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Present continuous

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Verb tenses

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1. The present continuous

The present continuous is a verb tense that is formed with the verb to be in present (am, is, are) and the main verb in gerund (-ing)

I am reading a magazine.

They are dancing Lindy Hop

To form the gerund, we must add the ending -ing to the infinitive form of the verb. Depending on the root of the verb the spelling will vary:

Gerund	Examples
If the verb ends in a consonant, we simply add -ing	Read Reading	Act Acting
	Meet Meeting	Draw Drawing
If the verb ends in -e, we drop the -e and add -ing	Write Writing	Skate Skating
The rule is not always followed:	Be Being	Go Going
However, if the vowel is double it is maintained and we simply add -ing	See Seeing
If the verb ends in -y this one remains	Study Studying	Fly Flying
One-syllable verbs ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant sequence double the last consonant.	Get Getting	Run Running
	Swim Swimming
Verbs ending in -y, -x, -w will not double the last consonant	Blow Blowing	Fix Fixing
Two-syllable verbs whose stressed syllable is the last one follow the same rule	Begin Beginning	Forget Forgetting
Exceptions	Travel Travelling
Verbs ending in -ie are replaced by a -y plus -ing	Die Dying	Lie Lying

2. Structure of the present continuous

Affirmative form

In affirmative sentences, the present continuous is formed by placing the verb to be in present after the subject and then the main verb ending in -ing.

Subject	AUXILIARY	Verb (-ing)	Examples
I	am	sleeping	I am sleeping on the sofa.
You	are		You are sleeping on the sofa.
He	is		He is sleeping on the sofa.
She			She is sleeping on the sofa.
It			It is sleeping on the sofa.
We	are		We are sleeping on the sofa.
You			You are sleeping on the sofa.
They			They are sleeping on the sofa.

Negative form

In negative sentences the particle not is simply added to the verb to be, keeping the rest of the structure.

Subject	AUXILIARY	Verb (-ing)	Examples
I	am not 'm not	sleeping	I'm not sleeping on the sofa.
You	are not aren't		You aren't sleeping on the sofa.
He	is not isn't		He isn't sleeping on the sofa.
She			She isn't sleeping on the sofa.
It			It isn't sleeping on the sofa.
We	are		We aren't sleeping on the sofa.
You			You aren't sleeping on the sofa.
They			They aren't sleeping on the sofa.

La forma Interrogative form

In interrogative sentences, the verb to be goes first, followed by the subject and then the main verb.

auxiliarY	Subject	Verb (-ing)	Examples
Am	I	sleeping?	Am I sleeping on the sofa?
Are	You		Are you sleeping on the sofa?
Is	He		Is he sleeping on the sofa?
	She		Is she sleeping on the sofa?
	It		Is it sleeping on the sofa?
Are	We		Are we sleeping on the sofa?
	You		Are you sleeping on the sofa?
	they		Are they sleeping on the sofa?

In short answers we put the adverb yes or no, followed by the subject (a pronoun) and the verb to be.

Adverb	Subject	AUXILIARY
Yes,	I	am
	you	are
	he	is
	she
	it
	we	are
	you
	they

Are you watching a film? Yes, we are.

Adverb	Subject	AUXILIARY
No,	I	'm not
	you	're not aren't
	he	's not isn't
	she
	it
	we	're not aren't
	you
	they

Is she doing her homework? No, she isn't.

3. How do we use the present continuous?

The present continuous is mainly used when we:

Refer to an action that is happening at the moment of speaking.

She is reading now.

They are cooking at the moment.
Refer to actions that are taking place in the present but not necessarily at the time of speaking. They are usually temporary situations.

This summer I'm working in this café.

In this example, this boy is saying that this summer (temporary situation) he is working in that café. However, he is not working there at the moment of speaking, maybe because it's his day off.

I am studying at university.

The same happens with this example, the girl is studying at university at present, but not right now, as she has just probably finished her lectures.
Planned activities that will take place in the near future. It usually suggests that more than one person is involved in the activity ant that everything is arranged.

I'm having dinner with Sara tonight.

She is visiting her sister next Saturday.
With the adverb of frequency always to refer to actions that are repeated frequently and that generally represent an annoyance for the speaker.

My sister is always putting on my clothes!

She is always singing!
Situations that are changing around us. It is generally used with verbs like get, change, become, improve, begin, start, etc.

The situation in this country is improving.

He is getting taller and thinner.

Remember that the present continuous is not used when the main verb is a stative verb.

Remember!

The present continuous (I am singing) has the following structure:

	Structure	Examples
AFFIRMATIVE	Subject + to be + verb (-ing) + (complement)	I am flying to Barcelona.
NEGATIVE	Subject + to be + not + verb (-ing) + (complement)	She isn't cooking pasta.
INTERROGATIVE	To be + Subject + verb (-ing) + (complement)?	Are you studying? Yes, we are.

The main uses of the present continuous are:

Use	Examples
To describe an action that occurs at the moment of speaking	Mary is doing the washing-up at the moment.
Temporary action that occurs at present but not at the moment	I'm doing a school project on ants.
Planned activities that will occur in the near future	I'm playing tennis with Sue at 7:00.
With always, in repetitive actions that generate discomfort to the speaker	Mike is always breaking things.
Situations that are changing around us	She is getting better at Maths.

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