Grammar lesson for biginners to grasp the use of present continuous tense

1. The Present Continuous Tense
Mr. MOULOUD ELOUASSAI

2. What is she doing?
• She is reading a book.

3. What is she doing?
• She is crying.

4. Where is he going?
• He is going to school.

5. Form:Subject+ to be(simple present)+ verb +ing
Use : we use the present continuous tense to talk about
an action happening at the moment of speaking.
Affirmative
I am learning English now.
He/she/it is learning English now.
You/we/they are learning English now.
Negative
I am not (I’m not) learning Arabic at the moment.
He/she/it is not (isn’t) learning Arabic at the moment.
You/we/they are not (aren’t) learning Arabic at the moment.
Interrogative
Am I learning English ?
Is he/she/it learning English ?
Are you/we/they learning English ?
Short answers
Yes, I am/he is/we are…
No, I’m not/he isn’t/we aren’t…

6. Rules
Some verbs drop
the last -e:
write  writing
take  taking
dance 
dancing
but see 
seeing
Some verbs double
the last letter:
sit  sitting
swim  swimming
travel  travelling
shop  shopping
but open 
opening
lie lying
die  dying
Verbs ending in –ie,
drop the –ie + –y +
ing

7. What is she doing?
She / read / book
Affirmative : She is reading a
book.
Negative: She is not reading a
book.
Interrogative : is she reading a
book ?

8. What is he doing?
He / listen /
music
Affirmative : He is listening to
music.
Negative: He is not listening to
music.
Interrogative: is He listening

9. What are they doing?
They / study
/English
Affirmative : They are studying
English.
Negative: They are not
studying English.
Interrogative: Are they studying

10. Exercise 1 :Fill in the blanks with the present
continuous of the verbs in brackets:
1.I ___________ (wear) a black jacket.
2.the birds _________ (sing) now.
3.We _________ (learn) English at the moment.
4.I _____________ (do) all my exercises.
5.my mother __________ (shop) at the supermarket.
6.my father ___________ (wait) for her in the car.
7.I think he __________ (sleep) while he ____________
(listen) to the radio.
8.My brothers ____________ (not/study), they
____________ (play) computer game.
am wearing
are singing
are learning
am doing
is shopping
is waiting
is sleeping is listening
are not studying
are playing

11. Exercise 2 : Write the questions correctly and use the
present continuous:
1.what/you/do ?
2.you/learn/ English at school?
3.here/you/stay ?
4.It/snow/now?
5.Why sit /he/outside?
 What are you doing ?
 Are you learning English at school?
 Are you staying here?
 is it snowing now?
 Why is he sitting outside?

12. Rules
Some verbs
drop
the last -e:
write 
writing
take  taking
dance 
dancing
Some verbs
double
the last letter:
sit  sitting
swim 
swimming
travel 
travelling
shop  shopping
lie lying
die  dying
Verbs ending in –
ie,
drop the –ie + –y +
ing
Form:Subject+ to be(simple present)+ verb+ing
Use : we use the present perfect tense to talk about an
action happening at the moment of speaking.
Grammar : The present continuous tense