PRESENT CONTINUOUS

WE USE THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS FOR SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING AT OR AROUND

THE TIME OF SPEAKING.

e.g.
THE WATER IS BOILING. CAN YOU TURN IT OFF?
IT IS RAINING RIGHT NOW.
I AM GOING TO BED. GOODNIGHT!

VERB TO BE IN THE PRESENT FORM: AM, IS, and ARE

I AM ---- I’M I AM NOT --- xxxx
HE, SHE, IT IS ---- HE’S HE IS NOT --- HE ISN’T
YOU, WE, THEY ARE ---- YOU’RE YOU ARE NOT --- YOU AREN’T

STRUCTURES

AFF. S + Vtobe V ing + C

THEY ARE STUDYING ENGLISH NOW.
SUSAN IS WORKING ON THE NEW PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.
YOU ARE ERASING IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
PETER IS TURNING THE COMPUTERS OFF IN THE LAB.

NEG. S + Vtobe not V ing + C

THEY ARE NOT STUDYING ENGLISH NOW.
SUSAN IS NOT WORKING ON THE NEW PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.
YOU ARE NOT ERASING IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
PETER IS NOT TURNING THE COMPUTERS OFF IN THE LAB.

INT. Vtobe + S + V ing + C + ?

ARE THEY STUDYING ENGLISH NOW?
IS SUSAN WORKING ON THE NEW PROGRAM RIGHT NOW?
ARE YOU ERASING IMPORTANT INFORMATION?
IS PETER TURNING THE COMPUTERS OFF IN THE LAB?

WH Vtobe + S + V ing + C + ?
WHAT ARE THEY STUDYING NOW?
WHO IS WORKING ON THE NEW PROGRAM RIGHT NOW?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
 WHERE IS PETER TURNING THE COMPUTERS OFF?
NOTE: VERBS ADD THE ING FORM AS FOLLOWS.

I MOST VERBS ADD THE ING FORM WITH NO CHANGES.

e.g.
PLAY PLAYING WORK WORKING
GO GOING WATCH WATCHING

II VERBS ENDING IN A SILENT LETTER E, DROP THE LETTER E AND ADD THE ING
FORM.
e.g.
COME COMING DRIVE DRIVING
WRITE WRITING GIVE GIVING

III MONOSYLLABIC VERBS ENDING IN ONE CONSONANT PRECEDED BY ONLY ONE

VOWEL, DOUBLE THEIR LAST CONSONANT AND ADD THE ING FORM.
e.g.
RUN RUNNING SWIM SWIMMING
STOP STOPPING GET GETTING

IV VERBS ENDING IN THE LETTERS IE, CHANGE THEM TO Y AND ADD THE ING FORM.
e.g.
DIE DYING LIE LYING

EXERCISES

I PROVIDE THE CONTINUOUS FORM TO THE FOLLOWING VERBS.

1. - READ ___________ 9. - SAVE ___________

2. - STUDY ___________ 10. - SKI ___________
3. - SEE ___________ 11. - STAY ___________
4. - FLY ___________ 12. - BUILD ___________
5. - MAKE ___________ 13. - BRING ___________
6. - DO ___________ 14. - CHOOSE ___________
7. - CUT ___________ 15. - EAT ___________
8. - LOOK ___________ 16. - LEAVE ___________

II COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB
IN BRACKETS.

1. - LOOK! THAT MAN ____________________ TO OPEN THE DOOR OF YOUR CAR. (TRY)
2. - I MUST GO NOW. IT _____________________ LATE. (GET)
3. - MARIA IS IN LONDON. SHE _____________________ ENGLISH AT A BRITISH SCHOOL.
(LEARN)
4. - I _____________________ WITH SOME FRIENDS UNTIL I FIND A FLAT. (LIVE)
5. - THEY _____________________ TO THE RADIO AT THE MOMENT. THEY CAN’T HEAR
YOU. (LISTEN)
6. - HURRY UP! EVERYBODY ____________________ FOR YOU. (WAIT)
7. - PETER AND MARY _____________________ A GREAT TIME AT THE CIRCUS. (HAVE)

PAST CONTINUOUS: WE USE THE PAST CONTINUOUS TO TALK ABOUT PAST ACTIVITIES,
WHICH ARE IN PROGRESS. IT FOLLOWS THE SAME STRUCTURE AND FORM BUT IT USES THE
PAST FORM OF THE VERB TO BE. WAS, WERE
e.g.
THEY WERE PLAYING TENNIS LAST SATURDAY MORNING.
MARY WAS STUDYING FOR HER EXAM YESTERDAY NIGHT.