’t go out enough.
Lynch: He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He takes far too much cocaine to remember anything. Anyway, we don’t need to go out. We’re in a relationship. The people who enjoy going out are single people looking to hook up, pick up chicks, chicks looking for guys etc… I don’t wanna chat anyone up, I’ve got you. You’ve got me.
Candy: But we still need to party… old man!
Lynch: I’ll try and forget the last part of that sentence.
Candy: Come on, Lynch, everyone needs to party: dance all night, booze all night, dress up, look good.
Lynch: And then have a hangover. And it always costs so much in restaurant bills, tips, and entrance fees.
Candy: Yeah, but it’s such a bloody good laugh.
Lynch: Well, I suppose so… come on then…let’s call a cab.
Candy: We gonna party?
Lynch: Yeah…let’s party.
CONCLUSION: We really hope you found this conversation in the present simple tense useful for learning English grammar. Visit our home page and you will see that we have many more ESL materials which can all be downloaded in PDF format.
