PRESENT CONTINOUS

The present continuous tense

The present continuous tense is used
for two main types of action:

A temporary action happening Something which is going on right now (but it will stop in the
now future)

A definite plan for the future Something we intend to do, usually in the near future
Here are some examples:

Type of action Examples Explanations

John is winning the game. Right now, John is winning, but the game isn't finished yet.

It's raining outside. It's raining right now (but it may stop soon).
Temporary action
happening right now Soraya's working in the
She's working there right now.
library.
Sihol is spending Christmas He's spending Christmas with his family right now, this year.
with his family. (Maybe next year he won't.)

I'm playing soccer tomorrow. This plan is already arranged and definite.

Sarah's leaving for San

She has probably already bought her ticket.
Francisco on Friday.
Definite plan for the future
The Olympics are taking place
This is already certain.
here next year.

I'm having a party next week. All the plans have been made.
Negatives and Questions in the Present Continuous
Tense

 Introduction
 In the present continuous tense,
negative forms are made using NOT,
and and question forms are made by
changing the word order of the sentence.
This page explains the rules.
Forming a negative
Negatives in the simple present are formed by adding not or n't after the verb BE

Positive sentence Negative sentence Contracted negative

I am eating. I am not eating. I'm not eating.

You are working. You are not working. You aren't working.

He is driving. He is not driving. He isn't driving.

She is teaching. She is not teaching. She isn't teaching.

It is raining. It is not raining. It isn't raining.

We are reading. We are not reading. We aren't reading.

They are writing. They are not writing. They aren't writing.
Forming a question
Yes/no questions are created by moving the verb BE to the beginning of the sentence. WH-
questions are formed by moving the verb BE, and then adding the WH- word. Here are the
rules

Statement Yes/no question Wh- question

I am eating. Am I eating? What am I eating?

You are crying. Are you crying? Why are you crying?

He is going. Is he going? Where is he going?

She is arriving. Is she arriving? When is she arriving?

It is sleeping. Is it sleeping? Why is it sleeping?

We are leaving. Are we leaving? When are we leaving?

They are fighting. Are they fighting? Why are they fighting?
 How to make the -ING form

With many verbs, the you can simply add -ING to the end of the verb. However, with
some verbs, you need to change the ending a little. Here are the rules:

Verb ending in... How to make the -ING form Examples

swim - swimming
1 vowel + 1 consonant Double the consonant, then add -ING hit - hitting
get - getting

come - coming
1 vowel + 1 consonant + E Remove E, then add -ING lose - losing
live - living

say - saying
[anything else] Add -ING go - going
walk - walking
 Forming the Present Continuous
Introduction
The present continuous tense (also called the present progressive tense) is commonly used in English for
actions happening right now, or in the future. This page will explain the rules for forming the tense with regular
verbs
Forming the present continuous tense
This tense is formed using two components: the verb BE (in the present tense), and the -ING form of a verb.
Here are the rules, using the example verb "sing:

Subject BE -ING FORM

I am singing

You are singing

He is singing

She is singing

It is singing

We are singing

They are singing

 Simple Present Tense

 Introduction
 The simple present tense is one of the most
common tenses in English. This page will
explain the rules for forming the tense with
regular verbs.
Forming the simple present tense
There are only two basic forms for the simple present tense; one ends with -s and the

other doesn't. Here are the rules, using the example verb "sing":

Subject Verb Form Example

I simple form I sing

You simple form You sing

He simple form + S He sings

She simple form + S She sings

It simple form + S It sings

We simple form We sing

They simple form They sing

RULE

In other words, only

THIRD PERSON
SINGULAR subjects
(he, she and it) have
to have a verb with
-S.
-S or -ES?
With most verbs, the third person singular form is created simply by
adding -S. However, with some verbs, you need to add -ES or change
the ending a little. Here are the rules:

Verb ending in... How to make the 3rd person singular Example

s Add -ES He passes

z Add -ES She dozes

sh Add -ES She wishes

ch Add -ES He watches

consonant + y Change Y to I, then add -ES It flies

[anything else] Add -S He sings

 Negatives and Questions in the
Simple Present Tense

Introduction
In the simple present tense, negative and question
forms are made using the auxiliary verb "do". This
page explains the rules.
Forming a negative
Negatives in the simple present are formed by adding
don't or doesn't before the simple form of the verb:
 Negatives and Questions in the
Simple Present Tense

Subject Auxiliary Example

I don't I don't sing

You don't You don't sing

He doesn't He doesn't sing

She doesn't She doesn't sing

It doesn't It doesn't sing

We don't We don't sing

They don't They don't sing

RULE

In other words, only THIRD

PERSON SINGULAR
subjects (he, she and it) have
DOESN'T -- the rest have
DON'T.
 Forming a yes/no question
Yes/no questions are also created using the auxiliary do. This time, the
auxiliary is placed before the subject. Here are the rules

Subject Auxiliary Example

I do Do I sing?

You do Do you sing?

He does Does he sing?

She does Does she sing?

It does Does it sing?

We do Do we sing?

They do Do they sing?

Forming a WH- question
WH- questions (using words such as "what", "when", "where" etc.) are also
created by putting the auxiliary do before the subject. Then, you add the WH-
word at the beginning. Here are some examples

Statement Yes/no question WH- question

I sing Do I sing? What do I sing?

You fight. Do you fight? Why do you fight?

He lives Does he live? Where does he live?