THE PRESENT

CONTINUOUS
TENSE

WHAT ARE PRESENT

CONTINUOUS TENSE?
Positive forms are made by using a BE
verb and a present participle (verb +
-ing).
Negative forms are made using NOT
Question forms are made by placing the
BE verb at the beginning of the
sentence.

FORMING A NEGATIVE
Negative in the present continuous are
formed by adding not or nt after the verb
BE:
Positive sentence

Negative sentence

I am studying

I am not studying

You are listening

You are not listening

He is driving

He is not driving

It is raining

It is not raining

We are reading

We are not reading

FORMING A QUESTION
In present continuous tense:
Yes/No question are formed by placing
the verb am, is, or are at the beginning of
the sentence.
WH-question are formed by adding a whquestion word before a Yes/No question.

Statement
I am eating

Yes/No
question
Am I eating?

You are lying

Are you lying?

She is leaving

Is she leaving?

It is sleeping

Is it sleeping?

They are crying

Are they crying?

Wh- question
What am I
eating?
Why are you
lying?
When is she
leaving?
Where is it
sleeping?
Why are they
crying?

WHEN TO USE THE PRESENT

CONTINUOUS TENSE
We use the present continuous tense when
we talk about something which is
happening or in progress at the time of
speaking.

EXAMPLES
Rozi is reading a
magazine
What is Ali doing now?
Currently, my brother is
trying to give up
smoking.
He is still washing some
dishes.
They are doing their

TIME WORDS

Now
Still
At present
Currently
Presently
At the moment

EXERCISE
Fill in the blanks with the Present Continuous
form of the verbs in brackets.
1. The tailor_____(still, make) uniforms for
the fireman.
2. We_____(have) lunch with our clients now.
3. Fahmi_____(watch) his favourite cartoon
show.
4. The baby_____(not, respond) to the
doctors treatment.
5. My head_____(throb). I need to lie down.