The document provides information about forming and using the present continuous tense in English. It discusses how to add "-ing" to base verbs, exceptions to this rule, questions and negatives in the present continuous, and reasons for using the tense including ongoing activities, temporary situations, describing change over time, and planned future actions. Time expressions that can be used with the present continuous are also listed.

1. The Present Continuous
We make the present continuous tense by adding -ing to the
base verb:
Look – I am looking / I'm looking
Laugh – You are laughing / You're laughing
Walk – She is walking / She's walking
Learn – We are learning / We're learning
Listen – They are listening / They're listening

2. Negative Sentences
I'm not looking
You / we / they aren't looking
He / she / it isn't looking
The Present Continuous
Listening
Questions
Am I looking?
Are you / we / they looking?
Is he / she / it looking?
Yes / No questions
The rule of the three words
Are you going? Yes I am / No, I'm not
Yes, I'm
Is Anna working? Yes, she is / No, she isn't
Yes, she's

3. What are they doing?
The Present Continuous

4. ● General rule: Just add -ing into the base verb:
go – going / visit - visiting
● Verbs that end in one -e lose the -e:
smoke – smoking / come – coming
But: - be – being
- Verbs that end in -ee, don't lose an -e:
agree – agreeing / see – seeing
- Verbs that end in -ie, change the ie to y:
lie – lying / die - dying
The Present Continuous
How do we spell the Present Continuous tense?

5. How do we spell the Present Continuous tense?
● Verbs of 1 syllable, with one vowel and a consonant, the
consonant is doubled:
stop – stopping / get – getting / plan – planning
But we do not double when there are two consonants
(ask – asking), two vowels (seem – seeming / shout –
shouting), or the final consonant is x, y, or z (fax –
faxing / play – playing / show - showing)
● Verbs of more than 1 syllable that end in one stressed
vowel + consonant, double the last letter: begin –
beginning / forbid – forbidding / permit - permitting
But if the last syllable of the base verb is not stressed,
we do not double : Open – opening
Exceptions : travel – travelling / cancel - cancelling

6. Use
● To express an activity that is happening now:
Don't turn the TV off. I'm watching it
You can't speak to Jane. She's having a bath
● To express and activity happening around now, but
perhaps not at the moment of speaking:
I must get back to the office. We're working on a project
Don't take that book! Jane's reading it
● For temporary situations:
Peter's a student, but he's working as a barman during
the holidays
I'm living with a friend until I find a place of my own

7. Use
● To describe change, development and progress:
My English is improving
The Earth is slowly getting warmer
The number of cars on the road is increasing
● To indicate imminent or future actions that we have
planned before speaking (in general, we add a future
word):
Are you going to the concert this weekend?
I'm playing badminton with Matthew tomorrow

8. The Present Continuous
Time expressions
now / today / at the moment / at present /
currently / for the time being