First Year 2022-2023

Seminar IV

Progressive (continuous) Tenses

PART 1: Present Progressive (Continuous) – Be verb + ing

When to use the present progressive?
Temporary Situation I am working in the library this term.
Activity in Progress She is studying right now.
Future Time Reference My parents are coming tomorrow.

A. When to use the present progressive. Complete each sentence with the present
progressive form of the verb in parentheses. Circle the reason that the present progressive
is used.

1. I _________________ (study) English this term.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

2. We _________(go) home tomorrow.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

3. Right now, I _________________(write) a letter.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

4. The bus _______________(pull) up to the curb at this very moment.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

5. They __________________(move) to Florida at the end of the month.

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Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

6. The kids __________________(act) silly right now.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

7. I _____________________(use) my friend’s car today.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

8. We ________________(eat) early tonight.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

9. The company ______________(have) problems this year.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

10. My neighbor _______________(mow) his lawn.

Temporary situation Activity in Progress Future Time

B. This is important! Complete each sentence with either the Simple Present or the Present
Progressive. If you need help, review Course/Seminar no. 2.

1. Jim _____________ (sell) cars for a living.

2. Jim _____________ (sell) his car to his sister.

3. I _____________(boil) some water for tea.

4. Water _____________ (boil) at one hundred degrees centigrade.

5. We always _____________ (visit) our grandparents during the holidays.

6. This year we _____________ (visit) our grandparents during the holidays.

7. Jean _____________ (go) to a lot of movies.

8. Jean _____________ (go) to a movie today.

9. I _____________(do) my homework right now.

10. I generally _____________ (do) my homework in the evening.

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C. Forming contractions.

C1. Use the pronoun and verbs given to create a sentence that contains a contraction.

Example: I, follow

I’m following in my parents’ footsteps.

1. He, pay ________________________________________________________________

2. We, meet _______________________________________________________________

3. They, lose _______________________________________________________________

4. She, wait ________________________________________________________________

5.You, carry _______________________________________________________________

6. I, wear _________________________________________________________________

7. We, read ________________________________________________________________

8. She, call ________________________________________________________________

9. He, sell ________________________________________________________________

10. They, stay _____________________________________________________________

D. Forming negatives.

To make a present progressive verb negative, place not after the auxiliary verb.

am not going is not going are not going

D1. Make each of the following sentences negative.

Example: We are ordering pizza for dinner tonight.

We are not ordering pizza for dinner tonight.

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1. I am buying a new car tomorrow. ______________________________________________

2. She is studying. ____________________________________________________________

3. We are leaving soon. ________________________________________________________

4. They are coming with us. _____________________________________________________

5. Carla is living with her parents. ________________________________________________

6. I am cooking dinner tonight. ___________________________________________________

7. My mother is visiting this weekend. _____________________________________________

8. They are sleeping. __________________________________________________________

E. Forming contractions

E1. Rewrite the sentences from exercise D1 using contractions.

1. __________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________________________

6. __________________________________________________________________________

7. __________________________________________________________________________

8. __________________________________________________________________________

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F. Forming Yes/No questions

To form yes/no questions, begin the question with the auxiliary verb be. After the auxiliary verb,
place the subject and the –ing form of the main verb.

Statement: Prices are falling.

Yes/no question: Are prices falling?

F1. Rewrite the following statements as yes/no questions.

1. The mail carrier is delivering a package to our house.

______________________________________________________________________________

2. The boat is sinking.

______________________________________________________________________________

3. They are causing trouble.

______________________________________________________________________________

4. The mail carrier is delivering a package to our house.

______________________________________________________________________________

5. He is worrying about his course grade.

______________________________________________________________________________

6. Helen is publishing her autobiography.

______________________________________________________________________________

7. The teacher is inviting everyone in class to a party.

______________________________________________________________________________

8. The engineer is explaining the process.

______________________________________________________________________________

9. Phil is arranging the conference.

______________________________________________________________________________