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Present Continuous

The Present Continuous tense indicates actions currently happening, temporary situations, or planned future events, using the auxiliary verb 'be' (am/is/are) followed by the verb in -ing form. It includes rules for forming the present participle, such as adding -ing, dropping silent 'e', doubling consonants in CVC patterns, and replacing -ie with -y. The document also covers negative statements, yes/no questions, WH questions, and exceptions for verbs that do not use the progressive tense.

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Luiss Castillo
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Present Continuous

The Present Continuous tense indicates actions currently happening, temporary situations, or planned future events, using the auxiliary verb 'be' (am/is/are) followed by the verb in -ing form. It includes rules for forming the present participle, such as adding -ing, dropping silent 'e', doubling consonants in CVC patterns, and replacing -ie with -y. The document also covers negative statements, yes/no questions, WH questions, and exceptions for verbs that do not use the progressive tense.

Uploaded by

Luiss Castillo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRESENT CONTINUOUS

The Present Continuous or Present Progressive is a verb tense used to indicate an action
that is happening at the moment of speaking, temporary situations and also to show that an
action is taking place in the near future.

In the present continuous tense, the auxiliary verb is: be (am / is / are)

Examples:

• “I’m writing a report for my sociology class.”


o Demonstrates an action currently in progress at the time of speaking.

• “Rebecca is finishing her PhD.”


o Illustrates an ongoing process that is happening around the present time, even if not
exactly in this moment.

• “We’re having dinner with the Petersons this evening.”


o Indicates a future arrangement that has already been planned or scheduled.

Affirmative Statements

[subject] + be + [verb-ing] + [object]

• “I’m writing a report for my sociology class.”


• “Rebecca is finishing her PhD”
• “We’re having dinner with the Petersons this evening.”
Spelling Rules

In the present continuous tense, the present participle of a verb is formed by adding -ing to the
base form of the verb. When adding -ing to the base form, you must remember the following
rules:

➢ Rules #1

For most verbs, we simply add -ing

walk → walking
sleep → sleeping
laugh → laughing

• “Glenn is watching a documentary.”


• “I am cleaning my bedroom.”

➢ Rules #2

When a verb ends in a silent ‘e,’ we drop the ‘e’ and add -ing.

dance → dancing
move → moving
take→ taking

• “Georgia is making a chocolate cake.”


• “My cousins are using my computer right now.”
• “I’m living in a nice apartment.”
⚠️ Exceptions to rule #2

If a verb ends in a long ‘e’ sound, we keep the ‘e’ and add -ing."

seeing NOT seing


being NOT bing
fleeing NOT fleing

➢ Rules #3

When a one-syllable verb ends with consonant + vowel + consonant (CVC), we double the
final consonant before adding -ing.

run → running
cut → cutting
swim → swimming

• “Our mother is putting the table for dinner.”


• “Ray and Gerard are planning a reunion.”
• “I’m swimming at the beach next month.”

⚠️ Exceptions to rule #3

Do not double the final consonant when it is: w, x or y.

showing NOT showwing


fixing NOT fixxing
buying NOT buyying
➢ Rules #4

When a verb has two or more syllables, ends with a consonant + vowel + consonant (CVC),
and the last syllable is stressed, we double the final consonant before adding -ing.

forget → forgetting

prefer → preferring

begin → beginning

• “I’m beginning to think this was a bad idea.”


• “The accused is admitting his crime.”
• “We’re regretting this decision.”

⚠️ Exceptions to rule #4

If the last syllable is not stressed, we do not double the final consonant.

listening NOT listenning


entering NOT enterring
opening NOT openning

➢ Rules #5

When a verb ends in -ie, we replace the -ie with -y and add -ing.

lie → lying

die → dying

tie → tying
• “I’m tying my shoelaces.”
• “The patient is dying in the operating room.”
• “They’re lying about what really happened.”

Negative Statements

[subject] + be + not + [verb-ing] + [object]

• “Michelle isn’t working here anymore.”


• “The brothers aren’t listening to what I’m saying.”
• “I’m not asking again!”

Yes / No Questions

be + [subject] + [verb-ing]+ [object] + ?

• “Are you reading a good novel?”


• “Is Michael flying to Tokyo in two weeks?”
• “Am I being clear with this subject?”
➢ Short Answers

"We can answer a question with short answers. In the Present Continuous, short answers
are formed using the subject and the auxiliary verb ‘be.’

• “Are Lois and Justin leaving the band?”


Yes, they are.
No, they aren’t. / they’re not.

• “Is Jennifer publishing a new novel?”


Yes, she is.
No, she isn’t. / she’s not.

WH Questions

WH + be + [subject] + [verb-ing]+ [object] + ?

• “What are you looking for?”


• “Why is she asking those questions?”
• “Where are you taking me?”
⚠️ IMPORTANT:

In English, we don’t use progressive tense with some verbs, these include:

- belong - know - remember


- cost - like - seem
- hate - love - smell
- have (possession) - need - understand
- hear - own - want

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