The Continuous/Progressive Present

BE + vb.-ING
Form

Aff.:
S + BE (pres.) + vb.-ING.
I am working. We are working.
You are working. You are working.
He/She/It is working. They are working.

Que.:
BE (pres.) + S + vb.-ING.?

Am I working? Are we working?

Are you working? Are you working?
Is he/she/it working? Are they working?

Neg.:
S + BE (pres.) + not + vb.-ING.
I am not working. We are not working.
You are not working. You are not working.
He/She/It is not working. They are not working.

I am not = I’m not

You are not = You’re not; you aren’t
He is not = he’s not; he isn’t
She is not = she’s not; she isn’t
It is not = it’s not; it isn’t
Spelling:

1. verbs that end in -e: -e is supressed:

Come – coming; become – becoming; move – moving;
live – living

2. short verbs that end in a consonant, but which is

preceded by a short vowel: the final consonant is
doubled
Run – running; swim – swimming; sit – sitting; set –
setting; cut – cutting
Vs.
Bloom – blooming

3. verbs that end in -y : +-ING in all cases

Vowel-y: play – playing; stay – staying; say – saying
Consonant-y: study – studying; try – trying; cry –
crying

Uses

1. an action under development (in progress) at the

present moment
+ now, right now, just now, at the moment

She is busy at the moment. She is washing the dishes.

What is doing? – She is speaking to the students.
I cannot speak right now. I am holding a seminar. I am
teaching.
Why are you putting on your coat? Are you leaving
anywhere?

2. future value: a personal plan

I am meeting my friends tonight.
I am visiting my parents at the end of the week.

3. exception to the rule (for the moment or for the near

future, for a short period of time)

My husband usually does (rule, simple present) the

shopping, but he is out of town, so this week (these
days) I am doing (exception, continuous present) the
shopping.

I usually drive (rule, simple) to work, but there is

something wrong with the car, so today I am going by
bus (exception, continuous).
4. + always, continuously, continually = irritation,
annoyment

She always wears my clothes. (observation, neutral)

She is always wearing my clothes. (annoyment)