PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

1. FORM

I am ('m)
'm not reading a book.
He
She
It is ('s)
isn't
We
They are ('re)
aren`t

2. QUESTION

What am I doing?
is He
She
It
are We
You
They

3. SHORT ANSWER
a) Are you playing football?
- Yes, I am.
- No, I'm not.
b) Is Peter writing?
- Yes, he is.
- No, he isn't.

4. ENDINGS
We add -ing to the infiitive.

ENDING	CHANGE	INFINITIVE	PRESENT CONTINUOUS
-consonant	verb+ -ing	work learn	working learning
-y	verb+ -ing	cry play	cryingplaying
-e	verb+ -ing -e = 0	drive give	drivinggiving
-ie	verb+ -ing -ie = y	lie die	lying dying
-consonant -vowel -consonant	double a last letter	set get	sett -ing gett -ing

5. USE

The Present Continuous is use	To express an activity happening around now but perhaps not at the moment of speaking	to express an activity happening now	to express a planned future arrangement
For example	Tom is studying biology at the university.	We're swimming.	Sue's leaving tomorrow.

Back to Tables

I	am ('m) 'm not	reading a book.
He She It	is ('s) isn't
We They	are ('re) aren`t