Affirmative

Negative

Long form

Long form
Short

Short form
I am walking

Im walking

You are walking

Youre walking
He is walking
Hes walking
She is walking
Shes walking
Interrogative
It is walking
Am I walking?
Its walking
Short answers
Are
you
walking?
We are walking
Is he walking?
Were walking
Positive
Is
she
walking?
You are walking
Is it walking? Youre walking
Are
weare
walking?
They
walking
Negative
Are you Theyre
walking?walking
Yes, I am
Are they walking?

form
I am not walking
Im not walking
You are not walking
You arent walking
He is not walking
He isnt walking
She is not walking
She isnt walking
It is not walking
It isnt walking
We are not walking
We arent walking
You are not walking
You arent walking
They are not walking
arent walking

Im not
Yes, he / she / it is
No, he / she / it isnt
Yes, we / you / they are
Formation of the present participle (ing form)
No, we / you / they arent
With most verbs we add ing to the verb.
talk talking
go going

They
No,

L K

With verbs ending in consonant + e, we delete the e and add ing.

take taking
come coming
With one syllable verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant, we double the final
consonant and add -ing.
run running
stop stopping
But: we dont double letter x
mix mixing
With verbs with two or more syllables ending in one vowel + one consonant, we double
the final consonant if the last syllable is stressed, and add ing.
begin beginning
BUT
visit
visiting
With verbs ending in one vowel + l, we double the l and add ing.
travel travelling
BUT
sailing
With verbs ending in ie, we change the ie to ying.
lie lying

sail

die - dying

Stative verbs
We use the Present Continuous:

Some verbs that express permanent states

are not normally used in the Present
Continuous. These are called stative verbs.

For actions that are happening now,

at the moment of speaking.
Mary is talking on the phone.
The bus is coming.

Verbs of the senses:

see, hear, taste, smell, feel

For actions that are happening

around now, but not exactly at the
moment of speaking.
Shes studying very hard these
days.

Verbs describing feelings:

like, dislike, love, hate, want, prefer
Verbs describing thoughts, beliefs, etc:
think, believe, know, understand,
guess, imagine, hope, remember,
forget

Expressions used with the Present

Continuous:

Other verbs:
seem, appear, weigh, cost ,own, belong
to, depend on

look!

listen!

at present

these days
now
this morning
at the moment
today

A. Write the present participle (-ing form) of the following verbs.

study

___________

watch

___________

run

___________

dance

___________

travel

___________

fly

___________

write

___________

sit

___________

begin

___________

listen

___________

cook

___________

ride

___________

jog

___________

ask

___________

lie

___________

stop

___________

B. Complete the sentences with the Present Continuous of the verbs in brackets.
1. It __________ (rain), so Mary and Simon __________ (not swim) in the pool taday.
2. __________ you__________ (wait) for the bus?

3. Be quiet! The baby __________ (sleep).

4. They are outside. They __________ (wash) the car.
5. Charles __________ (study) Spanish at the University.
6. Stop shouting! I __________ (try) to do my homework.
7. You __________ (wear) a beautigul dress today.
8. Lets go home! We __________ (not have) a good time.
9. My mother __________ (make) a cake for my sisters birthday.
10. Why __________ they __________ (run)?
11. Mark __________ (buy) some food at he supermarket.
12. You can switch on the TV, I __________ (not work) now.

C. Look at the pictures and write questions and answers using the Present Continuous,
as in the example.
1. play / football

Are they playing football?

No, they arent. Theyre playing tennis.

2. do / his homework
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

3. swim / in the sea

_________________________________________
_________________________________________

4. drink / water
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

5. cook / dinner
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

6. watch / TV
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

7. write / a letter
_________________________________________
_________________________________________