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    Present Continuous or Present Progressive

    Uploaded by

    ElianaTipantasig
    The document discusses the present continuous tense in English. It provides the structure of the present continuous as subject + auxiliary be + main verb in the present participle form (-ing). Examples are given of how to form affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. The present continuous is used to describe actions happening now or in the future if a future time reference is included. Exceptions for spelling verbs in the present participle form are also outlined.

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    Present Continuous or Present Progressive

    Uploaded by

    ElianaTipantasig
    265 views6 pages
    The document discusses the present continuous tense in English. It provides the structure of the present continuous as subject + auxiliary be + main verb in the present participle form (-ing). Examples are given of how to form affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. The present continuous is used to describe actions happening now or in the future if a future time reference is included. Exceptions for spelling verbs in the present participle form are also outlined.

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    Present Continuous or Present Progressive (1)

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    The document discusses the present continuous tense in English. It provides the structure of the present continuous as subject + auxiliary be + main verb in the present participle form (-ing). Examples are given of how to form affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. The present continuous is used to describe actions happening now or in the future if a future time reference is included. Exceptions for spelling verbs in the present participle form are also outlined.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    265 views6 pages

    Present Continuous or Present Progressive

    Uploaded by

    ElianaTipantasig
    The document discusses the present continuous tense in English. It provides the structure of the present continuous as subject + auxiliary be + main verb in the present participle form (-ing). Examples are given of how to form affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. The present continuous is used to describe actions happening now or in the future if a future time reference is included. Exceptions for spelling verbs in the present participle form are also outlined.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 6

    Present Continuous

    (also called Present Progressive)

    We often use the Present Continuous tense in English. It is very different from


    the Present Simple tense, both in structure and in use.

    How do we make the Present Continuous tense?

    The structure of the Present Continuous tense is:

    subject + auxiliary be + main verb

    conjugated in Present Simple  

    am, are, is present participle (-ing)

    The auxiliary verb (be) is conjugated in the Present Simple: am, are, is

    The main verb is invariable in present participle form: -ing

    For negative sentences we insert not between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.

    For question sentences, we exchange the subject and the auxiliary verb.

    Look at these example sentences with the Present Continuous tense:


      subject auxiliary   main verb  
    verb

    + I am   speaking to you.

    + You are   reading this.

    - She is not staying in London.

    - We are not playing football.

    ? Is he   watching TV?

    ? Are they   waiting for John?

    How do we use the Present Continuous tense?

    We use the Present Continuous to talk about:

     action happening now


     action in the future

    Present Continuous for action happening now

    a) for action happening exactly now

    I am eating my lunch.

    past present future


    The action is happening now.  

    Look at these images. Right now you are looking at this screen and at the same time...

    the pages are the candle is burning the numbers are spinning


    turning

    b) for action happening around now

    The action may not be happening exactly now, but it is happening just before and just
    after now, and it is not permanent or habitual.

    John is looking for a new job.

    past present future

       

      The action is happening "around"  


    now.

    Look at these examples:

     Muriel is learning to drive.


     I am living with my sister until I find an apartment.

    Present Continuous for the future


    We can also use the Present Continuous tense to talk about the future - if we add
    a future word!! We must add (or understand from the context) a future word. "Future
    words" include, for example, tomorrow, next year, in June, at Christmas etc. We only
    use the Present Continuous tense to talk about the future when we have planned to
    do something before we speak. We have already made a decision and a plan before
    speaking.

    I am taking my exam next month.

    past present future

      !!!

      A firm plan or programme exists now. The action is in the


    future.

    Look at these examples:

     We're eating at Joe's Cafe tonight. We've already booked the table..
     They can play tennis with you tomorrow. They're not working.
     When are you starting your new job?

    In these examples, a firm plan or programme exists before speaking. The decision and
    plan were made before speaking.

    How do we spell the Present Continuous tense?

    We make the Present Continuous tense by adding -ing to the base verb. Normally it's
    simple: we just add -ing. But sometimes we have to change the word a little. Perhaps
    we double the last letter, or we drop a letter. Here are the rules to help you know how
    to spell the Present Continuous tense.

    Basic rule Just add -ing to the base verb:

    work → working
    play → playing

    assist → assisting

    see → seeing

    be → being

    Exception If the base verb ends in consonant + stressed vowel + consonant,


    double the last letter:

    s t o p

      consonant stressed consonant


    vowel

    vowels = a, e, i, o, u

    stop → stopping

    run → running

    begin → beginning

    Note that this exception does not apply when the last syllable of the
    base verb is not stressed:
    open → opening

    Exception If the base verb ends in ie, change the ie to y:

    lie → lying

    die → dying

    Exception If the base verb ends in vowel + consonant + e, omit the e:

    come → coming

    mistake → mistaking

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