Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Polytechnic University Institute

"Santiago Marino" San Cristobal Extension

School of Engineering of Industrial Design

Present and past

continuous

Name: Romero kevinC.I:25727931Course: ingles I

San Cristóbal 14/02/2017

The present continuous

The present continuous (also called progressive present) we use it basically

for the following two situations: 1.- Express that something is happening at this moment.

2. To say that something is happening for a limited time. Mario is studying in this school.

I am watching a movie.

Grammar of the present continuous

The indicated way of expressing a sentence in continuous present is the

following one:

Pronoun / name +

to be auxiliary +

"-ing" verb +

complement

1.- General rule of the gerund:

Basically (and generalized) the gerund is formed by adding the ending "-ing" to the verb:

Examples:Watch / watchingSpeak / speakPay / payingEat / eatDo / doing

2.- Verbs that end in letter "-e"

Verbs that end in the letter "-e" are going to remove this letter and add "-ing" ending:

Examples:Have / havingWrite / writeDance / dancingDrive / drivingSmile / smiling

3.- Specific cases

Verbs in which the final consonant is doubled and ending "-ing" (concrete cases):

Examples:Run / running Swim / swimmingStop / stoppingPlan / planning

Knowing these basic rules of the gerund in English can advance to review the grammar of the simple present in affirmative,

negative and interrogative sentences for the various personal pronouns.

Affirmative sentences of continuous present

1.- I am studying english

2.- She is checking her email

3.- They are eating pizza

Negative sentences of Present Continuous

1.- I'm not taking a shower

2.- He isn't running at the park3.- Adam and Clara aren't sleeping.

Interrogative sentences of continuous present:

- Does Gabriel take a nap? - No, it is not.

- Is Tomy reading a book?- Yes she is.

- Is the computer running? - It is not broken.

The continuous past

Grammatical time "continuous past" is used to talk about an activity in progress at a

specific time in the past.

This is the grammar of the continuous past:

Pronoun / Name +

was / were +

"-ing" verb +

complement

One of the most important uses of the continuous past is to speak about an activity in progress that is interrupted

by another action (structured in the simple past) that took place at the same time.

Continuous Past: Main ActionSimple Past: Switching action

1.- He was cleaning the closet when he found the money.

2.- We were driving to work when we had the accident.

In these examples the activity that was taking place is placed at the beginning of the sentence. It is feasible, in the same way, to place the main action in second

place.

1.- I found the money while I was cleaning the closet.

2.- We had the accident while we were driving to work.

In essence, the sentences in

continuous past follow the following

structure:

1.- My girlfriend was watching the TV show.

2.- Laura and Aaron were cooking dinner.

1.- We were not playing soccer.

2.- Paula wasn't paying attention to the class.

Affirmative sentences in

continuous past

Negative sentences in continuous past

(Yes / No Answer) - Was Peter listening to music?- Yes, he was / No, he wasn't

(Specific response)

Questions in continuous

past

- What was Daniel doing at the store?- He was buying the food for the week.