The Present Continuous
For right now, currently, presently, at this moment.
Sometimes we also say the progressive or just the continuous.
Use a form of "to be" and add "ing" to the verb
I am listening.
You are reading.
He is eating.
She is sleeping.
It is raining.
We are studying.
They are walking.
Spelling Rules
If you are writing an ING word, and the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a double consonant + ING.
Consonants = b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, etc. (The vowels are A, E, I, O, and U)
prefer > preferring, admit > admitting, begin > beginning, permit > permitting
If the word ends in a Consonant, Vowel, Consonant pattern, it gets a double consonant + ING.
Examples of how we double the consonants when adding ING: HOP > hopping,
SIT > sitting, SWIM > swimming, WIN > winning, RUN > running
We put an extra letter at the end before the ing with those words.
You try:
grin
jog
hug
stop
drop
fax* > See the next section--this word is tricky.
There is an exception for words ending in w, x, y, and z. If they end in one of those letters don't double it.
Examples of consonants we don't double: boxing, snowing, playing
You try it:
fix
row
stay
mix
cry
quiz
flex
fly
If the word ends in E, drop the E, add ING
Examples of words ending in E: DANCE > dancing, LOVE > loving, SMILE > smiling,
USE > using
You try it:
skate
lose
come
make
exercise
choose
leave
drive
Write a sentence or two in the continuous for each picture.
What is the turkey doing?
What are you doing?
What are they doing?
Reminder!
Sometimes we use the present continuous to talk about future plans as well.
Are the following sentences correct? If not correct them.
- He singing.
- I is dancing.
- We are playing.
- The computer is working.
- They are thinkking.
- Maria is driveing.
- She's writing.
- I'm runing.
- I'm leaveing right now.
- You are listening.
- He's begining a new job.
- They are skateing.
- You're speaking too fast.
- She is eat.
- They are makeing dinner.
- He's fixxing my computer.
- Jose coming right now.
- We're swimming in the pool.
- I brushing my teeth.
- She's painting that chair beautifully.
- It snowing right now.
- The dog is eatting.
- It's drinking water too.
- My mom holding the baby.
- They're hug.