Present Continuous 1: with Present Meaning
I am working
FORM
Look at these sentences.
She is learning Chinese.
You are reading this book.
You aren’t playing football.
Are you working hard?
These verbs are in the
present continuous.
We make the present
continuous with the verb
to be and the –ing form of
the verb.
POSITIVE
I
am (‘m)
coming
He/She/It
is (‘s)
coming
We/You/They are (‘re)
coming
NEGATIVE
I
am not (I’m not)coming
He/She/It
is not (‘s not)
coming
We/You/They are not (‘re not) coming
QUESTIONS
Am
I
coming?
Is
he, she, it
coming?
Are
you/we/they
coming?
USE
We use the present continuous
A to talk about what is happening at
the moment
Be quiet! The baby is sleeping.
Take an umbrella! It’s raining.
B for things that are temporary
We’re on vacation. We are renting
a car for a few days.
The –ing form of the verb
1 Add –ing for most verbs
talk – talking
eat – eating
drink – drinking
ask - asking
2 For verbs that end in –e,
drop the –e then add –ing.
come - coming
write - writing
dance - dancing
love - loving
3 For verbs that end in
vowel + consonant, double
the last letter.
get - getting
sit - sitting
shop - shopping
stop - stopping
Note:
We normally use the short
form in conversation.
He’s talking.
They’re not listening.
I’m staying in a hotel this
week.
C for things that started in
the past and are continuing
now.
She’s studying medicine.
She wants to be a doctor.
I’m learning the piano. It’s
very difficult!
What are you doing?
1
Write the –ing form of these verbs.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
wash washing
talk ……………
go ……………
come ……………
take ……………
make ……………
move ……………
shop ……………
stop ……………
plan ……………
sit ……………
get ……………
break ……………
laugh ……………
stay ……………
2 Complete the sentences.
Complete the sentences with the –ing form of the verbs in the box.
The first one has been done for you.
answer
sing
1
2
3
4
cook
talk
tell
learn
try
play
watch
read
write
What’s she doing? She’s watching TV.
Listen! She’s ……………….. an old Spanish song. It’s beautiful.
I’m ……………….. a really interesting book at the moment.
He’s ……………….. a letter to this sister. He’s ……………….. her about
his new job.
5 What’s he doing? He’s ……………….. the piano.
6 What are you doing? I’m ……………….. your question!
7 He’s in the kitchen, ……………….. dinner.
8 Where is Jane? She’s ……………….. to her sister on the phone.
9 We’re ……………….. French before our vacation there.
10 I’m ……………….. to lift this box, but it’s very heavy.
3 Write sentences.
It’s Saturday afternoon. You are looking out of your window. Write
sentences about what you see. Use the present continuous.
Examples:
Bill / wash his car
Bill is washing his car.
Some children / play football in the park
Some children are playing football in the park.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Mrs. Johnson / sit in her garden.
Mr. Johnson / play the piano.
The sun / shine.
Three dogs / swim in the river.
A cat / sleep in a tree.
Some men / talk near the post office.
Dr. Jones / work in her office.
A policeman / walk down the street.
Fiona / take a photograph of her brother.
Some boys / eat ice cream near the school.
Some birds / fly over the park.
A little girl / ride her bicycle.
Jane and Peter / drink coffee in the bar.
Maria / shop for her dinner.
My son / talk to his friends on the phone.
4 Write the dialogue.
Your brother Fred telephones you and asks you lots of questions. You
are very busy but try to be nice to him. Write the dialogue.
Example:
Fred:
you / watch TV
Are you watching TV?
You:
No, / I not watch TV. I / work, Fred
No, I’m not watching TV. I’m working, Fred.
1
Fred:
You:
2
Fred:
You:
you / read a magazine
No, / I not read a magazine. I / read a book about English
grammar, Fred.
you / eat chocolate
No, / I not eat chocolate. I / try to understand the present
continuous, Fred.
3
Fred:
You:
4
Fred:
You:
5
Fred:
You:
You / listen to the radio
No, / I not listen to the radio. I / do my homework, Fred
You / play the piano
No, / I not play the piano. I / write the answers to this
exercise, Fred.
You / listening to me
No, / I not listen to you. I / put down the phone, Fred.
Goodbye!
5 Write questions and answers.
Example:
What / you / do
What are you doing?
I / clean / my shoes
I am cleaning my shoes.
1 What / you / eat
I / eat / a sandwich
2 What / she / watch
She / watching / a film
3 What / you / write
I / write / a letter to my cousin
4 What / you / drink
I / drink / some lemonade
5 What / they / read
They / read / Grammar Workbook 1
6 What / she / do
She / make / bread in the kitchen
7 What / you / look for
I / look for / my yellow socks
8 Why / you / laugh
The cat / eat / your dinner!
9 Where / he / go
He / go / to the library
10 What / they / listen to
They / listen to / the radio
Present Continuous 2: with Future Meaning
He’s arriving tomorrow.
FORM
1. Look at these sentences.
She’s going on vacation tomorrow.
They’re moving to a new house next year.
Are you coming to the party tonight?
