THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We will continue with the Grammar explanations and today it's the PRESENT CONTINUOUS turn.

Present Continuous is also a verb tense that we have to control since our first English lessons.

At the end of this post you will find some practice.

Enjoy!

PRESENT CONTINUOUS: USE.

We use the Present Continuous to:

- say what is happening at the moment.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS: STATEMENTS.

I	am	reading playing	a book. golf.
He She It	is
We You They	are

To form statements in Present Continuous we have to use the following structure:

               S + VERB to be (am, is, are) + V- ing + C.

So, we make the Present Continuous tense with the verb "to be" and the -ing form of the main verb.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS: NEGATIVE.

I	am not	reading playing	a book. golf.
He She It	is not isn’t
We You They	are aren’t

To form a negative statement in Present Continuous we use the negative form of the verb "to be".

              S + am not/ isn't/ aren't + V- ing + C.

The short form of "is not" is "isn't" and the short form of "are not" is "aren't"; the first person singular form has not short form.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS: QUESTIONS.

Am	I	reading playing	a book?  golf?
Is	He She (It)*
Are	You We They

*Not suitable for these examples.

To make questions in Present Continuous, we use:

                 Am/ Is/ Are + S + V -ing + C ?

SHORT ANSWERS.

Is she playing basketball? Yes, she is.

Are they reading a book? No, they aren't.

LET'S PRACTISE!

Here you have some links where you can put into practice what you have learnt in this lesson. 😉

Present Continuous Practice: Statements and Negative.

Present Continuous Practice: Questions.

Present Continuous Practice: Statements, Negative and Questions.

Present Simple and Present Continuous Practice

Present Continuous Practice: All Levels