Present Continuous

The Present Continuous Tense: De onvoltooid Tegenwoordige Tijd

- Formation:

Simple Present of “to be” + the –ing form

I	am / ‘m	sleeping
You We You	are ‘re
He She It	is ‘s

- Use: 
 
We use the Present Continuous Tense for actions going on at the moment of speaking.
 
 e.g. I'm studying Biology now.
 Peter is working in the garage at the moment. 
 No, we aren't watching TV right now.
  Are you writing a letter to Jane? No, I'm not. 
 
 
- Formation of the -ing form:
 

to read to go to play	reading going playing	General rule: infinitive without "to" + ING
to ride to dance to leave to have	riding dancing leaving having	Infinitives ending in "E" → the "E" is dropped BUT: to be: being to see: seeing
to jog to swim to forget to prefer	jogging swimming forgetting preferring	Infinitives ending in a single stressed vowel+ 1 consonant → the consonant is doubled
to travel to control	travelling controlling	Infinitives ending in "L" after a single vowel → the "L" is doubled
to lie	lying	Infinitives ending in “IE” → “IE” changes into “Y”

 
 
Exercises

Write the –ing form
Speak Stop Make Work Live	Speaking ……….. ……….. ……….. ………..	Play Run Lie Fight Wear	……….. ……….. ……….. ……….. ………..	Drive Shop Smoke Get Go	……….. ……….. ……….. ……….. ………..
Fill in the Present Continuous
1. Do you know the song ‘I … in the rain’? 2. David … French this morning. 3. I … dad in the garden. 4. She … tea. 5. The cat … with a mouse. 6. The train … round the bend. 7. You … ! 8. The children … up that hill. 9. They … always … . 10. Where are the Robinsons? Oh, they … in the woods. 11. Who … at the door? 12. Hurry up! We … for you. 13. Call an ambulance! This man … . 14. They … home tomorrow. 15. What … here?					To sing To study To help To prepare To play To come To lie To run To quarrel To picnic To knock To wait To die To go To happen

Internet Links

Learn the present continuous by looking at the pictures.
 
 http://perso.wanadoo.fr/michel.barbot/hotpot/cap/prs_ing/exo2.htm

Very structured and easy theoretical part and you can also do some exercises.
 
 http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/pcont.htm

This website uses timelines to explain the use of the present continuous. 
The exercises are too difficult for second-year-students.
 
 http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentcontinuous.html

The theoretical part is very well structured, but the answers are already available in the exercises.
 
 http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blpresentcont.htm

After studying the structure, use and spelling you can do the quiz to check whether you understood it or not.
 
 http://grammar.englishclub.com/verb-tenses_present-continuous.htm