Present Continuous Tense

MAKE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Make present continuous using the present tense of be (is, am, are) + the base form of a verb with an -ing ending.

Verb + -ing spelling are unique.

USE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Use present continuous to talk about an action that is happening now or is ongoing and not completed.

Use present continuous to talk about an action that is temporary or a situation that is changing.

SPELLING OF VERBS ENDING IN -ING

If the verb: Rule Spelling
ends in a single -e Drop the final -e; add -ing write -> writing
has one syllable with consonant-vowel-consonant

(except verbs ending in -w, -x, or -y)

Double the consonant and add -ing

Do not double the final consonant

sit -> sitting

swim -> swimming

show -> showing

play -> playing

has more than one syllable, the last syllable = consonant-vowel-consonant and the stress is on the last syllable

If stress is not on the last syllable

Double the final consonant add -ing

Do not double the final consonant

begin -> beginning
forget -> forgetting

listen -> listening

happen -> happening

ends in -ie Change the -ie to -y and add -ing lie -> lying

die -> dying

For all other verbs Add -ing to the base form of the verb talk -> talking

study -> studying

do -> doing

agree -> agreeing

POSITIVE STATEMENTS

Subject Be Verb + -ing

I

am

working now.
He

She

It

is

playing tennis at the moment.
We

You

They

are watching TV right now.

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS

Subject Be + Not Verb + -ing

I

am not

working now.
He

She

It

is not playing tennis at the moment.
We

You

They

are not watching TV right now.

QUESTION STATEMENTS

Question Subject Verb + -ing Answer
Am

I

working?
Is

he

she

it

watching TV? Yes, he is.

No, he isn’t.

Are

we

they

you

reading the story? Yes, we are.

No, we aren’t.

Information Question Be Subject Verb + -ing
Activity/Thing What am

I

doing?
Time

When

What time

is

he

she

it

going home?
Place Where are

we

they

you

eating lunch?
Reason Why am I studying English?
Way How is

he

she

it

fixing the car?
Frequency How often are

we

they

you

watching TV?