The Present Progressive/Continuous

Explanations

Present continuous:

To talk about things happening at the moment, use the present continuous.

Ex: Jim is watching television at the moment.

To talk about things that are happening now, but not exactly at the moment we speak.

Ex: My brother is looking for a job at the moment.

You are spending a lot of money these days.

To talk about temporary actions, actions that are not a habit or routine.

Ex: I'm working on a new book.

She's taking English classes. She takes her classes from Tuesday to Friday at 2 p.m.

To talk about something we have already arranged or planned to do in the future. We often give the future
time (tomorrow, in July, on Saturday, this afternoon, next week, etc…)

Ex: A: What are you doing on Saturday morning?

B: I´m meeting a friend.

Ex: I'm working tomorrow.

They are meeting John at 7:00.

To talk about changing situations.

Ex: The price of bread is increasing. The dollar price is increasing

It is getting colder outside.

Some verbs are not used in the present continuous. They are normally used in the simple forms.

Some of the most important ones are: like, know, love, hate, understand, believe, mean, remember, want,
and prefer. Taste (The soup tastes good – the chef is tasting the soup)

Subject To Be Verb in –ING Complement

I am watching a movie
He is talking on the phone
We are listening to some old songs

Subject To Be + Not Verb in –ING Complement

I am not watching a movie
He is not talking on the phone
We are not listening to some old songs

To Be Subject Verb in –ING Complement +?

Am I watching a movie?
Is He talking on the phone?
Are You listening to some old songs?

Spelling Rules

With most verbs we add -ING.

(Be Going To + Verb) Future with BE Going to
Go > going I am going to the beach tomorrow I am going to go to the beach tomorrow
Play > playing John is playing the piano at a concert right now
Work > working Melissa isn’t working, she is playing video games.

If the verb ends in consonant + -e we delete/drop the -e and add -ING.

Come > coming

Live > living
Move > moving
Have > having

*Exception: be > being. see > seeing

If the verb ends in -ie, we change -ie to -ying.

Die > dying

Lie > lying
Tie > tying

If the verb ends in consonant + vowel + consonant, we double the last consonant.

Get > getting

Run > running
Shop > shopping
Sit > sitting
Put > putting
Swim > Swimming

*Exceptions:

When the verb ends in consonant + vowel + consonant (-y, -w or –x), we just add -ING.

Play > playing

Snow > snowing
Mix > mixing
Fix > fixing

If the Verb is a two-syllable verb that ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant and the First Syllable is
Stressed, just add –ING.

Listen > Listening

Offer > Offering
Open > Opening

But If the second syllable is stressed in a two-syllable verb, double the last consonant and then add –ING

Begin > Beginning

Prefer > Preferring
Control > Controlling

A. Conjugate the verbs in the present progressive using the subject in brackets.

1. To swim (she)
2. To clean (you)
3. To study (I)
4. To create (we)
5. To think (she)
6. To behave (we)
7. To eat (it)
8. To watch (he)
9. To walk (I)
10. To act (he)
11. To use (we)
12. To pray (you)
13. To cook (they)
14. To talk (I)
15. To hope (they)
16. To swim (it)
17. To travel (you)
18. To water (she)
19. To sleep (you)
20. To whistle (I)

B. Conjugate the verbs in the present progressive.

1. I (to see) ________ Paul tomorrow.

2. The kids (to grow up) ________.
3. When ________ they (to play) ________ soccer this week?
4. Tony (to smoke, negation) ________. He has a bad cold.
5. ________ Julia (to run) ________ after the dog?
6. The boys (to sleep) ________ right now.
7. Peter and Diane (to come, negation) ________ this week.
8. Jackie (to work, negation) ________ because she broke her leg last week.
9. ________ you (to go) ________ to cinema this evening?
10. Jennifer (to get) ________ married in a week.
11. Brian (to go, negation) ________ to school this week.
12. That kid (to be) ________ a real monster!
13. We (to have) ________ problems with our car.
14. It (to rain) ________ cats and dogs these days.
15. I (to watch) ________ my favorite TV program. Stop calling me!
16. ________ you (to try) ________ to study?
17. They (to travel) ________ in Asia.
18. Brian (to write) ________ a letter to his girlfriend.
19. Where he (to go) ________?
20. I (to watch, negation) ________ T.V. tonight

For each of the six questions choose the one correct answer.

1. I never ……….. a face but I’ve got no idea what her name is.

a) forgetting
b) forgets
c) forget
d) forgot

2. I don’t want to have a fight about it. Just forget it! It ………..

a) isn’t matter
b) isn’t mattering
c) doesn’t matter
d) doesn’t mattering

3. Why are you crying at that photo, mum? Are you ……….. that perfect day at the beach all those years
ago?

a) remember
b) remembering
c) remembers
d) remembered

4. They’re ……….. a party. I want to go but I ……….. nothing to wear.

a) have/have
b) having/having
c) have/having
d) having/have

5. Commentator: ‘She’s running incredibly well. She must be ……….. the pain but she’s so close to the
finishing line, she can ……….. victory.’

a) feeling/tasting
b) feeling/taste
c) feel/taste
d) feel/tasting

6. They’re really rich. They ……….. 2 houses and 5 cars but they always……….. so unhappy! I ………..
it’s true that money can’t buy happiness.

a) own/seem/suppose
b) owning/seeming/suppose
c) own/seem/supposing
d) owning/seem/suppose