PRESENT CONTINOUS

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

A temporary action happening now

Something which is going on right now (but it will stop in the 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

Temporary action happening right now

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).

Soraya's working in the library.

She's working there right now.

Sihol is spending Christmas with his family.

He's spending Christmas with his family right now, this year. (Maybe next year he won't.)

Definite plan for the future

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

Sarah's leaving for San Francisco on Friday.

She has probably already bought her ticket.

The Olympics are taking place here next year.

This is already certain.

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 questionYes/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

1 vowel + 1 consonant Double the consonant, then add -INGswim - swimming

hit - hittingget - getting

1 vowel + 1 consonant + E Remove E, then add -INGcome - coming

lose - losinglive - living

[anything else] Add -INGsay - saying

go - goingwalk - walking

Forming the Present ContinuousIntroduction

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

verbsForming 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 tenseThere 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

IntroductionIn the simple present tense, negative and question forms are made using the auxiliary verb "do". This page explains the rules. Forming a negativeNegatives 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- questionWH- 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?