English Grammar_Present Continuous (I am doing)

English Grammar

Present Continuous

(I am doing)

Example:

• Sarah is in her car. She is on her way to work. She is driving to work.

• This means: She is driving now, at the time of speaking. The action is not finished.

am/is/are + (-ing) is the

present continuous:

• I am (=I'm) driving

• he/she/it is (=he's, she's, it's) working

• we/you/they are (we're, you're, they're) doing etc.

I am doing something = I'm in the middle of doing it; I've started doing it and I haven't finished:

• Please don't make so much noise. I'm trying to work. (not I try)

• Let's go out now. It isn't raining any more. (not It doesn't rain)

• What's all that noise? What's going on? (=What's happening?)

Sometimes the action is not happening at the time of speaking. For example:

• Melinda is talking to a friend on the phone.

• Melinda: I'm reading a really good book at the moment. It's about a man who....

• Melinda is not reading the book at the time of speaking. She means that she has started it, but has not finished it yet. She is in the middle of reading it.

More examples:

• Alya wants to work in Italy, so she is learning Italian. (but perhaps she isn't learning Italian at the time of speaking)

• Some friends of mine are building their own house. They hope to finish it next summer.

You can use the present continuous with today/this week/this year etc. (now)

• You're working hard today. (not You work hard today)

• My grandmother isn't doing so well this year.

We use the present continuous when we talk about changes happening around now, especially with these verbs:

get; change; become; increase; rise; fall; grow; improve

Examples:

• Is your English getting better? (not Does your English get better?)

• The population of the world is increasing very fast. (not increases)

Multiple Choice

1. Please don't make so much noise.

• I'm trying to work.

• They're trying to sell it.

Multiple Choice

2. I need to eat something soon.

• I'm getting hungry.

• It's getting late.

Multiple Choice

3. I don't have anywhere to live right now.

• They're trying to sell it.

• I'm looking for an apartment.

Multiple Choice

4. We need to leave soon.

• It's getting late.

• The company is losing money.

Multiple Choice

5. They don't need their car any more.

• They're trying to sell it.

• They're lying.

Multiple Choice

6. Things are not so good at work.

• The company is losing money.

• They're trying to sell it.

Multiple Choice

7. It isn't true what they said.

• It's starting to rain.

• They're lying.

Multiple Choice

8. We're going to get wet.

• It's getting late.

• It's starting to rain.

Put the verb in the correct form, positive (I'm doing) or negative (I'm not doing).

Complete the sentences using the following verbs:

start; get; increase; change; rise