Present Continuous

Examples of structure of the present

continuous in affirmative, negative and

interrogative sentences.

   Infografía

Affirmative Sentences

Subject + Auxiliary verb (to be) + Verb + ing. (-s/-es)

  • I am writing.
  • We are drawing.
SUBJECTAUXILIARYVERB
First-person singular

Iamdoing
Second-person singularYouaredoing
Third-person singularHeis doing
Third-person singular

Sheis doing
Third-person singular

Itis doing
First-person plural

Wearedoing
Second-person plural

Youaredoing
Third-person plural
Theyaredoing

Negative Sentences

Subject + Auxiliary verb (to be) + Negative auxiliary verb (not) + Verb + ing.

  • I am not writing.
  • We are not drawing.
SUBJECTAUXILIARYNEGATIVE AUXILIARYVERBCONTRACTED FORM
First-person singularIamnotdoingI’m not doing.
Second-person singular.YouarenotdoingYou aren’t doing.
You’re not doing.
Third-person singularHeisnotdoingHe’s not doing.
Third-person singularSheis not doingShe’s not doing.
Third-person singularItisnotdoingIt’s not doing.
First-person pluralWearenot doingWe aren’t doing.¡.
We’re not doing.
Second-person pluralYouarenotdoingYou aren’t doing.
You’re not doing.
Third-person pluralTheyarenotdoingThey aren’t doing.
They’re not doing.

Interrogative Sentences

Yes / No questions

Auxiliary verb (to be) + Subject + Verb + ing.

  • Are you writing?
  • Is he drawing?
 

AUXILIARYSUBJECTVERB + ING.
First-person singularAmIwriting?
Second-person singularAreyouwriting?
Third-person singularIshewriting?
Third-person singularIsshewriting?
Third-person singularIsitwriting?
First-person pluralArewewriting?
Second-person pluralAreyouwriting?
Third-person pluralAretheywriting?

 

We need to invert the subject in questions that can be answered with yes or no, which means that an affirmative question would be am I reading? And an affirmative sentence is I am reading.

 

Wh questions

 

When the question is a Wh question, we always put it at the beginning. Look at these examples:

  • Why are you writing?
  • What is she drawing?
  • When are you coming?
  • Where are we stopping?
  • Who is he travelling with?
  • How are they doing?
WH QUESTIONAUXILIARYSUBJECTVERB
First-person singularWhyamIdoing?
Second-person singularWhatareyouwriting?
Third-person singularWhenishe coming?
Third-person singularWhereisshegoing?
Third-person singularWhyisitworking?
First-person pluralHowarewetravelling?
Second-person pluralWhoareyoudrawing?
Third-person pluralWhataretheycooking?

You can use contractions in Wh questions too!

Why is = Why’s

What is = What’s

When is = When’s 

Where is = Where’s

Who is = Who’s

How is = How’s

 

Spelling modifications

All verbs finish in -ing

To do = Doing

To say = Saying


One syllable verbs

In one syllable verbs which end in consonant + vowel + consonant we double the ending consonant before adding the -ing ending. Examples: 

Run = Running

Get = Getting

Stop = Stopping


Two (or more) syllable verbs

In two (or more) syllable verbs which end in consonant + vowel + consonant we double the ending consonant if the last syllable is stressed and add -ing.  If not, we only add -ing. Examples: 

The last syllable is stressed:

Control (con-TROL) = Controlling

Commit (com-MIT) = Committing

The last syllable is not stressed

Happen (HAPP-en) = Happening

Whisper (WHIS-per) = Whispering


Verbs ending in W, X and Y

These verbs end in consonant + vowel + consonant but we do not double the consonant. 

Throw Throwing

Study Studying


Verbs ending in -ie

If a verb ends in -ie, we change it to -y before we add -ing. 

Lie Lying

Die Dying


Silent -e and long -e

When the -e is silent, we drop the -e and add  -ing.

Make = Making

Love Loving

When the -e is long or there is a double -ee, we add  -ing as usual.

Be = Being

Agree Agreeing


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