Present Continuous

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I am/ you are/ he is/ she is/ it is/ we are/ they are

washing

I am not/ you are not/ he is not/ she is not/ it is not/ we are not/ they are not

washing

Am I/ are you/ is he/ is she/ is it/ are we/ are they

washing?

Present Continuous

• Am/is/are + verb + ing– I´m playing tennis.– They aren´t working today.– What´s he doing?– Are you going to the party?– Yes, I am or No, I´m not.

Present Continuous• Use the present continuous for:• An activity that is happening now.

– I´m watching TV, don´t turn it off.

• An activity that is not necessarily happening at the moment of speaking but happening around now.– I´m reading Pillars of the Earth.

• A temporary activity.– I´m living with my friends until I find my own place.

• A planned future arrangement.– I´m having lunch with Joe tomorrow.

• Current trends and changing situations.– Fewer people are buying cars this year.

Spelling of verb + ing

• Most verbs add ing to the base for of the verb.– Going, wearing, visiting, eating

• Verbs that end in one e, then drop the e– Smoking, coming, hoping– Except for lie

• Verbs that end in ee don´t drop an e– Agreeing, seeing

• Verbs that ending in a consonant + vowel + consonant, double the final letter of the verb– Stopping, getting, running, planning

• If the final consonant is y or w, do not double it– Playing, showing

State verbs

• Verbs which are not usually used in the Present Continuous (verbs of thinking and opinions)– Believe, think, doubt, imagine, know, realize, understand,

remember, deserve, suppose, forget, guess, expect, promise, agree, mean

• Verbs of emotions and feelings– Like, wish, love, want, hate, prefer, care, adore, hope,

dislike• Verbs of having and being– Belong, own, have, possess, contain, cost, seem, matter,

need, depend, weigh, resemble, fit, involve

State verbs

• Verbs of senses– Look, hear, taste, smell, feel, sound

• Some of the verbs are used in the Present Continuous but the meaning changes.– I think you´re right. (opinion)– I´m thinking of going to the movies. (mental activity)– He has a lot of money. (possession)– He´s having a bad day. (activity)– I see what you mean. (understand)– Are you seeing your girlfriend tomorrow? (activity)