The present Continuous Tense

The form: Subject + to be [am / is / are] + verb + ing

Examples: You are reading a book You are not reading a book
Are you reading a book?
Ing Spelling Rules
 Normally, we form the continuous tense, by adding ‘’ing’’ to the base
verb.
Examples: send – sending / pass – passing / stand - standing
1). If the verb ends in an ‘e’ we remove the ‘e’ and add ING.
Examples: Live – Living / Take – taking / Have – having
2). If the verb ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant, we double the final consonant
and add ING.
Examples: Plan – panning / swim – swimming / travel – travelling
Note: we do not double the final consonant when the verb ends in W, X or Y.
Examples: Throw – throwing / Fix – fixing / Enjoy - enjoying
3). If the verb ends in IE we change it to Y+ING.
Examples: Lie – lying / Tie – Tying / Die - Dying
The use of the present continuous tense
Use 1: The present continuous is used to talk about actions happening at
the time of speaking.
Examples:
 Where is Mary? She is having a bath.
 What are you doing? I am reading a novel
 I’m studying now. He’s eating at the moment.
 Look! It is raining outside. Watch out! You are driving too fast.

Use 2: The present continuous may also be used to talk about something
already decided in the near future.
Examples:
I’m going to the party tonight. Are you working next week?
He’s not [He isn’t] coming to class tomorrow.
Use 3: We can also use this tense for temporary situations, even if the
action isn't happening at this moment.
Examples:
1. John's working in a café until he finds a job in his field.
2. I'm reading a really great book.
3. I'm working as a waiter in a cafe until I graduate college.

Use 4: Longer actions that are in progress; however, we might not be

doing it at this exact time.
1- She is training to be a nurse.
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Past Continuous indicators:
Now – right now – at the moment – at present - Look! – Watch out! – until –
listen! - What are you doing? - Tomorrow – next week – next month – tonight
later – this weekend -
Stative verbs (Non-continuous Verbs)
feeling: hate, like, love, prefer, want, wish
senses: appear, feel, hear, see, seem, smell, sound, taste
communication: agree, deny, disagree, mean, promise, satisfy, surprise
thinking: believe, imagine, know, mean, realize, recognize, remember, understand
other states: be, belong, concern, depend, involve, matter, need, owe, own, possess

Exercise 1: Fill in with the present continuous:

1. What ............................(you / do) at the moment?
2. My mother ................................. (make) me a cake tomorrow evening.
3. I .............................(study) at the moment.
4. My sister ................................. (tie) the scarf around her neck.
5. Ahmed and his brother ............................... (save up) money to buy a new TV.
6. They ........................... (plan) to go on a trip this weekend.
7. We ............................. (play / not) a football match this weekend.
8. My parents .............................. (travel) to Fes next summer.
9. ................................... (do / she) her homework now?
10. What are you doing Mike? I ............................ (sit) at the cafe with some friends?
11. I was at a party with some friends. No, you weren't. You ...................... (lie).
12. Jack ............................... (stay) in a hotel for a week.
13. We ............................ (swim) in the pool right now.
14. ..................................(you / have) a good time at the party?
15. I .............................. (die) to know why he didn't come to the party.
16. My children ............................... (have) a shower later.
Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentences and correct the mistakes.
1. I am often playing tennis on Saturdays. ..............................................................
2. We go out for dinner this weekend. ..............................................................
3. Peter is asking a lot of questions every day. ..............................................................
4. Jason don't know the answer to this question. ..............................................................
5. She is wanting to purchase a new computer. ..............................................................
6. My friends works in a factory. ..............................................................
7. The children is playing at the moment. ..............................................................
8. Janet have breakfast at the moment. ..............................................................
9. Water is boiling at one hundred degrees. ..............................................................
10. My father travels to France next week. ..............................................................
11. It rain a lot here every year. ..............................................................
12. I usually has coffee in the morning. ..............................................................
13. The exam is starting at 10 o'clock tomorrow. ..............................................................
14. I waiting for a friend. ..............................................................
Exercise 3: Order the sentences to make correct sentences:
1) (he / meeting / his friends tonight / is) ..............................................................
2) (not / to school now / walking / is / she) ..............................................................
3) (you / watching / TV / are / at the moment ?) ..............................................................
4) (you / read books / not / very often / do) ..............................................................
5) (visiting / am / tonight / I / Linda) ..............................................................
6) (usualy / dinner / she / early / eats) ..............................................................
7) (is / bookshop / Lucy / working in a / this summer) ..............................................................
8) (watch / on / they / the weekend / films) ..............................................................
9) (car / we / buying / month / a new / next / are) ..............................................................
10) (is / having / David / tomorrow / a party) ..............................................................
Exercise 4: Fill in with the present simple or present continuous:
1) Julie ……………………………. (sleep) now.
2) ……………………………. (he/eat) rice every day?
3) I ……………………………. (work) at the moment.
4) ……………………………. (he/come) to London often?
5) The train ……………………………. (leave) at 7 o’clock tomorrow.
6) ……………………………. (you/come) to the cinema tonight?
7) They ……………………………. (not/come) to the party this Saturday.
8) What are you doing? I ……………………………. (listen) to music.
9) ……………………………. (you/play) tennis this Sunday?
10) They ……………………………. (live) in Fes until they buy an apartment.
11) She ……………………………. (train) to be a nurse.
12) You usually ……………………………. (arrive) late.
13) He often……………………………. (eat) dinner at home.
14) ……………………………. (you/study) every night?
16) Andrea ………………………….. (talk / not) to his teacher at present.
17) I am really busy. I ……………………………. (revise) for the exam.
18) ……………………………. (she/work) at the moment?
19) I ……………………………. (not/drink) coffee very often.
20) My dad ……………………………. (work) as a policeman.
21) They ……………………………. (to be / not) usually happy.
22) I ……………………………. (work) at the hair salon until September.
23) Look! The boys ……………………………. (to come) home.
Exercise 5: Rewrite the sentences using the negative and interrogative forms.
1. We are playing a game. .............................................
2. I'm drawing a picture. .............................................
3. He is making pizza now. .............................................
4. Children are taking photos. .............................................
5. Dad is working in the kitchen. .............................................
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