English Grammar and Exercises / Verbs tenses / Present Continuous

Present Continuous / Progressive - Form

How to use the Present Continuous / Progressive
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THE FORMS OF PRESENT CONTINUOUS / PROGRESSIVE
Affirmative: (am/is/are) + [VERB + ing]
Examples:

• I am watching TV now.
• You are practicing English at the moment.
• He is working at the office right now.
• She is playing volleyball.
• It’s raining today.
• We are looking for a new apartment.
• You’re studying mathematics.
• They’re thinking about buying a house.

Negative: (am/is/are) + not + [VERB + ing]
Examples:

• I’m not reading the newspaper right now.
• He’s not writing a letter.
• It’s not snowing today.
• They are not doing their homework.

Interrogative: (am/is/are) + SUBJECT + [VERB + ing]
Examples:

• Are you going to the hospital? Yes, I am / No I’m not.
• Is he working today? Yes, he is / No, he isn’t.
• Isn’t she coming to the dinner? Yes, she is / No, she is not.
• Is the computer working? Yes, it is / No, it’s not.
• Are they coming? Yes, they are / No, they are not.

You can add a question word (what, where, who, why, etc.) before the verb to be (am, is, or are) to ask for more information.
Examples:

• What are you doing? I’m eating chocolate.
• Where is Santiago going? He’s going to the supermarket.
• Who are playing chess? Brian and Richard.
• Why is she crying? She fell down from her bicycle.

​Spelling rules for [VERB + ing]
Here are the spelling rules:

Most verbs Add -ing	cook – cooking eat – eating do – doing speak - speaking start - starting
Verbs ending in: “-e” (except: -ee and –ie) Drop the –e and add –ing	dance - dancing hope – hoping make – making ride – riding take - taking write - writing
Verbs endings in: “-ee” Add –ing	agree – agreeing see - seeing
Verbs endings in: “-ie” Change –ie to –y and add -ing	die – dying lie - lying
One-syllable verbs endings in:  consonant + vowel + consonant Double final consonant + -ing	jog – jogging run – running sit - sitting stop - stopping   Do not double one-syllable verbs endings in: -w, -x or –y: snow – snowing mix - mixing play – playing
Two or more syllables verbs endings in:  consonant + vowel + consonant Double final consonant + -ing (only if the last syllable is stressed)	admit - admitting begin - beginning prefer - preferring   travel – travelling(UK) traveling (US) marvel – marvelling(UK) marveling (US)   Do not double if the last syllable is not stressed happen – happening offer - offering suffer - suffering visit – visiting

 

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