2.2.10: Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense

Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense

       Form and Meaning:  The present continuous tense is formed by using the present tense of the verb To Be (am, is, and are) plus the present participle  (ing form) of the verb.  Therefore, there must be subject/verb agreement when using the present continuous tense.  It emphasizes the action of the verb's being in progress as the speaker is speaking.  It is often formed by using now, but now can mean right now as I speak, or now meaning at all the time in the present, or anything else where the action continues.  Native speakers use the present continuous tense most of the time when they are speaking about any action in progress.  For actions that happen all the time or are general occurrences, native speakers use the simple present tense.

Structure:

I    am         going
     coming
     am not         studying
                          driving
     'm not          enjoying

He         is                  going
She       is not            coming
It          isn't              studying
                                  driving
                                  enjoying

We       are                 going
You      are not          coming
They     aren't            studying
                                   driving
                                   enjoying

Am I                  going                   ?

Is he                    coming
    she                   studying           ?
    it                      driving

 Are we                enjoying
        you               going             ?
        they              coming

Affirmative

I am teaching you English this quarter.

You are studying English with me in Room CAS 210.

My sons are working in good jobs.

My son, André, is writing music for a company named eMedia.

My wife and I are raising our sons in Seattle.

My friend is writing a book that she wants to publish in June or July.

Negative

I am not speaking French to my students right no

My friend isn’t drinking beer at home now.

As I write this exercise, my sons are not helping me.

It is not raining today.

My children aren’t playing video games with my wife.

***None of my students is studying in the library at this time.

Interrogative (Question Form)

Am I teaching you to speak Chinese or English?

Is the sun shining today?

Are all of you from foreign countries?

Is it snowing in the mountains now?

Am I listening to the radio as I explain this exercise?

 

Exercise 11:  Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb, please.

1.  My sons (come) ------------------------- home from school now.

2.  I (write) ------------------------- this sentence right now.

3.  My wife (sit) -------------------------- on the sofa now.

4.  They (sell) ------------------------ groceries at the market now.

5.  We (learn) ------------------------ the present continuous tense this week.

6.  The girl (do) -------------------------- her homework in the living room.

7.  You (practice) --------------------------- grammar as you do this exercise.

8.  The women (buy) -------------------------- beautiful clothes.

9.  He (hum) -------------------------- a song in the shower now.

10.  My sons (play) ------------------------ the piano now.

11.  The lady (run) ------------------------- in the story.

12.  She (give) ------------------------- a present to her grandfather.

13.  The boys (draw) ------------------------- pictures in their coloring books.

14.  He (carry) ------------------------- my books to class now.

15.  It (rain) ------------------------- very hard outside today.

16.  We (listen to) ---------------------- the music video right now.

17.  You (answer) ------------------------- these questions now.

18.  The dog (bite) ------------------------ her toy bone now.

19.  The boy’s mother (feel) ------------------------- sick today.

20.  Some old ladies (chat) ------------------------- at the beauty salon now.

Exercise 12:  Fill in the correct verb form, please. 

1.  We ---------------------------- (study) grammar this quarter.

2.  My son ------------------------ (not drive) to his brother’s house right now.

3.  It ---------------------------------- (snow) outside now.

4.  The boy and his friends -------------------------- (walk) to the store to buy some candy.

5.  I -------------------------------- (not listen) to the news at this time.

6.  My sons ----------------------- (not attend) school anymore.

7.  I ------------------------------ (not plant) any plants in my garden as I write this exercise.

8.  The sun -------------------------- (shine) today.

9.  You --------------------------- (learn) the present continuous tense now.

10.  Some of the students in the school --------------------------- (not get) ready to learn.

11.  The boys in the car --------------------------- (drive) around and --------------------------- (look at) girls today.

12.  I --------------------------- (not work) in my office as I write this exercise.

13.  The girls ------------------------- (make) spaghetti for dinner now.

14.  The employees are ------------------------- (take) a break and ------------------------ (drink) tea.

15.  The baseball players --------------------------- (not play) a game today.

16.  My sons --------------------------- (not help) their mother to clean the house today.

17.  Some men ------------------------- (clean) the sidewalks in the park today.

18.  The young boys are each ------------------------- (eat) two hamburgers at Jack in the Box now.

19.  The police -------------------- (not look for) you right now.

20.  The boy  ------------------------- (throw up) in the toilet now.

Exercise 13:  Change the following sentences to the negative, please.

1.  You are taking a test in your English class now.

 

2.  The day is getting darker as you write this exercise.

 

3.  My wife and son are arguing as I think about this exercise.

 

4.  The vegetables in my garden are growing nicely now.

 

5.  All of the boys are carrying their books to class now.

 

6.  The dog and the cat are sleeping side by side in the dog house.

 

7.  I am wearing a t-shirt and pants as I write this exam.

 

8.  Some students are studying in the cafeteria this morning.

 

9.  Most of you are using pens to write your notes during class.

 

10.  You are answering the last question in this exercise.

 

11.  We are all watching a football game now.

 

Exercise 14:  Change the following sentences to questions, please.

1.  We are living in a very nice apartment.

 

2.  Some people are wearing traditional clothes in class today.

 

3.  I am using my computer to write these sentences now.

 

4.  My son is working at home this morning.

 

5.  A dog is barking in my back yard right now.

 

6.  Something is burning on the stove now.

 

7.  I am wearing shorts as I write this exercise.

 

8.  An old lady is talking to my wife on the phone right now.

 

9.  Both of the boys are working at their jobs this morning.

 

10.  Some boys are playing football in the park this morning.

 

11.  It is raining hard outside today.

 

12.  A student is helping a teacher to carry some books to her office now.

 

13.  Some bad boys are smoking in the school yard now.

 

14.  The man’s head is bleeding because of an accident.