Present Continuous and The Unhappy Potato
October 22, 2025
Nouns (Lessons 51–55)
| English | Pronunciation | Lithuanian |
|---|---|---|
| bear | /beə/ | meška |
| cow | /kaʊ/ | karvė |
| distance | /ˈdɪstəns/ | toluma |
| earl | /ɜːl/ | grafas |
| fir-tree | /ˈfɜː triː/ | eglė |
| map | /mæp/ | žemėlapis |
| meals | /miːlz/ | valgymas, valgis |
| performance | /pəˈfɔːməns/ | spektaklis |
| secret | /ˈsiːkrɪt/ | paslaptis |
| sieve | /sɪv/ | kiaurasamtis |
| smell | – | kvapas |
| time | /taɪm/ | kartas |
| tradition | /trəˈdɪʃn/ | tradicija |
Grammar: Present Continuous Tense
Form:
am / is / are + verb + –ing
Uses
-
Action happening now / at the moment
Miss Della Netway is watching TV.
-
Planned future action (spoken language)
We are going to the theatre this week.
Example Verb: to swim
| Person | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | am swimming | am not swimming | Am I swimming? |
| You | are swimming | are not swimming | Are you swimming? |
| He / She / It | is swimming | is not swimming | Is he/she/it swimming? |
| We | are swimming | are not swimming | Are we swimming? |
| They | are swimming | are not swimming | Are they swimming? |
Answers:
Yes, I am. / No, I am not.
Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t.
Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.
Food Vocabulary
| English | Pronunciation | Lithuanian |
|---|---|---|
| supermarket | /ˈsuːpəmɑːkɪt/ | didelė parduotuvė |
| greengrocery | /ˈɡriːnˌɡrəʊsərɪ/ | vaisių, daržovių parduotuvė |
| bakery shop | /ˈbeɪkərɪ/ | kepykla |
| butcher’s shop | /ˈbʊtʃəz/ | mėsinė |
| fishmonger’s shop | /ˈfɪʃmʌŋɡəz/ | žuvies parduotuvė |
| dairy products | /ˈdeərɪ ˈprɒdʌkts/ | pieno produktai |
| beverages | /ˈbevərɪdʒɪz/ | gėrimai |
| department | /dɪˈpɑːtmənt/ | skyrius |
| tin opener | /ˈtɪn ˌəʊpənə/ | konservų atidarytuvas |
| mixer | /ˈmɪksə/ | mikseris |
| rolling pin | /ˈrəʊlɪŋ pɪn/ | kočėlas |
| grater | /ˈɡreɪtə/ | trintuvė |
Reading: The Unhappy Potato 🥔
People did not like the potato at first. It came to Europe from South America.
A sailor brought potatoes to Spain in 1533, but people refused to grow them.
A king threatened to cut off the noses and ears of peasants who didn’t want to grow potatoes.
King Louis XVI of France wore potato flowers on his coat.
His wife wore them on her hat. Peasants said potatoes were dangerous.
The king spoke with a scientist, who said potatoes were cheap and useful food.
The king told the scientist to grow potatoes in the royal garden and ordered guards to protect them day and night.
When peasants saw the guards, they thought:
“This must be a special plant if the king protects it!”
In autumn, the guards “forgot” the potatoes in the garden.
The peasants secretly took them home — and learned to cook them.
Since then, people began to grow and eat potatoes all over France.
Explanations
| English | Pronunciation | Lithuanian |
|---|---|---|
| to threaten | /ˈθretn/ | gąsdinti |
| peasant | /ˈpezənt/ | valstietis |
| to refuse | /rɪˈfjuːz/ | atsisakyti |
| dangerous | /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/ | pavojingas |
| scientist | /ˈsaɪəntɪst/ | mokslininkas |
| expensive | /ɪkˈspensɪv/ | brangus |
| to guard | /ɡɑːd/ | saugoti |
| to look after | – | prižiūrėti |
| harvest | /ˈhɑːvɪst/ | derlius |
Exercises
Exercise 1Fill in the Verb – Present Continuous
Use the correct form of to swim.
- I ________ now.
- He ________ in the lake.
- They ________ together.
- We ________ fast.
- She ________ not ________ today.
Exercise 2Positive or Negative
Write the sentence in positive and negative form.
- He (to work) now.
- They (to play) tennis.
- I (to study) English.
- We (to watch) TV.
- She (to dance).
Exercise 3Yes / No Questions
Make Yes/No questions.
- You are eating dinner.
- She is swimming.
- They are going to the shop.
- We are learning English.
- He is writing a letter.
Exercise 4Answer the Questions
Answer with Yes, ... or No, ...
- Are you swimming now?
- Is she watching TV?
- Are they working today?
- Is he cooking?
- Are we studying grammar?
Exercise 5Translate to English
Translate the sentences.
- Aš dabar plaukiu.
- Mes nevalgome vakarienės.
- Ar ji dabar mokosi?
- Jie eina į teatrą šią savaitę.
- Jis nekalba telefonu.
Exercise 6Vocabulary – Shops and Tools
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| bakery | shop where bread is sold |
| butcher’s | shop where meat is sold |
| fishmonger’s | shop where fish is sold |
| grater | tool used to shred cheese or vegetables |
| rolling pin | tool for rolling dough |
Exercise 7Reading Comprehension – The Unhappy Potato
Answer the questions about the text.
- Where did the potato come from?
- Who brought potatoes to Spain?
- Why did people refuse to grow them?
- What did King Louis XVI do?
- What happened after the peasants took the potatoes?
Exercise 8True or False – The Potato Story
- The potato came from Asia.
- Peasants loved potatoes immediately.
- The king wore potato flowers.
- Guards watched the garden.
- Peasants started growing potatoes later.
Exercise 9Fill in the Blanks – Potato Story
Complete the sentences.
- Potatoes came from ________.
- A ________ brought them to Spain.
- The king’s wife wore potato ________.
- The peasants thought potatoes were ________.
- The king’s people guarded the royal ________.
Exercise 10Mixed Grammar Review
- She ________ (swim) now.
- We ________ (not work) today.
- Are they ________ (go) to the theatre?
- I ________ (watch) TV at the moment.
- He ________ (help) his mother now.
- What ________ you ________ (do)?
- The children ________ (play) in the yard.
- She ________ (not cook) dinner.
- They ________ (read) the story about potatoes.
- It ________ (rain) outside.