Present Continuous

We use the present continuous to talk about what is happening now.

subject be present participle (verb + -ing)
I am

watching television.

playing basketball.

talking to the president.

making cookies.

eating dinner.

You are
He / She / It is
We are
They are

Rules for forming the present participle.

VERB + “-ing” Just add “-ing”

catch → catching

talk → talking

sing → singing

study → studying

Verbs ending in “-e” If the verb ends in “-e”, take away the “-e” and add “-ing”.

write → writing

drive → driving

take → taking

Verbs ending with a vowel and a consonant If the word ends in a vowel and consonant we double the last consonant and add “-ing”.

sit → sitting

hug → hugging

run → running

Verbs ending in "-ie" If the verb ends with "-ie", change "-ie" to "-y" and add "-ing"

lie → lying

tie → tying

Exceptions

Verbs that end with a vowel and w,x, or y. The verbs that end in a vowel and “w, x or y” don’t double.

sewsewing

fixfixing

playplaying

Verbs ending with two vowels and a consonant. If the verb ends in two vowels and a consonant, there is no change.

eat → eating

shout → shouting

sleep → sleeping


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Exercise

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