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The present progressive is used for actions going on in the moment of speaking and for actions taking
place only for a short period of time. It is also used to express development and actions that are arranged
for the near future.
Use:
you, we, they You are playing. You are not playing. Are you playing?
In negative sentences, we put not between the form of be and the verb.
In questions, we simply swop the places of subject and the form of be.
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Exercise on the formation
Exercise on Form
I I am working.
he He is not dreaming.
it It is snowing.
we Are we singing?
1. I / to read a book -
2. it / to rain -
3. he / to repair his bike -
4. they / to watch a film -
5. the cat /to sleep on the chair -
6. Jane and Emily / to do their homework -
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7. Bill / to wait at the bus stop -
8. we / to listen to the radio -
9. the children / to play a game -
10. Laura / to walk the dog -
1. I am watching TV. -
2. I am talking. -
3. They are drawing. -
4. He is opening the window. -
5. Angela is cleaning the bathroom. -
6. We are helping in the garden. -
7. You are singing. -
8. It is raining. -
9. She is joking. -
10. I am tidying up my room. -
Exercise on questions
Exercise on questions I
Write questions with the words below.
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Exercise on questions with interrogative particles
The final consonant after a short, stressed vowel is doubled before ing.
example: sit - sitting
I am sitting on the sofa. You are sitting on the sofa. He is sitting on the sofa.
The letter l as final consonant after a vowel is always doubled before ing.
example: travel - travelling
I am travelling around. You are travelling around. He is travelling around.
Mind: This applies only for British English; in American English there is usually only one l.
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An ie at the end of a word becomes y before ing.
example: lie - lying
I am lying in bed. You are lying in bed. He is lying in bed.
Exercise on Exceptions 1
Write down the ing form of the following words. Mind the exceptions in spelling.
1. make -
2. have -
3. sit -
4. run -
5. lie -
6. stop -
7. model -
8. get -
9. travel -
10. tie -
Exercise on Exceptions 2
Use the words below to write sentences in present progressive. Note that sometimes there are exceptions
in spelling when adding 'ing'.
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Present Progressive - Short Forms
affirmative negative
He is playing. - He's playing. He is not playing. - He's not playing. / He isn't playing.
We are playing. - We're playing. We are not playing. - We're not playing. /We aren't playing.
1. I'm climbing. -
2. You're studying. -
3. He's falling. -
4. We're having fun. -
5. They're shopping. -
6. He's not speaking. -
7. I'm not lying. -
8. They're not playing. -
9. She isn't painting. -
10. You aren't watching TV. -
1. I am reading. -
2. You are talking. -
3. He is running. -
4. We are jumping. -
5. They are writing. -
6. It is raining. -
7. I am not joking. -
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8. They are not working. -
9. She is not singing. -
10. You are not eating. -
The people in the pictures are in the middle of an action. Answer the questions in complete sentences
using the words in brackets in the correct form.
On the right you see Kim's diary for the next week. Answer the questions. Leave out the time expressions
(see example).
The following actions are not permanent, but limited in time. Write sentences in the present progressive.
Actions taking place around now (but not at the moment of speaking)
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Exercise on actions taking place around now
For Judy, everything is topsy-turvy right now: there's a lot to do for school and even her private life is very
busy at the moment. Write sentences in the present progressive, expressing what Judy is doing now (but
not at the moment of speaking).
Right now (March 2003), British papers are suffering from a changing situation. They are losing readers to
other media such as TV or internet.
Put the verbs into the correct form (present progressive). Use the long form as this is more typical for
formal articles.
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10. Some papers (to think) of launching new titles to survive in this contracting market.
Exercise on lyrics
Put the verbs into the correct form (present progressive). Use the grammatically correct form, e.g. is doing
or 's doing, but not the forms you'd usually find in lyrics ('s doin oder 's doin').
1. PINK - Get The Party Started: Everybody (to wait) for me to arrive.
2. AVRIL LAVIGNE - Complicated: I like you the way you are when we (to drive) in your car.
3. J'LO - Jenny From The Block: I know where I (go) and I know where I'm from.
4. BLUE (feat. ELTON JOHN) - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word: And it (get) more and more absurd.
5. BLUE - U Make Me Wanna: That's why I'm here, I (write) this song.
6. BUSTED - What I Go To School For: I guess that's why my marks (get) so high.
7. JC CHASEZ - Blowing Me Up: There's something about you baby. It (take) me over.
8. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - Feel: Before I fall in love, I (prepare) to leave her.
9. EMINEM: Lose Yourself: He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out. He (choke) . How
everybody (joke) now.
10. NICK CARTER - I Got You: They say I (look) for something that can't be found.
1. I (to starve)
2. I can tell when you (to lie)
3. I (to joke / only)
4. She (to go out) with a real cutie.
5. (you / to try) to pull my leg?
6. You (not / to fool) anyone.
7. What (to go on) here?
8. I (look forward) to seeing you again.
9. What (you / to do) ?
10. (I / to dream) ?
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Exercise on Signal Words
1. Which of the words is a signal word for actions taking place at the moment of speaking?
now never sometimes
2. Which of the words is a signal word for actions taking place at the moment of speaking?
yesterday tomorrow at the moment
3. Which of the words is a signal word for actions taking place at the moment of speaking?
Listen! last night next week
4. Which of the words is not a signal word for actions taking place at the moment of speaking?
right now just now every day
5. Which of the words is not a signal word for actions taking place at the moment of speaking?
Listen! usually Look!
6. Which of the words can be a signal word for an arrangement for the near future?
yesterday in the afternoon last week
7. Which of the words can be a signal word for an arrangement for the near future?
tomorrow every week usually
8. Which of the words can be a signal word for an arrangement for the near future?
last Sunday every Sunday next Sunday
9. Which of the words cannot be a signal word for an arrangement for the near future?
next week last week next Friday
10. Which of the words cannot be a signal word for an arrangement for the near future?
never at noon in the morning
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Present Progressive Test
Test your knowledge on the present progressive. After submitting your answers, you will see
how well you have done in the test.
Test
Exceptions
Choose the correct form. Note that there are exceptions in spelling when adding 'ing.'
Rewrite the sentences using the short forms (where long forms are given) or the long forms (where short
forms are given).
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Verneinung
Test
Positive Sentences
Rewrite the sentences using the short forms (where long forms are given) or the long forms (where short
forms are given).
1. He is eating. -
2. I am driving. -
3. We are not riding. -
4. You're telling great jokes. -
5. She's not hurrying. -
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Bildung von negativen Sätzen
Signalwörter
1. Which of the following words can be a signal word for an arranged action taking place in the near future.
every Monday next Monday last Monday
2. Which of the following words is a signal word for an action taking place in the moment of speaking?
now next week often
3. Which of the following words is not a signal word for an action taking place in the moment of speaking?
at the moment Listen! never
4. Which of the following words cannot be a signal word for an arranged action taking place in the near
future?
tomorrow last night this evening
5. Which of the following words is a signal word for an action taking place in the moment of speaking?
Look! two days ago every Friday
Test
Form
Use the words in the first column to form sentences in the present progressive. Write the correct form
(positive, negative, question) in the appropriate column.
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I / walk
you / read
he / speak
she / eat
it / rain
we / jump
they / play
Besonderheiten
Write the ing form of the verbs. Mind the spelling when adding ing.
1. bake -
2. swim -
3. say -
4. travel -
5. lie -
Short forms
Rewrite the sentences using the short form when the long form is given and vice versa.
Verwendung
Signalwörter
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