ENGLISH GRAMMAR Present Continuous

PRESENT CONTINUOUS
FORM
W e f o r m t h e p r e s e n t c o n t i n u o u s w i t h Be + V-ing

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE

I am I am not

You are You are not

He is He is not

She is She is not

working working
It is It is not

We are We are not

You are You are not

They are They are not

Contractions: Contraction:
I am= I´m are not = aren´t
are = ´re is not = isn´t
is = ´s

INTERROGATIVE
SHORT ANSWERS
Am I
Yes. I am
Are you
Yes. He/she/it is
Is he
Yes. You/we/they are
Is she
working ?
Is it No. I´m not

Are we No. He/she/it isn´t

Are you No. You/we/they aren´t
Are they

Alfonso López Rodríguez www.alfonsolopez.es

 ENGLISH GRAMMAR Present Continuous

USE
We use the present continuous:

To talk about things that are happening now, at the moment we speak.
A: What are you doing?
B: I´m writing an e-mail.

We´re leaving now. Goodbye.

The bus is coming.

To talk about things that are happening now, but not exactly at the moment we speak.
My brother is looking for a job at the moment.
You are spending a lot of money these days.

To talk about something we have already arranged or planned to do in the future.

We often give the future time (tomorow, in July, on Saturday, this afternoon, next week, etc…)

A: What are you doing on Saturday morning?

B: I´m meeting a friend.

We´re visiting our grandparents next weekend.

My sister is starting a new job next Monday.

IMPORTANT

Some verbs are not used in the present continuous. They are normally used in the simple forms.
Some of the most important ones are:

like know love hate understand

believe mean remember want prefer

I am liking tennis > I like tennis.

Are you knowing Maria? > Do you know Maria?.

Alfonso López Rodríguez www.alfonsolopez.es

 ENGLISH GRAMMAR Present Continuous

SPELLING RULES
With most verbs we add -ing.
go > going
play > playing
work > working

If the verb ends in consonant + -e we delete the -e and add -ing.

come > coming live > living
move > moving have > having

*Exception: be > being

If the verb ends in -ie, we change -ie to -ying.

die > dying
lie > lying

If the verb ends in one vowel + one consonant ,we double the consonant.
get > getting
run > running
shop > shopping
sit > sitting
put > putting

*Exceptions:

a) When the verb ends in one vowel + -y, -w or -x ,we just add -ing.
play > playing
snow > snowing
mix > mixing

b) When the last syllable verb is not stressed.

listen /´LIsen/ > listening
visit /´VISit/ > visiting

*Exception: travel /´TRAVel/ > travelling

Alfonso López Rodríguez www.alfonsolopez.es

Present Continuous.

Exercises.

Add the –ing.

1. camp ______________

2. swim ______________

3. travel______________

4. walk ______________

5. have ______________

6. write ______________

7. cook ______________

8. shop ______________

Complete the sentences.

1. His dad and brother ________(cycle) to the shops.

2. We __________ (not travel) in Japan.

3. I __________ (sunbathe) on the beach.

4. She __________ (not watch) TV.

5. They __________ (not swim) in the sea.

6. Sue __________ (stay) at home today.

Write the questions and the short answers.

1. your dad / work / today /?

_____________________________

Yes, _________________________

2. you / have a good time / on holiday / ?

_____________________________

Yes, _________________________

3. your mum / cook dinner / now / ?

_____________________________

Yes, _________________________

4. your friends / play football / ?

_____________________________

Yes, _________________________

Complete the dialogues.

1. a. I´m going on holiday.

b. Where ______________ ?

2. a. He´s cooking dinner.

b. What ______________ ?

3. a. My sister is going to England.

b. Who ______________ ?

4. a. We aren´t staying in a hotel.

b. Where ______________ ?
Present continuous.

1. I ___________ (watch) a reality show on TV.

2. My favourite team ___________ (win)!

3. Someone ___________ (swim) in the sea.

4. Two people ___________ (cook) dinner on the beach.

5. We ___________ (not watch) a soap opera.

6. I ___________ (not do) my homework.

7. Mum ___________ (read) a magazine.

8. My brother ___________ (not listen) to the radio.

9. Dad ___________ (not cook) dinner.

10. Tara ___________ (talk) by phone.

11. Joe ___________ (play) on the computer.

12. Who ___________(watch) TV?

13. Tina ___________ (do) grammar exercises.

14. I ___________ (eat) a pizza.

15. We ___________ (sit) in the classroom.

16. I ___________ (not write) an email.

17. Amy ___________ (not go) to school today.

18. We ___________ (not have) fun today.

19. My team ___________ (not win) the match.

20. My parents ___________ (drive) to work now.

21. ___________ they ___________ (read) magazines?

Yes, they are.

22. ___________ you ___________ (learn) English? Yes I am.

23. ___________ Helen ___________ (write) a letter? No, she isn´t.

24. ___________ Sarah ___________ (play) the guitar? Yes, she is.

25. We ___________ (not play) basketball.

Present continuous.

1. Trina ___________ (walk) past the supermarket.

2. Where are you? We ___________ (wait) for you!

3. I´m on a bus and it ___________ (not move).

4. When ___________ you ___________ (come) to see me?

5. I ___________ (sit) on a bus.

6. Pete´s mother ___________ (not have) a burger.

7. John´s friends ___________ (play) football at the Sports Centre.

8. My best friend ___________ (sit) next to me.

9. I ___________ (not wear) something blue.

10. My teacher ___________ (not stand) behind me.

11. I ___________ (not write) with a pencil.

12. Irama ___________ (have) a shower.

13. Montse ___________ (leave) the room.

14. Marcelo ___________ (make) a phone call.

15. Rosa ___________ (open) the door.

16. Olga ___________ (brush) her teeth.

17. Eva ___________ (sing).

18. Mati ___________ (listen) to the radio.

19. Jose ___________ (walk) to school.

20. Javi ___________ (write) a letter.

21. What ___________ the boys ___________ (do) now?

22. Angela ___________ (eat) spaghetti.

23. What ___________ your teacher ___________ (say)?

24. Juanma ___________ (play) with the dog.

25. Where ___________ Eva and Mar ___________ (sit)?

Present continuous.

1. I ____________ (learn) how to swim.

2. I ____________ (eat) my lunch.

3. I ____________ (watch) television.

4. She ____________ (read) a book.

5. Dad ____________ (bake) a cake.

6. My sister ____________ (listen) to music.

7. Peter ____________ (clean) his car.

8. The dog ____________ (bark) in the garden.

9. We ____________ (sing) our favourite song.

10. My brother and I ____________ (play) a computer game.

11. The teachers ____________ (show) us a film.

12. They ____________ (bring) a TV in the classroom.

13. She´s bored. Her friend ____________ (watch) TV again.

14. Martin´s excited. Chelsea ____________ (win) the match.

15. I´m scared. A big dog ____________ (stand) in front of me.

16. She´s happy. She ____________ (not work) today.

17. I´m worried. It ____________ (rain) and I haven´t got

an umbrella.

18. The teacher is annoyed. We ____________ (not listen).

19. What ____________ you ____________ (wait) for?

I´m ____________ (wait) for John.

20. ____________ it ____________ (snow)?

No, it ____________ (rain).

21. What ____________ you ____________ (do) today?

We ____________ (go) to the park.

22. ____________ you ____________ (listen) to me?

No, I ____________ (listen) to the radio.

23. ____________ you ____________ (watch) TV?

No, we ____________ (study).

24. What ____________ you ____________ (do)?

I ____________ (do) my homework.

25. ____________ they ____________ (sleep)? Yes, they are.