D.The Present continuous

A. PRESENTATION

When I say this sentence, I am in class. I am sitting. I am not standing. The action sitting is happening right now, and I am saying the sentence at the same time.
The present continuous is used to describe actions in progress and have some duration.

am + -ing               I am sitting in class right now.

    is+ -ing                Rita is sitting in class right now.

    are + -ing               You are sitting in class right now.

am, is, are = helping verbs
sitting = the main verb
am, is, are + -ing = the present continuous 

B. Exercises

Exercise 1. Practice using the present continuous by using am/is/are + wearing.
Part 1: Answer questions about what you are wearing today and what your classmates are wearing.
Example :
Rosa, what are you wearing today ?I'm wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt.


What is Jim Won wearing ?
He's wearing blue jeans and a sweat shirt.

What color is his sweat shirt?
It's a gray with red letters.


What else is Jim Won wearing ?
He's wearing sneakers, white socks, and a wristwatch.
Part 2 : Identify who is wearing particular articles of clothing.
Example: a (blue) shirt
Response: Marco is wearing a blue shirt.

Suggestions: 1. gold earrings  2. blue jeans   3. a blouse   4. a red blouse   5. gray slacks
6. brown boots  7. a black belt   8. a necklace   9. running shoes

Exercise 2. Act out the directions. Describe the actions using the present continuous. Sustain the action during the description.
Example: Smile
What are you doing ?
I'm smiling.

1. Stand in middle of the room. 
2. Sit in the middle of the room.
3. Stand in the back of the room.
4. Touch the floor.
5. Touch the ceiling.
6. Touch you toes.
7. Open the door.
8. Shake hands with (.....).
9. Smile at (.....).
10. Stand up and turn around in a circle.
11. Hold your book above your head.
12. Hold up your right hand.
13. Hold up your left hand.
14. Touch your right ear with your left hand.
15. Stand up.
16. Sit down.
17. Clap your hands.

C. SPELLING OF -ING

Rule 1.  A CONSONANT + -E   =  DROP THE -E AND ADD - ING

SMILE - SMILING
WRITE - WRITING

Rule 2. ONE VOWEL + ONE CONSONANT  =  DOUBLE THE CONSONANT AND ADD -ING

SIT - SITTING
RUN - RUNNING

Rule 3. TWO VOWELS + ONE CONSONANT = ADD -ING, DO NOT DOUBLE THE      CONSONANT

 READ - READING

RAIN - RAINING

Rule 4. TWO CONSONANT = ADD -ING , DO NOT DOUBLE THE CONSONANT

STAND - STANDING

PUSH - PUSHING

Vowels = a, e, i, o, u

Consonants b,c,d,f,g,h,jk,l,m,np,q,r,s,t,v,w,x,y,z.

Exception to rule 2 : Do not double w, x, and y.

snow - snowing, fix - fixing, say - saying

D. Exercises

Exercise 3. Write the -ing forms for the fowlloing words : stand, smile, run, rain, sleep,write, eat, count, wear, ride, cut, dance, put, sneeze, plan, snow, fix, say, cry.

Exercise 4.  Write the -ing forms for the fowlloing words : dream, come, look, take, bite, hit, hurt, clap, keep, camp, shine, win, join, sign, fly, pay, study, get, wait, write.

Exercise 5. Practice using the present continuous to describe actions.

Example: erase the board

He/She is erasing the board.

1. draw a picture on the board                    9. hit your desk
2. sneeze                                                     10. drop your pen
3. cough                                                      11. tear of piece of paper
4. wave at your friend                                 12. break a piece of chalk
5. clap you hands                                        13. fall down
6. walk around the room                             14. sign, hum, or whistle
7. count your fingers                                   15. sleep
8. bite your finger                                       16. snore

E. QUESTIONS YES/NO

Interogative and negative of present continuous are similar with  TO BE.

BE + SUBJECT + -ING

 Is Mary sleeping? - Yes, she is. No, she's not.

Are you watching TV ? Yes, I'm. No I'm not.

         Q-WORD + BE + SUBJECT + -ING

Where is Mary sleeping ? On the sofa.(She's sleeping on the sofa)

Why are you watching TV ? Because I like this program. 

(I'm watching TV because I like this program)

F.Exercises

Exercise 6. Make questions. Give short answer to yes/no questions.

Example: What are you writing ?

A letter. ( I'm writing a letter.)

Is Eli reading a book ?

No, he isn't/he's not. ( Ali isn't reading a book.)

