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. |
sew → sewing fix → fixing play → playing |
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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