Present Continuous Tense (Verb + ing) — Grammar, Examples and Exercises — English 2nd Year Middle School — Algerian Curriculum

The Present Continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now, at the moment of speaking. In this lesson, you will learn how to form and use this important tense correctly.

Learning Objectives

• Form the Present Continuous tense correctly (subject + am/is/are + verb-ing).
• Use the Present Continuous to describe actions happening now.
• Form negative sentences and questions in Present Continuous.
• Distinguish between Present Simple and Present Continuous.

1. Formation (التكوين)

The Present Continuous is formed with: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

I am (I’m) + verb-ing: I am reading a book.

He/She/It is (He’s/She’s/It’s) + verb-ing: She is writing a letter. / The cat is sleeping.

You/We/They are (You’re/We’re/They’re) + verb-ing: They are playing football.

2. Spelling Rules (قواعد الإملاء)

Most verbs: add -ing → play → playing, read → reading, eat → eating

Verbs ending in -e: drop -e, add -ing → make → making, write → writing, dance → dancing

Verbs ending in consonant + vowel + consonant (short verbs): double the last consonant + -ing → run → running, swim → swimming, sit → sitting, get → getting

Verbs ending in -ie: change -ie to -y + -ing → lie → lying, die → dying, tie → tying

3. Negative Form (النفي)

Add not after am/is/are:

I am not (I’m not) sleeping. / He is not (isn’t) working. / They are not (aren’t) playing.

4. Question Form (الاستفهام)

Put am/is/are at the beginning:

Am I reading? / Is she sleeping? / Are they playing football?

Wh-questions: What are you doing? / Where is he going? / Why are they laughing?

5. When to Use Present Continuous

✅ Actions happening NOW: “Look! The baby is crying.” / “I am doing my homework right now.”

✅ Temporary situations: “She is staying with her grandmother this week.”

✅ Future arrangements (near future): “We are going to the zoo tomorrow.”

❌ Do NOT use with state verbs (know, like, hate, want, need, believe, understand): “I know the answer.” (not “I am knowing”)

Examples

Example 1: Right now, Ahmed is studying for his exam. He is not watching TV.

Example 2: Listen! The birds are singing outside.

Example 3: A: What are you doing? B: I am making lunch. Can I help you?

Example 4: Look at the sky! It is raining heavily.

Exercises

1. Complete with the Present Continuous: “She _____ (read) a book. They _____ (play) in the garden.”
2. Make negative: “He is eating lunch.” → “He _____ _____ lunch.”
3. Make questions: “The children are sleeping.” → “_____ the children _____?”
4. Correct the mistake: “I am knowing the answer.”
5. Describe what your family members are doing right now (3 sentences).

Home Activity

Look out of your window for 5 minutes. Write 5 sentences in Present Continuous describing what people or animals are doing. Example: “A man is walking his dog.” / “Two children are playing football.”

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◆ دروس مشابهة

• La famille et la description physique — Le vocabulaire et les expressions — Français 2ème Année Moyenne — Programme Algérien
• Les Verbes Être et Avoir au Présent — Français 2ème Année Moyenne