The Present Progressive

(Continuous) Tense in English

How to form the present progressive:
The 'present progressive' tense in English is
very easy to form and is the same for all verbs.

Subject + the present simple form of the verb
to be + the -ing form of a verb
(present participle).

I am running.
Remember!
The present simple tense has a number
of contractions and these can also be carried over
to the present progressive tense:

I am I'm
He is He's
She is She's
It is It's
We are We're
They are They're
Affirmative Sentences
Subject + the present simple form of the verb to
be + the ing form of a verb (present participle)

Full form Short (contracted) form

I am + eating. I'm eating.
He is + walking. He's walking.
They are + running. They're running.
We are + laughing. We're laughing.
Your turn!
Make affirmative sentences in the present progressive tense using
the given parts of the sentence below.

Eg: I + to be + to eat + chocolate chippie biscuits.
I am eating chocolate chippie biscuits.

1. You + to be + to walk + on the beach.
2. She + to be + to cry + loudly.
3. They + to be + to dance + at the party.
4. We + to be + to swim + in the pool.


Did you say? ..
1. You are walking on the beach.
2. She is crying loudly.
3. They are dancing at the party.
4. We are swimming in the pool.

If you did, well done!

Negative Sentences
Subject + the present simple form of the verb to be +
not + the ing form of a verb (present participle)

Full form Short (contracted) form

I am + not + eating. I'm not eating.
He is + not + walking. He's not walking.
They are + not +running. They're not running.
We are + not +laughing. We're not laughing.
A different contraction
Sometimes, in negative sentences, the to be
and the not part of the sentence gets
contracted.

Hes + not + walking. He isnt walking.
Shes + not + walking. She isnt walking.
They arent +running.
We arent +laughing.




How to form questions
For questions that can be answered with a simple
'yes' or a 'no':

The present simple of the verb to be + subject +
the ing form of a verb (present participle)

Am + I + eating.
Are + you + walking.
Are + they + running.
Are + we + laughing.
Your turn!
Change the following statements to questions:

They are travelling to Costa Rica.

He is reading a book.

We are surfing on the waves.

I am preparing dinner.
Did you say? ..

Are they travelling to Costa Rica?

Is he reading a book?

Are we surfing on the waves?

Am I preparing dinner?

If you did, then you did very well!

Forming 'wh' and 'how' questions:
Just like the previous questions but with the 'wh' or 'how' question
word at the beginning of the sentence.

A wh or how question word + the present simple of the verb to
be + subject + the ing form of a verb (present participle)



What am I eating?
Why are you walking?
Who are you meeting?
When are you leaving?
How are you travelling?
When to use the
present progressive tense

1: For things that are happening at the
moment of speaking.

Im eating my dinner
I'm working right now.
The baby is crying.
You are reading an article on English grammar.
2: For temporary situations (when we know/feel that something won't
continue for a long time), they don't have to be happening right this
instance, but they will be happening around now.
Shes just filling in for Rob until he gets back from Fiji.

(Phrasal verb: filling in for = replacing, often means that someone is doing
a job in someones place)

Im driving this car until I get my new one.

Im reading a really exciting book.

NB: This is the opposite of the present simple, which is used for
permanent situations that we know/feel will continue for a long
time.
3: For new or temporary habits, or for actions
that arent usual

(NB: for normal habits that continue for a long time, we use the present simple).


Shes exercising every morning (this is new, shes just started doing this).

Youre working too hard.

Theyre working late every night.

She's seeing that new guy Juan.

Hes not eating much these days.
4: For annoying habits often used with adverbs such as
always / forever / constantly'.

This use is good for when we want to show that something happens too often
and we don't like it.


Youre always using that excuse!
Shes constantly late for work.
Hes always sleeping late.
Theyre forever arguing.
5: For planned future arrangements
(with a future time word).

Im going shopping with Maria tomorrow.
I'm meeting my boyfriend after work.
Were going to the beach on the weekend.
Im leaving at five o'clock.
Theyre coming to the party on the weekend.
6: To talk about a situation which is
slowly changing.

The children are growing up.

Im getting better at playing squash.





The weather is improving.

Just remember one more important thing, the present progressive
(or any other continuous tense) can not be used with stative verbs.

Go here

http://learnenglishspanishonline.com/english-stative-verbs/

to learn what stative verbs are.
So now you should be ready to
use the English Present Progressive
Tense!