Foundation grammar · Unit 3 · A1

I am doing (present continuous)

Present

Use am/is/are + -ing for something that is happening now, at the time of speaking.

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A The form: am/is/are + -ing

Three scenes:

  • A man is at a table with a plate of chips. He's eating. He isn't reading.
  • A woman is at a bus stop with no coat. It's snowing. The sun isn't shining.
  • Two girls are going down a hill on bikes. They're cycling. They aren't walking.

The present continuous is am/is/are + doing / eating / cycling / writing and so on.
I am (not) -ing I'm cooking.
he / she / it is (not) -ing Leanne is phoning her mum. She isn't working (or She's not working). The kettle is boiling.
we / you / they are (not) -ing We're having lunch. You aren't listening (or You're not listening). The boys are doing the washing-up.
  • I'm cooking.
  • Leanne is phoning her mum.
  • The kettle is boiling.
  • We're having lunch.
  • You aren't listening to me.
  • The boys are doing the washing-up.

B Something happening now

am/is/are + -ing means that something is happening now. It started before the moment of speaking and it has not finished yet.

past NOW future
I'm working. She's wearing a scarf. They're playing cards. I'm not watching the telly.

Spelling. Most verbs just add -ing. A few change:
verbs ending in -e come → coming, write → writing, dance → dancing
one vowel + one consonant run → running, sit → sitting, swim → swimming
-ie lie → lying
  • Shh. I'm working. (I'm working now.)
  • Look at Gran! She's wearing her new scarf.
  • It's a lovely afternoon. It isn't raining.
  • "Where's Dad?" "He's washing the car."
  • (on the phone) We're eating at the moment. Can I ring you back?
  • You can turn the radio off. I'm not listening to it.

Exercises

3.1 What are these people doing? Use these verbs to complete the sentences.

eathavelieplaysitwait

  1. A girl is holding a banana with a bite out of it.

    She's eating a banana.

    She's eating a banana.

  2. A man is standing at a bus stop, looking down the road.

    He for a bus.

  3. Some boys are kicking a ball about in the park.

    They football.

  4. A man is on the carpet with his eyes closed, next to an empty sofa.

    He on the floor.

  5. A family is at the kitchen table at eight in the morning with toast and tea.

    They breakfast.

  6. A woman is on top of the kitchen table, not on a chair.

    She on the table.

3.2 Complete the sentences. Use one of these verbs.

buildcookgohavestandstayswimwork

  1. Please don't phone now. I'm working.

    Please don't phone now. I'm working.

  2. "Where's Kieran?" "He's in the kitchen. He the tea."

  3. "Ow! You on my toe." "Oh, sorry!"

  4. Look! Two children in the lake.

  5. We're in Whitby for the week. We at a little hotel by the harbour.

  6. "Where's Nisha?" "She a bath."

  7. They a new swimming pool near the park at the moment.

  8. I home now. See you tomorrow.

3.3 Kerry is in the living room. She is on the sofa with headphones on, reading a magazine and eating crisps. The telly is off. There is a guitar on the wall. She is in her socks, and her phone is on the shelf. Write sentences about Kerry. Use She's -ing or She isn't -ing.

  1. Kerry is on the sofa with headphones on, reading a magazine and eating crisps. The telly is off.

    (watch television)

    She isn't watching television.

    She isn't watching television.

  2. (sit on the sofa)

    She's sitting on the sofa.

    She's sitting on the sofa.

  3. (listen to music)

  4. (read a magazine)

  5. (play the guitar)

  6. (eat crisps)

  7. (wear shoes)

  8. (talk on the phone)

3.4 What is happening at the moment? Write true sentences, positive or negative.

  1. (I / drink / coffee)

    I'm drinking coffee.

    I'm not drinking coffee.

  2. (it / rain)

    It's raining.

    It isn't raining.

  3. (I / sit / at a desk)

  4. (I / eat)

  5. (it / snow)

  6. (I / learn / English)

  7. (I / watch / television)

  8. (the wind / blow)

  9. (I / wear / a jumper)

  10. (I / drink / tea)

See also