Present Continuous

§Text Passage

§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation

1Summary 重點摘要

be + V-ing。

2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary

3Step by step Steps

1. StructureThe present continuous describes an action happening right now. The structure is subject plus be plus verb-ing. Example: I am reading a book. She is drinking water. Remember that be cannot be left out or doubled, and the -ing form must follow the spelling rules. Sentences often contain time words such as now and at the moment, which show the action is happening at this moment; both parts are necessary.
2. beMatch be with the subject: I takes am; he, she and it take is; you, we and they take are. Example: They are playing football. The dog is sleeping. A name counts as one person, so Ken is singing is correct. In there be sentences, the form follows the noun after it, as in There is a bird singing. Choosing the wrong form of be is the most common mistake, so always check the subject again.
3. TimeThe present continuous often goes with these time words and signals: now, at the moment, right now, look and listen. Example: Look! The children are dancing. Note that look and listen at the start of a sentence draw attention to something happening now, so the sentence after them takes the present continuous; now and at the moment usually go at the end of the sentence, with almost the same meaning.
4. SpellingThere are three main rules for adding ing. Most verbs simply add ing, so read becomes reading. Verbs ending in a silent e drop the e first, so make becomes making and write becomes writing. Verbs with a stressed closed syllable and one final consonant double the last letter, so run becomes running and swim becomes swimming. Sit becomes sitting and get becomes getting in the same way; a wrong spelling counts as an error.
5. Negatives and questionsFor negatives, put not after be, as in He is not sleeping. For questions, move be to the front, as in Are you listening? The short answers are Yes, I am and No, I'm not. Negatives can use the short forms isn't and aren't. In short answers, be must match the question, as in Is she singing? Yes, she is. After be moves to the front, the subject and the -ing form stay unchanged; a mixed-up word order makes the sentence wrong.
6. Now vs habitKeep the two tenses apart: I am reading now means the action is happening at this moment, while I read every night describes a nightly habit. The key is the time words: now and at the moment go with the present continuous, while every day, usually and always go with the simple present. Never mix the two, and never say I am read now; frequency adverbs are not used with the continuous form, and this contrast is a common exam point.

5Worked example Example

6Common mistakes Mistakes

7Quick check Quick check

8Recap Recap

• Present continuous = subject + am/is/are + verb-ing.
• Be matching: I am, he/she/it is, you/we/they are.
• Signal words: now, at the moment, Look!, Listen!
• Spelling: run→running (double the n), make→making (drop the e).
• Habits do not use the continuous: I read every night (not am reading).