PRESENT CONTINOUS
Jun 14, 2015
PRESENT CONTINOUS
The present continuous tenseThe present continuous tense is used for two main types of action:
A temporary action happening now
Something which is going on right now (but it will stop in the future)
A definite plan for the future Something we intend to do, usually in the near future
Here are some examples:
Type of action Examples Explanations
Temporary action happening right now
John is winning the game. Right now, John is winning, but the game isn't finished yet.
It's raining outside. It's raining right now (but it may stop soon).
Soraya's working in the library.
She's working there right now.
Sihol is spending Christmas with his family.
He's spending Christmas with his family right now, this year. (Maybe next year he won't.)
Definite plan for the future
I'm playing soccer tomorrow. This plan is already arranged and definite.
Sarah's leaving for San Francisco on Friday.
She has probably already bought her ticket.
The Olympics are taking place here next year.
This is already certain.
I'm having a party next week. All the plans have been made.
Negatives and Questions in the Present Continuous Tense
Introduction In the present continuous tense,
negative forms are made using NOT, and and question forms are made by changing the word order of the sentence. This page explains the rules.
Forming a negative
Negatives in the simple present are formed by adding not or n't after the verb BE
Positive sentence Negative sentence Contracted negative
I am eating. I am not eating. I'm not eating.
You are working. You are not working. You aren't working.
He is driving. He is not driving. He isn't driving.
She is teaching. She is not teaching. She isn't teaching.
It is raining. It is not raining. It isn't raining.
We are reading. We are not reading. We aren't reading.
They are writing. They are not writing. They aren't writing.
Forming a questionYes/no questions are created by moving the verb BE to the beginning of the sentence. WH-questions are formed by moving the verb BE, and then adding the WH- word. Here are the rules
Statement Yes/no question Wh- question
I am eating. Am I eating? What am I eating?
You are crying. Are you crying? Why are you crying?
He is going. Is he going? Where is he going?
She is arriving. Is she arriving? When is she arriving?
It is sleeping. Is it sleeping? Why is it sleeping?
We are leaving. Are we leaving? When are we leaving?
They are fighting. Are they fighting? Why are they fighting?
How to make the -ING form
With many verbs, the you can simply add -ING to the end of the verb. However, with some verbs, you need to change the ending a little. Here are the rules:
Verb ending in... How to make the -ING form Examples
1 vowel + 1 consonant Double the consonant, then add -INGswim - swimming
hit - hittingget - getting
1 vowel + 1 consonant + E Remove E, then add -INGcome - coming
lose - losinglive - living
[anything else] Add -INGsay - saying
go - goingwalk - walking
Forming the Present ContinuousIntroduction
The present continuous tense (also called the present progressive tense) is commonly used in English for actions happening right now, or in the future. This page will explain the rules for forming the tense with regular
verbsForming the present continuous tense
This tense is formed using two components: the verb BE (in the present tense), and the -ING form of a verb.
Here are the rules, using the example verb "sing:
Subject BE -ING FORM
I am singing
You are singing
He is singing
She is singing
It is singing
We are singing
They are singing
Simple Present Tense
Introduction The simple present tense is one of the most
common tenses in English. This page will explain the rules for forming the tense with regular verbs.
Forming the simple present tenseThere are only two basic forms for the simple present tense; one ends with -s and the
other doesn't. Here are the rules, using the example verb "sing":
Subject Verb Form Example
I simple form I sing
You simple form You sing
He simple form + S He sings
She simple form + S She sings
It simple form + S It sings
We simple form We sing
They simple form They sing
RULE
In other words, only THIRD PERSON SINGULAR subjects (he, she and it) have to have a verb with -S.
-S or -ES?With most verbs, the third person singular form is created simply by adding -S. However, with some verbs, you need to add -ES or change the ending a little. Here are the rules:
Verb ending in... How to make the 3rd person singular Example
s Add -ES He passes
z Add -ES She dozes
sh Add -ES She wishes
ch Add -ES He watches
consonant + y Change Y to I, then add -ES It flies
[anything else] Add -S He sings
Negatives and Questions in the Simple Present Tense
IntroductionIn the simple present tense, negative and question forms are made using the auxiliary verb "do". This page explains the rules. Forming a negativeNegatives in the simple present are formed by adding don't or doesn't before the simple form of the verb:
Negatives and Questions in the Simple Present Tense
Subject Auxiliary Example
I don't I don't sing
You don't You don't sing
He doesn't He doesn't sing
She doesn't She doesn't sing
It doesn't It doesn't sing
We don't We don't sing
They don't They don't sing
RULE
In other words, only THIRD PERSON SINGULAR subjects (he, she and it) have DOESN'T -- the rest have DON'T.
Forming a yes/no question
Yes/no questions are also created using the auxiliary do. This time, the auxiliary is placed before the subject. Here are the rules
Subject Auxiliary Example
I do Do I sing?
You do Do you sing?
He does Does he sing?
She does Does she sing?
It does Does it sing?
We do Do we sing?
They do Do they sing?
Forming a WH- questionWH- questions (using words such as "what", "when", "where" etc.) are also created by putting the auxiliary do before the subject. Then, you add the WH- word at the beginning. Here are some examples
Statement Yes/no question WH- question
I sing Do I sing? What do I sing?
You fight. Do you fight? Why do you fight?
He lives Does he live? Where does he live?