1|P age

Present continuous tense

Positive
I + am
He/ she/ it + is + V-ing.
We/ you /they + are
Negative
I + am not
He / she/ it + is not + ving.
We/ you/ they + are not
Questions
Am + I
Is + he/ she/ it + V-ing?
Are + we/ you /they
Wh-Questions
(a) am + I
Wh + Is + he/ she/ it + V-ing?
Are + you/ we/ they

(b) Wh + am/ is/ are + V-ing?

How to make -ing Forms

-Most verbs: + -ing work working sleep sleeping
-Verbs ending in-e : (e) + -ing make making hope hoping
-ie changes to y + -ing lie lying
Doubling
➢ One vowel + one consonant double consonant + -ing
Stop stopping run running
➢ Two vowels don’t double
Sleep sleeping wait waiting
➢ Two consonants don’t double
2|P age

Want wanting help helping

➢ Only double in stressed syllables
Begin beginning happen happening (not double)
There is/ are
- There is a girl walking on the road.
- How many people are there walking on the road.
We use the present continuous tense:
(1) To talk about things that are happening now.
The bus is coming.
I am teaching right now.
You are watching my English lesson.
(2) To talk about things that are happening around now, but not exactly at the moment we
speak. (temporary)
What are you doing these days? I am learning Spanish. (Now they are at teashop)
(3) Repetition and Irritation with “always and constantly, continually, forever, always”)
She is always coming to class late.
I don’t like them because they are always complaining.
You are always complaining about my cooking!
Tom is always asking stupid questions.
(4) Near Future( Fixed Arrangements)
I am meeting some friends after work. Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
(5) With verbs describing change and development
Things are getting worse!
More and more people are giving up smoking.
Note: here are three common present continuous questions. They all mean ‘How are you?’:
How’s it going? How are you getting on? How are you doing?
Active to Passive
Active: Right now, Tom is writing the letter.
Passive: Right now, the letter is being written by Tom.
3|P age

Present continuous Tenses (story 1)

Who are they? Where are they? What are they doing?
Now Janet is in her house. She is sitting on a wooden chair. She is holding a coat. She
is fixing it.
James is Janet’s husband. He is sitting in front of her. He is fixing clothes too.
Elizabeth is sitting next to James. She is Janet’s sister. Right now, she is helping Janet and
James. They are working together. They are fixing clothes.
At this moment a man is coming in. he is wearing dark clothes. He is carrying a pile of
clothes. They are all working very hard.
1- Where is Janet sitting now? What is she doing?
2- Where is James sitting now? What is he doing?
3- Who is coming in at this moment? What is he carrying?
Present continuous Tense Story -2

Who are they? Where are they? What are they doing?
Right now, it is Monday morning. Mike and Tina are at home. They are sitting at a
table. They are eating breakfast.
At this moment, Tina is drinking coffee. She is eating a pasty. She is sitting across the
table from Mike. She is talking to Mike.
Mike is Tina’s husband. He is sitting at the table with Tina. He is also drinking coffee.
Mike is listening to Tina.
After breakfast, Mike and Tina are leaving for work. They work in the city. They are
riding the bus to work.
A. Answer the following questions. Use the present Progressive tense.
4|P age

1- Where are Mike and Tina on Monday morning? What are they doing?
2- Where is Tina sitting now? What is Tina eating?
3- Where are Mike and Tina going after breakfast? How are they getting there?

Present continuous tense story (3)

Who are they? Where are they? What are they doing?
Now the children are at school. Amy is sewing. She is practicing. She is sitting on a beach.
She is sitting near Timmy.
Timmy is at school. Timmy is studying. He is sitting behind his desk. He wishes he
could play with the other children.
John and Susan are also at school. They are playing outside. They are picking flowers
for their teacher. John is carrying his cat. Susan is wearing a bonnet.
At this moment, Sarah is walking by the door. She is helping the teacher. She is
carrying textbooks to the shelf.
1- Where is Amy sitting now? What is she doing?
2- Where are John and Susan playing? What is Susan wearing?
3- At this moment, where is Sarah? Why is she carrying textbooks?
Present continuous story -4

Who are they? Where are they? What are they doing?
Today, Abby is visiting her grandparents. She loves her grandparents. At this moment, she is
sitting on her grandfather’s knee. She is listening to a story. She is smiling. She loves her
grandfather’s stories.
5|P age

Jacob is Abby’s grandfather. Her loves his granddaughter. Right now, he is telling her
a story. He is holding on his knee. He is holding her hands. They are sitting in the living
room.
Sarah is Abby’s grandmother. At this moment, Sarah is standing in the kitchen. She is
baking cookies for Jacob and Abby. She is also listening to Jacob’s story.
1- Whom is Abby visiting today? At this moment, what is Abby doing?
2- Right now, what is Jacob doing? Where is he sitting?
3- At this moment, where is Sarah? What is she doing?

Dancing in Class
Georgia is sitting in class. Her professor is standing in front of the room. He is talking.
He is talking a lot. Georgia thinks he is always talking a lot! She is finding the class a bit
boring.
In Georgia’s mind, she is doing something else. In Georgia’s imagination, she is not
sitting in class. She is dancing on a stage in front of hundreds of people.
She is wearing a beautiful costume. She is tapping. She is twirling. She is spinning on one
leg.
The stage lights are shining in her eyes. She is closing her eyes and concentrating on
the music. She is having so much fun! Her heart is beating fast.
The music is changing. She is changing costumes. Now she is dancing again. She is
kicking her feet. She is leaping. She is flying through the air.
Soon, she is finishing her show. The audience is standing on their feet. They are
clapping and shouting, “Bravo! Bravo!” Georgia is taking a bow. Georgia is smiling for the
cameras. “Bravo! Bravo!” She is having so much fun!
“Georgia?”
Georgia’s classmates are staring at her.
“Georgia?” her professor is saying, looking at her with concern. He is not teaching anyone.
“Yes?” Georgia is feeling a bit embarrassed. Her cheeks are getting red.
“Are you feeling okay? You are shouting ‘Bravo! Bravo!’ in class.”
“Oh, yes, professor. Sorry. I am just enjoying the class so much! Bravo! Bravo!”