STAGE 2

Verbs
40 She is eating: Present Continuous tense: positive
FORM

am -1+ I'm

She She's
He is -1+ He's
It lt's working.
We We're
You are -1+ You're
They They're
• Verb to be (am, is, are) + verb + ing
USE
• To talk about something happening now.
• Use the present continuous to talk about activities in the present.
Do not use it with these verbs: like, lave, hate, want, know, understand, forget,
agree. These verbs are not activities. Use the present simple with these verbs.

--- ----
Note:
sit sitting come coming
get getting live living

►
plan
run
stop -- planning
running
stopping
See Appendix 2 on spelling rules.
make
die
lie
-
making
dying
lying

Practice
40 Write the sentences with the verbs in the present continuous.
1 John and I .. ?.r:~_;,J?Y.(tJ0.. in a beautiful hotel. (stay)
2 Annie and Joe . !!1:'<7..11J.é!KÍ[19. a cake for tea. (make)
is working
3 Spencer ........................ at home today. (work)
4 I ........................
am Waiting for a letter from my parents. (wait)
5 You ........................
are waking too fast. (walk)
6 are planing
We ........................ our next holiday. (plan)
are visiting
7 The girls ........................ their grandmother today. (visit)
is reading
8 She ........................ in her bedroom at the moment. (read)
am trying
9 I ........................ to listen to the radio but it's very noisy in here. (try)
10 The sun ........................
is sining beautifully today. (shine)

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Verbs STAGE 2

11 The baby ........................

is learning to walk now. (learn)
12 Greg's in the kitchen. He ........................
is cooking the dinner. (cook)
13 I ........................
am feeling a bit miserable today. (feel)
14 You ........................
are studying too hard far this exam. (study)
15 'Where's Anne?' 'She ........................
is having a shower.' (have)

41 Present Continuous tense: questions

Am
she
Is he
it working?
you
Are we
they
• Verb to be in question form + verb + ing.

Short answers
am. 'm not.

she she
he is. he isn't.
Yes, it No, it
you you
we are. we aren't.
they they

Practice

41a Complete the questions and answers, adding am, is, are to the questions
and am, is, are, ar 'm not, isn't, aren't to the short answers.

1 ' ......
is 1t · rammg
· · outs1·ct e.2' 'N o, 1t
· .........
isn't .'

2 '--~~~-- the children playing outside?' 'Yes, they .. !!.r.f! .. .'

3 ' ...............
Are you doing your homework now?' 'Yes, I ...............
am .'
4 ' ...............
am I hurting you?' 'No, you ...............
aren't .'
5 ' ...............
is she waving to us?' 'Yes, she ...............
is .'
6 ' ...............
are we stopping here?' 'Yes, we ...............
are .'
7 ' ...............
are aren't
your neighbours moving out?' 'No, they ............... .'
8 ' ...............
is he helping you with your homework?' 'Yes, he ...............
's .'
9 ' ...............
are am
you looking at that boat?' 'Yes, I ............... .'
10 ' ...............
are they planning a party?' 'No, they ...............
aren't .'
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 Verbs STAGE 2

41 b Write the questions using the present continuous.

1 What / she / do?
What's she doing?

2 You / learn / French at school?

Are you /earning French at schoo/?

3 What book / you / read?

What book are you reading?

4 What / we / watch?
What are we watching?

5 I / speak / clearly?
am i speaking clearly?

6 Why / we / sit in the dark?

are we why sitting in the dark?

7 Where / they / stay?

are they where staying

8 It / snow?
it's snowing?

9 Why / he / run so fast?

is why he running so fast?

10 What / you / sell?

What do you selling?

11 Why / he / shout?
is Why he shouting?

12 Where / they / wait?

are they where waiting

13 Why / she / laugh?

is she why laughing?

14 They / dance together?

are they dancing together?

15 The plane / land now?

are the planung lad now?

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Verbs STAGE 2

42 Present Continuous tense: negatives

She am -. I'm
He isn't
It working. She She's
----------------- ---------------- He is f+ He's
You It It's not working.
We aren't
They You You're
We are ➔ We're
They They're
• Contractions:
There are two ways of contracting a negative sentence in the present
continuous:
She is not working can become:
(a) She isn't working. or
(b) She 's not working.
Both are correct. The negative in (b) is a bit stronger than the negative in (a).

Practice
40 In your notebook, write the sentences in the negative, in two ways
where possible.

1 They're buying a new car.

They aren't buying a new car.
They're not buying a new car.

2 He's learning to read.

He isn't learning toread.
He's not /earning toread.

3 I'm looking for your keys.
4 We're selling the house.
5 You're working very hard.
6 He's washing the dishes.
7 They're drinking tea.
8 We're having a good time.
9 She's leaving him.
10 I'm going home now.
I'm not looking for your eyes.
I am not looking for yout eyes.
We Aren't selling the house.
We Are not selling the house.
you aren't working very hard.
you're not working very hard.
he isn't washing the dishes.
he's not washing the dishes.
they aren't drinking tea.
they´re not drinking tea.
we aren't having a good time
we're not having a good time.
she's not leaving him.
she isn´t leaving him.
I'm not going home now.
I am not going home now.

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 Verbs STAGE 2

43 Present Continuous tense

Check
43 Complete the conversation, putting the verbs into the present continuous
and completing the short answers with am, is, are (not).

~1/, /

()Oa:~ºooo o
o o

A: So what 1
•• ~.½<?P,P.f?/1ÍJ:10. •• (happen)? 2
f:ir.e. tMY.~.flXÍ(lff .. (they /have) a party?
••

B: Yes, they 3
•• -?r.e. ...
A: And what 4
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (they/do)?
B: Well, a few of them 5
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (dance).
A: 6
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (Mum and Dad/dance)?
B: Yes, Mum ' ............ but Dad 8
••••••••••••• He 9
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

(talk) to Uncle Jack and they 10

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (laugh) a lot.
A: Is Aunty Linda there?
B: Yes, she u .••.......••• She 12
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (dance) with
Brian from next door. Oh, and Dad 13
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (give)
everyone a drink now.
A: What 14
•...•••••••••••••.••••••••••.•••..••••• (they/drink)?
B: Coffee, I think. And sorne of them 15
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (drink)
juice. Mum 16
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (not/drink) anything.
A: 17
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (they/eat)?
B: Only crisps and nuts and sorne cheese.
A: And we 18
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (not/eat) anything. It's not fair!
B: But they think we 19
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (sleep) upstairs.
A: Oh no, they don't. They 2º....................................... (look) this way.
21
I think Dad ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• (come) over here.

67