EVOLVE Educational Vocational Objective Learning of Vernacular English

Present Continuous

  I                                              am

 you/we/they/you           +          are       +          doing               (walking, eating,running)

 he/she/it                                   is

 

This tense focuses on the duration of an action. The present continuous has two main uses:

1. When an action is in progress

“I am reading a good book” “She is watching TV” “We are eating”

                                    *----------------------------------*
ßPast---------------------------------------Now-------------------------------------Futureà

2. When we have a set plan for the future

“I am visiting friends next month” “We are starting a course later this year”

                                                                                    *
ßPast---------------------------------------Now-------------------------------------Futureà

 

Task 1
Decide which of these sentences refers to something that is happening at the time of speaking or if it is a set plan for the future.

1. David is coming to see us next week.
2. David is coming to see us.
3. I am helping my son with his homework when he arrives.
4. You are working on Thursday.
5. The police are investigating the reports.
6. I’m driving to Manchester.
7. She’s making sandwiches.
8. They’re getting married in the morning.
9. We’re moving house in a fortnight.
10. He’s talking to someone at the moment

 

Questions
Questions in the present continuous are easy to form; we simply put the auxiliary verb ‘be’ before the subject (the person or thing at the beginning of the sentence).

I am reading a good book.
becomes
Am I reading a good book?

She is watching TV.
becomes
Is she watching TV?

We are eating.
becomes
Are we eating?

I am visiting friends next month.
becomes
Am I visiting friends next month?

We are starting a course later this year.
becomes
Are we starting a course later this year?

Task 2
Change these sentences into questions

1. You are helping Katrina.
2. We are losing the match.
3. I’m thinking.
4. You are feeling warm.
5. We are listening to Donovan.
6. He is celebrating his birthday.
7. My girlfriend is meeting her friends tonight.
8. You are reading that book quickly.
9. That dog is looking at you.
10. He is smoking less.

 Negatives 
Forming negative sentences is as simple as placing ‘not’ or the contraction ‘-n’t’ after the verb ‘be’
                                 

I am reading a good book.
becomes
I am not reading a good book.

She is watching TV.
becomes
She isn’t watching TV.

We are eating.
becomes
We are not eating.

I am visiting friends next month.
becomes
I am not visiting friends next month.

 

Task 3
Write sentences in the present continuous using negative forms.

Verbs of State

These verbs tell us about the state of something – how something feels, thinks or exists.
These verbs are not usually used in the continuous in correct English. ‘I’m loving it.’ means nothing.

Feelings

hate                  love                  like                   need    

prefer                want

Thoughts

believe              know                 mean                realise  

remember         suppose            understand       

States              
                       
belong              contain              consist              depend

seem   
                                   
                       
Task 4
Decide which verb form is correct

1. I am coming/come from France originally, but I live in Barcelona.
2. The president speaks/is speaking at the conference now.
3. They don’t watch/aren’t watching TV very often.
4. Are you coming/Do you come with us?
5. He doesn’t like/isn’t liking the film we are watching.
6. This shop isn’t closing/doesn’t close until midnight.
7. They sleep/are sleeping now.
8. Do you laugh/Are you laughing at my hair?
9. I am working/work hard every day.
10. I’m hungry, I am wanting/want to eat something.

 

 

 

 

 

Answers

Task 1