1. Yes, ............................(Ana is eating lunch.)
2. Where ....................... ? At the red Bird Cafe. (She's eating lunch at the Bird Cafe.)
3. No,.............................. (Mike isn't drinking a cup of coffee.)
4. What .........................? A cup of tea. (He's drinking a cup of tea.)
5. No,...............................( The girls aren't playing in the street.)
6. Where ......................... ? In the park. ( They're playing in the park.)
7. Why.......................... ? Because they don't have school today. ( They're playing in the park because they don't have school today.)
8. Hi kids. .............................No,..............................( We aren't drawing pictures with our crayons.)
9. Why...............................? Because we have a buried treasure at our secret in the woods. ( We're drawing maps because we have a buried treasure at our secret place in the woods.)

Exercise 7. Make questions with where, why, and what.

Example : What are you writing?

A letter. (I'm writing a letter.)

1. Because I'm happy. (I'm smiling because I'm happy.)
2. My grammar book. (I'm reading my grammar book.)
3. Because we're doing an exercise. (I'm reading my grammarbook because we're doing an exercise.)
4. In the back of the room. (Roberto is sitting in the back of the room.)
5. Downtown. (I'm going downtown.)
6. Because I need to buy some shoes. (I'm going downtown because I need to buy some shoes.)
7. Blue jeans  and a sweatshirt. (Akihiko is wearing blue jeans  and a sweatshirt today.)

G. NONACTION VERBS NOT USED IN THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

A. I'm hungryright now. I want an apple.

     ( INCORRECT: I am wanting an apple. )

B. I hear a siren. Do you hear it too?

    ( INCORRECT: I'm  hearing a siren. Are you hearing it too? )

Somev erbs are NOT used in the present progressive. They are called "nonaction verbs." 

In (A):  Want is a nonaction verb. Want expresses a physical or emotional need, not an action. 

In (B): Hear is a nonaction verb. Hear expresses a sensory experience, not an action.

NONACTION VERBS
                      want                   hear                    understand
                      need                   see                      know
                      like                    smell                   believe
                      love                   taste                    think  (meaning believe)*
                      hate

H. Exercises

Exercise 8. Use the words in parentheses to complete the sentences. 

  Use the SIMPLE PRESENT or the PRESENT CONTINUOUS.

1. Alice is in her room right now. She (read) is reading a book. 

    She (like) likes the book.

2. It (snow)             right now.  It's beautiful!  I (like)                   this weather.

3. I  (know)                Jessica Jones.  She's in my class.

4  The teacher (talk)          to us right now.  I (understand)               everything she's saying. 

5. Don is at a restaurant right now. He (eat)            dinner.He (like)              the food. 

    It (taste)               good. 

6. (Sniff-sniff). I (smell)                   gas.  (you, smell)                           it too ?

7. Jason (tell)                  us a story right now. I (believe)               his story.I (think) that story is true.

8. Ugh! That cigar (smell)               terrible.

H. SEE, LOOK AT, WATCH, HEAR AND LISTEN TO

SEE,  LOOK AT,  and WATCH

(a)  I see many things in this room. 

(b)  I'm looking at the clock.I want to know the time. 

(c)  Bob is watching TV.

In (a):  see =a nonaction verb. Seeing happens because my eyes are open.  Seeing is a physical reaction, not a planned action. 

In  (b): look at = an action verb. Looking is a planned or purposeful action. 

Looking happens for a reason. 

In (c): watch =an action verb.  I watch something for a long time, but I look at something for a short time.
HER and LISTEN TO

(d)  I'm  in my  apartment.   I'm trying to study. I hear music from the next apartment. The music is loud.

(e)  I'm in my apartment. I'm studying. I have a tape recorder.  I'm listsning to music. I like to listen to music when I study.

In (d):  hear =a nonaction verb.  Hearing is an unplanned act. It expresses a physical reaction. 

In (e): listen (to) = an adon verb. Listening happens for a purpose.

I. Exercises

Exercise 9. Answer the questions.

             1. What do you see in this room?
                Now look at something. What are you looking at?

             2. Turn to page 85 of this book. What do you see?
                Now look at one thing on that page.What are you looking at?

             3.  Look at the floor.  What do you see?

             4.  Look at the chalkboard.  What do you see?

             5.  What programs do you like to watch on TV?

             6. What sports do you like to watch?

             7.  What animals do you like to watch when you go to the zoo?

             8. What do you hear right now?

             9.  What do you hear when you walk down the street?

            10. What do you hear at night in the place where you live?

            11. What do you listen to when you go to a concert?

            12. What do you listen to when you go to a language laboratory?