Language Practice

Elementary

Grammar reference    Basic 03 The weather

Present continuous
We use the present continuous to talk about:
• things happening now
She’s chatting to her friend on the phone.
• things happening around now (today, this week, this year …)
Mia’s helping her dad at work this week.

Present continuous or present simple?

Present simple Present continuous

Karl works in a factory. He’s talking to his boss.

Things that are always true / we Things happening now
usually do

State verbs
want, need, like, love, hate, know, think, agree, understand,
remember
State verbs describe a state or feeling. We usually only use these in
the present simple, not the present continuous.
I’m needing a cup of coffee.
I need a cup of coffee.

Present continuous form

To form the present continuous, we use the verb be + -ing.

positive negative
’m ’m not
I I
(am) (am not)
He He
’s isn’t
She She
(is) looking. (is not) working.
It It
We We
’re ’re not
You You
(are) (are not)
They They

question positive negative

Am I ’m not.
I am. I
he (am not)
Is she he he
isn’t.
it waiting? she is. she
Yes, No, (is not)
we it it
Are you we we
aren’t.
they you are. you
(are not)
they they

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 Language Practice
Elementary

Grammar reference    Basic 03 The weather (continued)

Sometimes we start the question with a question word.
Why are you making a cake?
What are you doing?
Whose shoes are you wearing?

spelling rules for the -ing form

wear → wearing
Most verbs + -ing cook → cooking
study → studying
write → writing
Verbs that end in -e -e + -ing
smile → smiling
One-syllable verbs: sit → sitting
double the consonant
one vowel + one get → getting
+ -ing
consonant run → running