Present Continuous Tense

Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense(also called present progressive tense) is a verb tense which is used to show an ongoing action happening at the time of speech. The present continuous tense can also be used to show that an action is going to take place in the near future.

Ongoing Action

• I am playing football.
• He is going to school.
• You are reading a book.

Actions Which Are Planned

• I am going for dinner with my friends tonight.
• We are watching movie this Sunday.
• He is going abroad next month.

How to form the simple Present Continuous Tense

Subject + is/am/are + First form of verb (with “ing”)

“Am” is used with “I” only.

“Is” is used with singular subject.(He, she, it, name)

“Are” is used with plural subject. (We, you, they)

Subject                    Helping Verb     Verb (-ing)

•    I                             am

• He, she, it                   is                    playing.

• We, you, they            are

Spelling Rules

Present continuous tense is formed by adding “ing” to first form of verb.

Here are some rules for spelling while making present continuous tense.

Just add “ing” to first form of verb.

• Read                           Reading
• Play                             playing
• Think                           thinking
• End                             ending
• go                                going

If the verb ends in consonant + stressed vowel + consonant, double the last letter

• Run                             running
• Sit                               sitting
• Get                              getting

For the verbs ending with “ie” replace the “ie” with “y” and add “ing”.

• Lie                               lying
• Dye                             dying

If the verb ends with silent “e” drop the “e” and add “ing”.

• Close                          closing
• Come                         coming

 

If verb ends in “ee, ye, oe” don’t remove the final “e” and add “ing”.

• Free                            freeing
• Dye                             dyeing

Negative Form Of Present Continuous Tense

To convert the present continuous form into negative form simply add “not” with the helping verb.

Subject + is/am/are + not + first form of verb(ing)

 

• I am not playing football.
• He is not going to school.
• You are not reading book.

Interrogative Form of Present Continuous Tense

To convert the present continuous into interrogative form following formula is used

Is/am/are + subject + first form of verb (ing)

• Am I playing football?
• Is he going to school?
• Are you reading book?

Examples of present continuous Tense

• I am going to school.
• I am not going to school.
• Am I going to school?

 

• They are playing cricket.
• They are not playing cricket.
• Are they playing cricket?

 

• We are going to market.
• We are not going to market.
• Are we going to market?

 

• You are running fast.
• You are not running fast.
• Are you running fast?

 

• He is drinking water.
• He is not drinking water.
• Is he drinking water?

 

• She is eating Apple.
• She is not eating Apple.
• Is she eating Apple?