Present Continuous

Affirmative Form
Formation: Subject + Am / Is / Are (Verb to be in present) + Gerund + Complement
Subjects Example

First-Person Singular: I I am reading a book.

Second-Person Singular: You You are reading a book.
Third-Person Singular: He He is reading a book.
She She is reading a book.
It It is reading a book.
First-Person Plural: We We are reading a book.
Second-Person Plural: You You are reading a book.
Third-Person Plural: They They are reading a book.

Gerund Formation

The gerund verb is formed by adding the suffix –ING at the end of the word. However, there are some exceptions in

spelling that you should remember.

If the
verbs Every consonant -E -IE
ends in:
We add: -ING -ING (omitting E) -YING (omitting IE)
Examples: Boil – Boiling Close – Closing Tie – Tying
You Boil the eggs. They close their shop. You tie your dog to the post.
He is boiling the eggs. We are closing our shop. She is tying her dog to the post.

Pack – Packing Waste – Wasting Lie – Lying

You pack now. I waste my time. We lie you.
She is packing now. He is wasting my time. I am lying to you.

Enjoy – Enjoying Exceptions

I enjoy the sun.
We are enjoying the sun. Be – Being

Verbs ending in –EE

See – Seeing

Present Continuous Auxiliary Verb

 Subject + Aux
The auxiliary verb which goes with present Continuous tense is the present form of the verb to I’m not
be. In fact, every continuous tense has the verb to be auxiliary verb. For I, AM; for You, ARE, You’re not
He’s not
for He, She or It, IS; for We, ARE and for They, ARE.
She’s not
It’s not
To form the negative auxiliary for the present continuous tense, we need to write down NOT We’re not
You’re not
after AM, IS or ARE. There are short forms for each of them.
They’re not
When we form interrogative sentences, we put AM, IS or ARE. just before the subject.
Aux + not

Contrary to present simple, in present continuous we always keep the main verb in gerund. –
You aren’t
He isn’t
She isn’t
It isn’t
We aren’t
You aren’t
They aren’t

Negative Form
Formation: Subject + Am / Is / Are (Verb to be in present) + Not + Gerund + Complement
Subjects Example

First-Person Singular: I I’m not going home. / –

Second-Person Singular: You You’re not going home. / You aren’t going home.
Third-Person Singular: He He’s not going home. / He isn’t going home.
She She’s not going home. / She isn’t going home.
It It’s not going home. / It isn’t going home.
First-Person Plural: We We’re not going home. / We aren’t going home.
Second-Person Plural: You You’re not going home. / You aren’t going home.
Third-Person Plural: They They’re not going home. / They aren’t going home.

Interrogative Form
Formation: Am / Is / Are (Verb to be in present) + Subject + Gerund + Complement
Subjects Example Short Answers

First-Person Singular: I Am I cooking dinner? Yes , I am / No, I’m not

Second-Person Singular: You Are you cooking dinner? Yes, you are / No, You’re not
Third-Person Singular: He Is he cooking dinner? Yes, he is / No, He’s not
She Is she cooking dinner? Yes, she is / No, She’s not
It Is it cooking dinner? Yes, it is/ No, It’s not
First-Person Plural: We Are we cooking dinner? Yes, we are / No, We’re not
Second-Person Plural: You Are you cooking dinner? Yes, you are / No, You’re not
Third-Person Plural They Are they cooking dinner? Yes, they are / No, They’re not

Present Continuous Uses

 Past Present Future

Uses Examples
Actions in Progress at or around the moment of I am washing the dishes.
speaking (frequently with now, right now, at this She is finishing her homework.
moment…) You aren’t paying me attention.
He isn’t listening to music.
Is it working well?
Are we going home?
Note that “around the moment of the speaking” is
any period of time that we consider unfinished:
This + period of time:

Day I am having fun today.

Week She is studying hard this week.
Month You aren’t saving any money this month.
Season He isn’t going to college this autumn.
Year Are we getting fit this year?

This is why, we can talk in present continuous about

something happening since a year ago and instead,
we can talk in a past tense about something that
happened yesterday.
Unfinished actions at the moment of speaking. I am learning Italian.
She is training to win the championship.
You aren’t studying enough.
He isn’t reading any book.
Is it flying to Africa?
Are we building a house?
To talk about changes happening around now, I am getting better from my cold.
especially with: She is starting to like classical music.
Get, change, become, increase, rise, fall, grow, Car prices aren’t rising lately.
improve, begin, start… Population isn’t falling as much as in last ce
Is the weather changing for the worse?
Is your English improving just a little?

Present Continuous Time Expressions

Now, right now, at present, at this moment I am taking a shower right now.
Today, tonight. She is studying very hard today.
This:
Week, Month, Year… Is she going to her dance classes this week?
Summer, autumn, winter, spring. You aren’t getting tanned this summer.
 Present Simple VS. Present Continuous
In general terms, we use present simple to talk about things in general or repeated actions, and
present continuous to talk about temporary actions happening at or around the present. As we have
there are several time expressions that generally go with each tense.
Present Simple Present Continuous

I go to the park every afternoon. I am going to the park now.

He plays tennis twice a week. He is playing tennis at this moment.
We don’t speak English. We aren’t speaking English during our trip.
It doesn’t rain very much in the summer. It isn’t raining very much this summer.
What Do you do at weekends? What are you doing this weekend?
Does she live in Paris ? Is she living in Paris?

Stative Verbs
We use continuous forms to talk about unfinished actions. Some verbs, are not normally used in this
they represent actions which don’t have either a beginning or an end.
Sense Verbs (Dis)like Verbs Thinking Verbs Others
See Like Know Think Belong
Hear Dislike Realise Fit
Sound Love Suppose Contain
Smell Want Mean Consist
Taste Hate Understand Seem
Feel Need Believe Have
(Often with Can) Prefer Remember

He likes dogs. She believes in Santa. We don’t belong he

I (can) hear a noise! He is liking dogs. She is believing in Santa. We aren’t belongin
I am hearing a noise!
We don’t want to go. They don’t know. It doesn’t contain n
It smells good. We aren’t wanting to go. They aren’t knowing. It isn’t containing n
It is smelling good.
Does she need anything? Do you remember me? Does it fit you?
Is she needing anything? are you remembering me? Is it fitting you?

Present Continuous for Future Arrangements

We May Use present continuous to talk about arrangements
for the near future, that is, actions that are very likely to come true. The use of the present continu
future arrangements usually implies other people involved in the action. Also note that we use other
time expressions (for the future), as: tomorrow, next weekend, in a few days, next month…

I am meeting my friends on Saturday.

She is giving a guitar course next week.
You aren’t going to the party.
He isn’t playing poker on Saturday night.
Are they flying Madrid tomorrow?
Are we visiting Grandpa the day after tomorrow?