Present Continuous
Il Present Continuous si usa per esprimere un’azione presente quando si verifica una delle seguenti
circostanze:
Circostanza
1. Now: Il verbo esprime un’azione che si sta
svolgendo nel momento in cui si parla
Esempio
Che cosa facendo?
Sto scrivendo una lettera. (Sto scrivendo in questo
momento)
2. Around now: Il verbo esprime un’azione che si
svolge nel limitato periodo di tempo di cui si
parla, anche se non necessariamente nel
momento in cui si parla.
Che cosa stai facendo in questi giorni ?
Sto studiando inglese, perché fra un mese avrò
l’esame. (Non sto studiando in questo momento,
ma in questo periodo)
3. Future plan: Il verbo esprime un programma
preciso per il futuro
Partirò domani alle 15.45.
Come si costruisce
Il Present Continuous, come tutti i tempi progressivi, è un tempo composto. Utilizza l’ausiliare to be al
Simple Present e la forma in -ing del verbo della frase.
Se il verbo deve essere messo in forma negativa o interrogativa, si fa la forma negativa o interrogativa del
verbo to be, mentre il verbo nella -ing form rimane invariato al suo posto.
forma
Forma affermativa
costruzione
soggetto + to be + verbo –ing + complemento
he
is
writing
a letter
Forma negativa
soggetto + to be + NOT + verbo –ing + complemento
he
is
not writing
a letter
(isn’t)
Forma interrogativa
to be + soggetto + verbo –ing + complemento + ?
is
he
writing
a letter ?
COME CREARE LA FORMA -ING DEI VERBI
Con molti verbi basta aggiungere -ing alla forma base, con altri è necessario cambiare un po' la parte finale.
verbi che terminano in:
1 vocale + 1 consonante
finiscono per vocale -e
come creare –ing form
raddoppiare la consonante e
aggiungere -ing
Togliere - e aggiungere - ing
tutti gli altri
aggiungere -ing
esempi
swim - swimming
get - getting
come - coming
live - living
go – going
watch - watching
Write the –ing form
1
Present Continuous
1. smoke
2. ski
3. write
4. study
5. read
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
6. play
7. copy
8. take
9. walk
10. put
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Write the –ing form of the verbs in bracket
1. She is __________________ (play) softball right now.
2. Be quiet! The grand mum is __________________ (sleep).
3. I am __________________ (study) French.
4. They are __________________ (listen) to some music.
5. Look! It is __________________ (rain).
6. Jenny is __________________ (work) today.
7. They are __________________ (build) their own house.
8. Mary is __________________ (help) mum in the kitchen.
9. The train is __________________ (go) through the tunnel.
10. The kids are __________________ (play) in the park.
Write the present continuous in the affirmative form of the verbs in bracket
1. The children _________________________ (play) in the park.
2. Julie and Michael _________________________ (work) in the same office.
3. The airplane _________________________ (fly) to Milan.
4. My cousin _________________________ (buy) some eggs.
5. John and Jenny_________________________ (drink) coffee just now.
6. She _________________________ (tell) the truth.
7. I _________________________ (drive) John’s car.
8. My mother _________________________ (read) a novel.
9. My brother _________________________ (sleep) now.
10. He _________________________ (watch) TV.
Write the negative form of the present continuous
1. We ____________________ (smoke) cigarettes.
2. He ____________________ (sing) in a rock band.
3. He ____________________ (eat).
4. Susan ____________________ (have) a shower.
5. Emanuela ____________________ (do) the ironing.
6. We ____________________ (run) in the park.
7. It ____________________ (rain) outside.
8. She ____________________ (work) at the computer.
9. I ____________________ (practise) the piano.
10. The train ____________________ (arrive) on time.
2
Present Continuous
Write the interrogative form of the present continuous
1. _____________________________ (you / speak) English?
2. _____________________________ (they / spend) a lot of money?
3. _____________________________ (she / leave) at midnight?
4. _____________________________ (they / speak) apples?
5. _____________________________ (Paul / do) his homework?
6. _____________________________ (my dog / bark) at the postman?
7. _____________________________ (you / look) for my English book?
8. _____________________________ (he / ride) a horse?
9. _____________________________ (your sister / make) a cake?
10. _____________________________ (they / work)?
Make correct sentences with the present continuous
1. I ____________________ in the kitchen. (sit)
2. _______ your mother _____________ dinner? (cook)
3. She ____________________ the vegetables right now. (cut)
4. My sister ____________________ her. (not help)
5. my grandparents ____________________ the newspaper in the living room? (read)
6. I ____________________ dinner tonight. (not have)
7. My brother ____________________ in the garden. (play)
8. My father ____________________ TV. (watch)
9. They ____________________ my mother either. (help)
10. My mother ____________________ the vegetables. (boil)
Make correct sentences with the present continuous
1. “Where’s Tom?” - “He ______________________ (play) tennis with Sarah”.
2. “Have you written the letter?” - “No, I ______________________ (write) it now”.
3. She ______________________ (not do) her homework, she ______________________ (read) a book.
4. ______________________ (they / work) at the moment?
5. Let’s go out! It ______________________ (not rain).
6. I don’t like your friends, they always ______________________ (complain).
7. My brother ______________________ (not wait) for the bus, he ______________________ (go) on foot.
8. At the moment we ______________________ (plan) our future work.
9. She ______________________ (see) her grandparents next weekend?
10. Why ______________________ (they / do) their homework?
11. Peter and Michael ______________________ (eat) Chinese food in that new restaurant.
12. Jason ______________________ (study) for his math exam.
13. Alex and I ______________________ (play) cards.
14. My mother ______________________ (not/sleep), she's taking a shower.
15. They ______________________ (watch) a movie in the computer.
16. I ______________________ (write) a letter to my cousin.
17. Susan and Paul ______________________ (not/sing), they are dancing.
18. My cat ______________________ (drink) milk.
19. We ______________________ (paint) the house.
3
Present Continuous
20. Karla ______________________ (teach) German to her students.
Answer the questions. Use the short answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Are you doing your homework?
Are they helping you?
Is he eating his breakfast?
Is he putting the children to bed?
Are you and your brother watching TV?
Is mum making dinner?
Are you having lunch?
Yes, _______________________________________
Yes, _______________________________________
No, _______________________________________
Yes, _______________________________________
No, _______________________________________
No, _______________________________________
Yes, _______________________________________
Write questions for the given answer
1. ____________________________________________________________________________
She is reading a book.
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
No, Mark and John are watching TV
3. ____________________________________________________________________________
Yes, my mother is cooking spaghetti.
4. ____________________________________________________________________________
No, my friends are studying English. Tomorrow they are having a test.
5. ____________________________________________________________________________
Yes, they are. The like listening to music.
Put the words in order and make sentences with the present continuous
1. I / a / read / book
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Look / they / after / children / their
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Football / Nick / now / play
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Read the postcard and answer the questions
Dear Tony. Greetings from Australia.
We’re at the beach at the moment. The weather is fantastic. The sun is shining and it’s a quite hot. I’m
writing postcards. Susan is swimming. Mark is windsurfing. Mary and Bob are lying in the sun.
We’re having a great time.
See you soon.
Love, Betty
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Are these people having a holiday in Italy?
Is betty swimming?
What is Mark doing?
Is Susan sunbathing?
Are Mary and Bob writing postcards?
Are the getting bored.
Is it raining?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
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