These verbs are in the present continuous.
But here we are not talking about the
present. We are talking about the future
(tomorrow, next year, tonight).
This is the second use of the present
continuous.
2. The verb form is the same as when
we talk about the present.
subject + am / is / are + the –ing form
of the verb for a positive sentence
USE
1. We use the present continuous to talk
about our plans for the future.
I’m going to university next year.
We’re getting married in October.
2. We often put words like when and
how at the beginning of a present
continuous question to ask for information about the future.
1.
I’m buying a new bicycle
tomorrow.
subject + am / ‘m / is / ‘s
/ are / ‘re + not + the
–ing form of the verb for
a negative sentence
I’m not going to the
party. I’ve got a
toothache. I’m going to
the dentist.
am / is / are + subject
+ the –ing form of
the verb for a question
Are they meeting Tim
at the airport? He’s
arriving at 11:30.
When are you going to
Sweden? On Monday or
Tuesday?
When are we playing
tennis? This week or next
week?
How are we getting
to the airport? By taxi?
Write sentences.
This is Sally Thompson’s diary for tomorrow. Write sentences about
her day. Use the present continuous. The first one has been done for
you.
7:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
take the dog for a walk
have breakfast
go to the bank for some money
make some bread
buy some fruit at the greengrocer’s
1:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
6:45 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
9:30 p.m.
11:00 p.m.
11:30 p.m.
11:31 p.m.
meet Joanna for lunch
wash some shirts
take the car to the garage
clean the windows in the kitchen
play squash with Jenny
cook dinner for the family
wash up
have a shower
go to bed
go to sleep!
At 7 she’s taking the dog for a walk.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
Now write ten sentences about what you are planning to do tomorrow.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
2.
Write sentences.
It’s January and you are making plans for the year. Write sentences to
describe what you are doing in the next few months. Use the present
continuous.
Example:
February, I / fly to Jamaica for a vacation.
In February I’m flying to Jamaica for a vacation.
1. March, I / fish in Canada.
2. April, I / learn Spanish in Mexico.
3. May, I / take my boat down the Columbia.
4. June, I / get engaged.
5. July, I / make a film for my family back home.
6. August, I / walk across the Interstate Bridge.
7. September, I / get married.
8. October, we / climb Mount Hood together.
9. November, we / buy a house.
10. December, I / sell my boat!
3.
Write questions and answers.
Write questions and answers. Use the present continuous.
Example:
When / you / do the exam?
I / do the exam in June
When are you doing the exam?
I am doing the exam in June.
1. When / she / go to Seattle?
She/ go / to Seattle on Tuesday.
2. When / the train / leave?
The train / leave / at half past three.
3. When / you / play golf with Fred?
We / play / tomorrow afternoon.
4. What / you / do / tomorrow?
I / clean / the house.
5. When / you / meet your girlfriend?
I / meet / her / at one o’clock.
6. Where / you / meet your uncle?
I / meet / him / at a café.
7. What / you / do / tonight?
I / wash / my hair.
8. Where / we / have / dinner tonight?
We / have / dinner at that new Vietnamese restaurant near the
river.
Why / you / not come to the party?
I / study / for my exams.
10. Why / you / not study tonight?
I / go / to a party!
9.
4.
Write questions and answers.
Write questions with how and the present continuous.
Then write answers.
Example:
How / he / get to the movie theater?
How is he getting to the movie theater?
He / there / by taxi
He’s getting there by taxi.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
5.
How / we / get to the airport?
We / there / by train
How / we / get to New York?
We / there / by plane
How / they / go to the island?
They / there / by ferry
How / they / get to the top of the mountain?
They / there / by the ski lift
How / the President / come to the meeting?
She / here / by helicopter
How / you / go to the supermarket?
I / there / by bus
How / you / get home?
I / there / by car
How / I / get home?
You / there / on foot!
Complete the dialogue.
Complete the dialogue by putting the verb in parenthesis in the correct
form of the present continuous.
Jane: What (1 – do) you next week?
Alice: Well, I (2 – go) to Los Angeles; but Stan (3 – come – not).
Jane: What (4 – do) he?
Alice: He (5 – paint) the kitchen and (6 – teach) at school.
Jane: (7 – Visit) you any friends?
Alice: Yes. I (8 – stay) with some old school friends. They work in
Jane:
Alice:
Jane:
Alice:
Jane:
Alice:
Jane:
Alice:
Jane:
Alice:
Jane:
Alice:
Jane:
L.A. They work for a movie company. But next year, they (9
– start) their own business.
(10 – change) Stan schools next term?
No. He (11 – stop) teaching.
What (12 – do) he?
Next year, he (13 – study) again. Business Studies.
Why?
He (14 – go) into business with my friends in L.A.
So, you (15 – move) to L.A.
Yes. You usually go to California. (16 – go) you this year?
No. Bill (17 – work) in Longview all through the summer. He
(18 – design) a new building for a small computer chip
company.
(19 – build) he it as well?
Oh no. A big Seattle building company (20 – do) that.
Interesting work, though.
Yes. Well, enjoy L.A.!