• "I've been going to bed far too late recently."
• "She's been learning to drive since the spring."
• "What have you been watching lately?"

What's the shared machinery? Say it, then check.

1. Your friend started a pottery course in March. It's still going. Tell someone about it — use the continuous form of do:

"She a pottery course since March."

2. The couple upstairs started arguing about their kitchen renovation weeks ago — and it's still not over. Use the continuous form of argue:

"They about that kitchen for weeks."

• "Our street's being resurfaced — the noise is unbelievable."
• "The corner shop has been taken over — new owners, same prices, thankfully."
• "My umbrella got stolen. Who steals an umbrella?"

Three different flavours of the same idea. What do they share, and what's different? Say it, then check.

1. Workers are repainting the gym right now — you can smell it from the street. Start with "The gym":

"The gym at the moment — hold your nose."

2. Bad luck: someone cancelled your friend's flight this morning. Give her the news using get:

"Your flight — I'm so sorry."

• "I'm having dinner at my sister's on Friday." (it's in the diary — arranged)
• "We're going to repaint the bedroom this autumn." (decided, not yet arranged)
• "You know what — I'll come with you." (decided this second)
• "I'll be passing the pharmacy anyway — want anything?" (happening in the natural course of things)

Four futures, four levels of "how fixed is this?". Which would change meaning if you swapped it? Talk it through, then check.

1. Your neighbour is struggling with heavy shopping bags. Offer to carry them — this is a this-second decision, with carry:

"Here — I those for you."

2. Which fits? "I can't do Tuesday evening — I ___ my cousin at the airport. It's been booked for weeks."

A good friend you haven't seen since the spring sits down opposite you with a coffee: "Right. Tell me everything."

Talk for two full minutes. Cover all three:

• what you've been doing, watching, working on, worrying about
• what's changed around you — what's been opened, closed, fixed, ruined
• what's coming — the arranged, the intended, and the "we'll see"

Write the 3–5 sentence message you'd send that friend afterwards ("Great to see you — ..."). Use all three of today's engines; the checker will tell you which ones it finds.

1. Your colleague's eyes are red and tired. "Rough night?" — "Yeah, the baby ___ all week."

2. You walk past the old cinema and the windows are covered in scaffolding sheets. "Oh look — it ___ at last."

3. The phone rings mid-dinner. "Leave it — I ___ them back later."

4. "I've been knowing my flatmate since university."

5. "The bridge is repairing, so the buses take forever."

6. "I can't come on Sunday — I will visit my grandmother. We arranged it ages ago."

7. "Somebody cut my hair yesterday." (you didn't do it yourself — but who cares who did?)

8. "I started to wait for the electrician at nine. It is now twelve. I am still waiting."

1. Your cousin took up running in January and hasn't stopped. Use the continuous form of train:

"He for a half-marathon since January."

2. News from your street: workers took the old phone box away last week. Start with "The old phone box":

"The old phone box — I'll actually miss it."

3. A friend mentions they're moving flat on Saturday. Offer your help — decided right now, with give:

"Saturday? I you a hand with the boxes."