Present Continuous / Present Progressive: Affirmative Form

Present Progressive/Continuous - Use

The Present Progressive is used when we talk about something which is happening now. It is also called Present Continuous. Have a look at the following examples:

1) actions happening at the moment of speaking (now, at the moment)

Peter is reading a book now.
She’s listening to the radio.

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2) fixed plan in the near future

She is going to Basel on Saturday.

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3) temporary actions

His father is working in Rome this month.
Note:
We do use verbs which express states and are normally not used with the Present Progressive. Watch the difference in meaning.
They love being together. (They are not together now.)
They are loving being together. (They are together now.)

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4) actions happening around the moment of speaking (longer actions)

My friend is preparing for his exams.

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5) trends

More and more people are using their computers to listen to music.

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6) repeated actions which are irritating to the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)

Andrew is always coming in late. (I don't like it.)
Simple Present:
Andrew always comes late. (Here I don't give a comment.)

Present Progressive - Spelling

Be careful with some words when adding -ing to the infinitive.

1) consonant after a short, stressed vowel at the end of the word

Double the consonant.

sit – he is sitting
put - he is putting
If the consonant is not stressed, we do not double it:
benefit - benefiting (Here we stress the first 'e', not the 'i'.)
In British English we double one -l at the end of the word:
travel - travelling

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2) one -e at the end of the word

Leave out the -e.
write – he is writing
take – he is taking
BUT:
double –e: add -ing
see – he is seeing

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3) verbs ending in -ie

Change 'ie' to 'y'.
lie - he is lying

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4) verbs ending in -c

Change 'c' to 'ck'.
picnic - he is picnicking

Special verbs in the Present Progressive

There are verbs which are normally not used in the Present Progressive, like:
be, believe, belong, hate, hear, like, love, mean, prefer, remain, realize, see, seem, smell, think, understand, want, wish
We sometimes use these words in the Present Progressive in the following situations:
He's seeing his father tomorrow. (fixed date)
The group is seeing the sights of Paris. (see in connection with tourists)
They are having a great time in Kapstadt. (have as an activity verb)
What's the matter with you? What are you thinking? - (to be worried about sth.)
If you are not sure with these verbs, use a good dictionary.

1) have as a full verb
affirmative sentence	negative sentence	question
I am having a bath.	I am not having a bath.	Am I having a bath?
he, she, it:
He is having a bath.	He is not having a bath.	Is he having a bath?
we, you, they:
We are having a bath.	We are not having a bath.	Are we having a bath?

1) do as a full verb
affirmative sentence	negative sentence	question
I am doing an exercise.	I am not doing an exercise.	Am I doing an exercise?
he, she, it:
He is doing an exercise.	He is not doing an exercise.	Is he doing an exercise?
we, you, they:
We are doing an exercise.	We are not doing an exercise.	Are we doing an exercise?

Long forms and short forms in the Present Progressive

We often use short forms of the auxiliaries. The Present Progressive is formed with the auxiliary to be (am, are, is), so short forms are very frequent.

affirmative
long form	short form
I am reading	I'm reading
he, she, it:	he, she, it:
he is reading	he's reading
we, you, they:	we, you, they:
we are reading	we're reading

negative (not after to be)
long form	short form
I am not reading	I'm not reading
he, she, it:	he, she, it:
he is not reading	he isn't reading or he's not reading
we, you, they:	we, you, they:
we are not reading	we aren't reading or we're not reading

Present Continuous The Simpsons

Present Progressive Definition

The present progressive is formed by combining the verb "to be" with the present participle. (The present participle is merely the "-ing" form of a verb.) I am studying. I am studying with María.