A1 · Grammar
The present continuous
After this page you can say what is happening now (am, is, are + -ing), spell the -ing form and make questions, negatives and short answers.
Rules
1.
am, is, are + verb-ing
- I'm waiting for the bus.
- Priya is talking on the phone.
- The children are sleeping.
- We're having lunch in the park.
The present continuous has two parts: am, is or are and a verb with -ing. You know am, is and are from the verb to be.
work → working
- I am working · I'm working
- you, we, they are working · you're, we're, they're working
- he, she, it is working · he's, she's, it's working
You need both parts. I working is wrong. I'm working is right.
am / is / are + verb-ing
She's reading. (not: She reading.)
2.
Now and around now
- Look! It's snowing.
- Ben is working from home today.
- I'm reading a very good book at the moment.
- Listen! The baby is crying.
Use the present continuous for an action now, at this moment. Use it also for things around now: today, this week. The action is not finished.
Time words
- now · right now · at the moment
- today · this week · this month
- Look! · Listen! → something is happening now
I'm reading a book at the moment. Maybe I am not reading at this second, but I am in the middle of the book.
now, at the moment, today → present continuous
Look! Listen! → It's raining. The phone is ringing.
3.
Spelling: the -ing form
- Sofia is making a cake.
- Marek is sitting in the garden.
- The cat is lying on my bed.
- Lucy is playing tennis with Ahmed.
Most verbs just add -ing. A verb with a silent e at the end loses the e. Some short verbs double the last letter. ie changes to y.
verb + -ing
- most verbs + ing: work → working · eat → eating · play → playing
- silent e: drop the e → make → making · write → writing · have → having
- short verb, one vowel + one consonant: double it → sit → sitting · run → running · swim → swimming · get → getting
- ie → y + ing: lie → lying · die → dying · tie → tying
make → making · sit → sitting · lie → lying
play → playing: y stays.
4.
Negative: not
- I'm not working today. It's my day off.
- Tom isn't listening to the teacher.
- My parents aren't watching TV.
- It isn't raining in Cardiff now.
Put not after am, is or are. In speaking, we usually use the short form.
not
- I am not · I'm not
- he, she, it is not · isn't · he's not, she's not, it's not
- you, we, they are not · aren't · you're not, we're not, they're not
There is no short form amn't. Say I'm not.
isn't = is not · aren't = are not
I'm not (not: I amn't)
5.
Questions and short answers
- Are you working today? – Yes, I am.
- Is Anna sleeping? – No, she isn't.
- What are you doing?
- Where is Ahmed going?
In a question, am, is or are goes before the subject. A question word (what, where, why) goes first. A short answer has am, is or are, but no -ing.
Short answers
- Are you …? – Yes, I am. · No, I'm not.
- Is he / she / it …? – Yes, he is. · No, he isn't.
- Are they …? – Yes, they are. · No, they aren't.
In a yes answer, use the long form at the end: Yes, I am. Not: Yes, I'm.
Are you working? Is she working?
Yes, I am. (not: Yes, I'm.)
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