1. The Present Continuous Tense
Use and form

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

3. What is she doing?
She is crying.

4. What’s he doing?
He’s watching TV.

5. Where’s he going?
He’s going to school.

6. And what are you doing right now?
We are studying English grammar.

7. Use 1
The previous examples show that we use this tense to denote an action happening at the time of speaking (adverbs: now, right now, at the moment)

8. What are they wearing today?
They are wearing T-shirts and mini skirts today.

9. I’d love to see you. Are you busy?
Unfortunately, I’m rather busy. I’m painting my flat this week.

10. Are you having fun this summer?
Not really. I’m working as a waiter. I need some money for college.

11. Use 2
These examples show that the Present Continuous Tense is also used to denote a temporary action happening today or these days.

12. What’s wrong with our planet?
It’s getting warmer.

13. What’ wrong with the air we breathe?
It’s becoming more and more polluted.

14. Use 3
It is also used to express the ongoing changes, especially with verbs such as become, get, grow, change, and with expressions like more and more.

15. Are you going to the party on Friday?

16. We’re leaving tomorrow.

17. Use 4
We use it for future arrangements with a time reference.

18. Form – am, are, is + ing form
am, is, are + ing form
Affirmative
I am sleeping.
He/she/it is sleeping.
You/we/they are sleeping.
Negative
I am not (I’m not) singing.
He/she/it is not (isn’t) singing.
You/we/they are not (aren’t) singing.

19. Form - continued Interrogative Am I dreaming? Is he/she/it dreaming?
Are you/we/they dreaming?
Short answers
Yes, I am/he is/we are…
No, I’m not/he isn’t/we aren’t…

20. ing form – spelling rules
Most verbs just take –ing with no changes in spelling: watch-watching, clean-cleaning, listen-listening
Verbs ending in –e drop it before –ing: live-living, write-writing
Verbs with short vowels and one consonant double the consonant:
run-running, swim-swimming

21. ing form – spelling rules
Verbs ending in –l, double it: travel-travelling, cancel-cancelling
Verbs ending in –ie change it to –y: lie-lying, die-dying