We use the Present Continuous (to be + -ing) to talk about actions right now.

AFFIRMATIVE & NEGATIVE

I	am (‘m) am not (‘m not)	drinking water.
He She It	is (‘s) is not (‘s not/isn’t)
You We They	are (‘re) are not (‘re not/aren’t)

• I’m cooking. I’m not cleaning.
• He is sleeping. He is not studying.
• We’re studying. We aren’t sleeping.

YES/NO QUESTIONS

Am	I	drinking water?
Is	he she it
Are	you we they

• Am I listening?
• Are you cooking?
• Is it (computer) working?

WH-QUESTIONS

What	am	I	eating?
	is	he she it
	are	you we they

• What are you doing?
• Where am I going?
• Why it she writing a letter?

SHORT ANSWERS

Yes,	I	am
	he she it	is
	you we they	are

 

No,	I	am not (‘m not)
	he she it	is not (‘s not/isn’t)
	you we they	are not (‘re not/aren’t)

• Are you making salad? – Yes, I am.
• Is your sister writing a book? – No, she isn’t.
• Are your friends coming? – No, they aren’t.

SPELLING RULES

Most verbs: read → reading, cook → cooking, sleep → sleeping, walk → walking, work → working

Verbs ending with a consonant* + e: have → having, come → coming, write → writing

Verbs ending with a vowel** and a consonant: stop → stopping, run → running, swim → swimming, jog → jogging

* English consonants: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, X, Z, W and usually Y ⌈j⌋ (yacht, yoghurt, yo-yo)

** English vowels: A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y ⌈aɪ⌋ (sky, why, cry)

PRACTICE

Exercise 1: What are the people doing?

1. to eat
2. to drink
3. to cook
4. to read
5. to study
6. to teach
7. to sing
8. to sleep
9. to swim
10. to plant a flower
11. to watch TV
12. to listen to music
13. to play cards
14. to play baseball
15. to play the piano

Exercise 2: Look at the pictures and complete the sentences:

1. Sam ________ (to cook). He ________ (to have) a shower.
2. Catherine and Ali ________ (to watch) TV. They ________ (to read).
3. Antonio and Julia ________ (to cook). They ________ (to play) chess.
4. Lucia ________ (to read) a book. She ________ (to play) chess.
5. Julia ________ (to watch) TV. She ________ (to sleep).
6. Mike and Tom ________ (to read). They ________ (to cook).

Answer the questions about the same people:

1. Is Julia cooking?
2. Are Mike and Tom playing chess?
3. Is Lucia reading?
4. Are Catherine and Ali watching television?
5. Are Antonia and Julia cooking?
6. Is Sam having a shower?

READING & LISTENING

The Smith family is in the park today. The sun is shining and the birds are singing. It’s a beautiful summer day!

Mr. Smith is reading the newspaper. He reads business and finance news every day. Mrs. Smith is listening to the radio. She loves local radio programs. Annie and Mary Smith are studying. They love to study outside, for example in this park. Tommy Smith is playing the guitar. He is learning a new song. He is very good at music.

The family is very happy today.

 

 

Answer key:

Exercise 1: He is eating. 2. She is drinking. 3. He is cooking. 4. She is reading. 5. He is studying. 6. She is teaching. 7. He is singing. 8. She is sleeping. 9. He is swimming. 10. She is planting a flower. 11. He is watching TV. 12. She is listening to music. 13. She is playing cards. 14. He is playing baseball. 15. He is playing the piano.

Exercise 2: Part 1: 1. isn’t cooking, is having 2. are watching, aren’t reading 3. aren’t cooking, are playing 4. is reading, isn’t playing 5. isn’t watching, is sleeping 6. aren’t reading, are cooking Part 2: 1. no, she isn’t 2. no, they aren’t 3. yes, she is 4. yes, they are 5. no, they aren’t 6. yes, he is

Materials used: “Practical Grammar level 1” by D.Riley and G.Hughes, “New Side by Side international edition book 1” by S.J.Molinsky and B.Bliss

• Easy English