PRESENT PROGRESSIVE OR

CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Progressive or Continuous is
used in English to talk about situations in
progress, which have started but have not
yet come to an end.

It’s raining
(Está lloviendo).
 Use of the Present continuous.

This week we are studying Roman history at

school.

Here the action is taking place throughout the week, but at the moment it is
said, it is not happening at all.
This verb tense is characterized because it has the
verb to BE and the verb with ending “ING"

⚫Verb To BE ⚫Verb+ ing

⚫I am ⚫Studying
⚫He is ⚫Reading
⚫They are ⚫Writing
 How is the verb to be conjugated?

Verb to Be = Ser/ Estar

I am (Yo soy, yo estoy)

You are (Usted es , usted está)
He is (El es, el está)
She is (Ella es, ella está)
It is (Esto es, esto está)
We are (Nosotros somos, nosotros
estamos)
They are (Ellos son, ellos están
 Now we will see how the present
continuous is formed:

Affirmative form:

Subject + verb to be + verb+ ing + complement

I am reading the newspaper.

Negative form:
Subject + verb to be + not + verb+ ing + complement
I am not reading the
newspaper.
Interrogative form:

Verb To be + Subject + verb + ing + complement?

Am I reading the newspaper?
 

Wh question + Verb To be + Subject + verb + ing + complement?

What are you doing now?
Spelling rules to add "ing" to the verb
1. When the verb ends in "e" normally the "e" is changed by the
-ing ending :

make = making
take = taking

2. When it comes to a monosyllabic verb ending in a single vowel

followed by a consonant, the final consonant doubles in front
of the ending -ing :

stop = stopping
sit = sitting
win =winning

Keep in mind that when there is more than one vowel in the verb,
we do not double the final consonant :

rain = raining
3. When it comes to a syllabic verb whose tonic syllable is the
second, the final consonant doubles in front of the ending -
ing :

begin = beginning
prefer = preferring

But if the tonic syllable is the first there are no modifications :

visit = visiting
open = opening

4. There are no modifications when the verb ends in a vowel or

consonant + y:

play = playing
study= studying
 5. The verbs ending in -ie change this group of vowels by a
“y" in front of the ending -ing :

die = dying lie= lying

Verbs that are not usually used in the present continuous

know - like - want - love - hate - need

With the Present continuous are often used adverbs of time

Now = Ahora
At present = En el momento actual
Right now = En este preciso instante
This week = Esta semana
Today = Hoy
At this moment = En estos momentos
This evening = Esta tarde
This morning = Esta mañana
This month = Este mes
This year = Este año
Exercise 1: Take a look to the following picture where you see a lot of people
doing different actions. What are they doing?
What are they doing?
Drive = Conducir Watch = Mirar
Cook = Cocinar Listen to = Escuchar
Walk = Caminar Kiss = besar
Jump = Saltar Hug = Abrazar
Run = Correr Forget = Olvidar
Wake up = Despertarse Buy = Comprar
Sleep= Dormir Sell = Vender
Take a Shower = Bañarse Fight = Pelear
Speak = Hablar Break = Romper
Sing = Cantar Call = Llamar
Dance = Bailar Climb = Escalar
Drink = Beber Cut = Cortar
Eat = Comer Die = Morir
Wash = Lavar Dress = Vestirse
Iron = Planchar Smile = Reir
Write =Escribir Count = Contar
Read = Leer Fly = Volar
Think = Pensar Help = Ayudar
Cry = Llorar Kick = Patear
Pray = Orar Love = Amar
Clean = Limpiar Play = Jugar
Sweep = Barrer Pull = Halar
Shot = Disparar Push = Empujar