REGULAR VERBS
Present Continuous
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
USE
USE
We use the Present Continuous for…
Activities at the moment of speaking.
I'm just leaving work. I'll be home in an hour.
Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.
Future plans or arrangements.
Mary is going to a new school next term.
What are you doing next week?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
FORMATION
Auxiliary verb:
BE
Present Simple
AFFIRMATIVE
Continuous or progressive tenses use the verb “to be” as
an auxiliary verb. In the case of the Present Continuous,
the verb “to be” is expressed in the present tense.
Subject Verb ‘to be’ Main Verb
Present Simple ING form
Contractions are possible!
AFFIRMATIVE
SPEAKER FULL FORM ABBREVIATION
1st person I am + main verb + ING I’m + main verb + ING
2nd person You are + main verb + ING You’re + main verb + ING
Singular
He is + main verb + ING He’s + main verb + ING
3rd person She is + main verb + ING She’s + main verb + ING
It is + + main verb + ING It’s + main verb + ING
1st person We are + + main verb + ING We’re + main verb + ING
Plural
2nd person You are + + main verb + ING You’re + main verb + ING
3rd person They are + + main verb + ING They’re + main verb + ING
NEGATIVE
For the negative, we use ‘not’. It is the verb ‘to be’ the
one taking a negative form.
Subject Verb ‘to be’ NOT Main Verb
Present Simple ING form
Two contractions are possible!
Subject + ‘To be’ & ‘To be’ + NOT
NEGATIVE
SPEAKER FULL FORM ABBREVIATION
1st person I am not + main verb + ING I’m not + main verb + ING
2nd person You are not + main verb + ING You aren’t + main verb + ING
Singular
He is not + main verb + ING He isn’t + main verb + ING
3rd person She is not + main verb + ING She isn’t + main verb + ING
It is not + main verb + ING It isn’t + main verb + ING
1st person We are not + main verb + ING We aren’t + main verb + ING
Plural
2nd person You are not + main verb + ING You aren’t + main verb + ING
3rd person They are not + main verb + ING They aren’t + main verb + ING
YES/NO QUESTIONS
For questions, as usual, reverse the order of subject-
verb in your sentence.
Verb ‘to be’ Subject Main Verb
Present Simple ING form
Short answers can be affirmative or negative.
Follow the rules explained in previous slides.
In negative answers, contractions are possible!
YES/NO QUESTIONS
SPEAKER QUESTION ANSWERS
1st person Am I + main verb + ING? Yes, I am / No, I’m not
2nd person Are you + main verb + ING? Yes, you are / No you aren’t
Singular
Is he + main verb + ING? Yes, he is / No, he isn’t
3rd person Is she + main verb + ING? Yes, she is / No, she isn’t
Is it + main verb + ING? Yes, it is / No, it isn’t
1st person Are we + main verb + ING? Yes, we are / No we aren’t
Plural
2nd person Are you + main verb + ING? Yes, you are / No you aren’t
3rd person Are they + main verb + ING? Yes, they are / No they aren’t
WH-QUESTIONS
If the ‘wh-word’ acts as the subject of the sentence…
WH-Word Verb ‘to be’ Main Verb
Present Simple ING form
If the ‘wh-word’ acts as any other object of the sentence…
WH-Word Verb ‘to be’ Subject Main Verb
Present Simple ING form
WH-QUESTIONS
SPEAKER SUBJECT ANY OBJECT
1st person ‘Wh-word’ + am I + main verb + ING?
2nd person ‘Wh-word’ + are you + main verb + ING?
Singular
‘Wh-word’
‘Wh-word’ + is he + main verb + ING?
3rd person + is ‘Wh-word’ + is she + main verb + ING?
‘Wh-word’ + is it + main verb + ING?
+ verb
1st person ‘Wh-word’ + are we + main verb + ING?
+ ING...?
Plural
2nd person ‘Wh-word’ + are you + main verb + ING?
3rd person ‘Wh-word’ + are they + main verb + ING?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
EXCEPTIONS
EXCEPTIONS
We do not normally use the continuous with stative verbs.
Stative verbs include:
Verbs of thinking and feeling:
Believe Like Prefer Remember Understand
Dislike Love Realise Suppose Want
Know Hate Recognise Think (=believe) Wish
Verbs of the senses:
Appear Look Smell Taste
Feel Seem Sound
Others:
Agree Belong Need Own
Be Disagree Owe Possess
Use the Present Simple instead!
