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The present continuous

Form
1. Affimative
  1. * I am working.
  2. *You are working.
2. Negative
  1. *I am not working.
  2. *She is not working
3. Interrogative
  1. * am I working?
  2. *am Inot working
The spelling of the present participle
1. when a verb ends in a single "e", this "e" is dropped before "ing".
  1. argue-arguing
  2. hate-haling
2. when a verb of one syllable has one vowel and ends in a single consonant, this consonant, this consonant is doubled before "ing".
  1. hiy- hitting
  2. run- running
3. verbs of two or more syllabes whose last syllable contains only one vowel and ends in a single consonant double this consonant if the stress falls on the last syllable.
  1. admit- admitting
  2. begin- beginning
4. "ing" can be added to a verb ending in "y" without affecting the espelling of the verb.
  1. carry- carrying
  2. enjoy- enjoying
Uses of the present continuous
1. For an action happening now:
  1. It is raining.
  2. Iam mil wearing a coat as it isn't cold.
2. For an action happening about this time but not necessarily at the moment of speaking:
  1. I am reading a play by shaw.
3. For a definite arrangement in the near future (the most usual way of expressing one's inmediate plans.
  1. I´m meeting Peter tonight. He is taking me to the theatre
4. For an action wich appears to be continuous.
  1. He is always working= He works the whole time.
Verbs not normally used in the continuous tenses
1. verbs of the senses (involuntary actions):
  1. feel, hear, see, smell.
2. Verbs involving the deliberate use of the senses, are used in the continuous tenses.
  1. listen, look, gaze
3. verbs expressing feeling and emotions
  1. admire, adoreciate, desire, detest, hate, like
4. verbs of mental activity:
  1. agree, assume, believe,forget.
5. Verbs od possesion
  1. belong, owe, own.
Feel, look, smell and taste used in the continuous forms
1. Fell
  1. when followed by an adjective indicating the subjects emotions or i physical or mental condition: angry/pleased, happy/sad.
2. Look
  1. tThe continuous is not used with look used as a link verb: look on, look up to.
3. Taste
  1. Taste meaning "to test the flavour of can be used in the continuous: She was tasting the pudding to see if was sweet enough.
4. Smell
  1. smell used as a link, but can be used with smell meaning "sniff at": Why are you smelling the milk?
See and hear used in the continuous forms
1. see
  1. Can be used in the continuous when it means "meet by appointment: The director is seeing the applicants this morning.
2. Hear
  1. can be used in the continuous when it means "listen formally to": The court is hearing evidence this accident

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The present continuous

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	Created by Lorena Mendoza over 7 years ago