§ 1. The Formation of the Present Continuous

1. We form the Present Continuous by means of the auxiliary verb TO BE in the Present Indefinite (am/is/are) and Participle I of the main verb.

AM

IS + PARTICIPLE I (Ving)

ARE

E.g. I am writing a letter now.

She is still reading the book.

They are making a report at present.

In informal English we can also use short affirmative forms.

Full affirmative forms	Short affirmative forms
I am working. He (she, it) is working. We (you, they) are working.	I’m working. He (she, it)’s working. We (you, they)’re working.

SPELLING RULES

Before the ending -ING:

(a) we drop a mute -E;

E.g. to make – making

(b) we double a final consonant in a stressed syllable:

• in monosyllabic verbs after a short vowel;

  E.g. to hop – hopping	BUT to hope – hoping
  to bet – betting	to beat – beating

• in polysyllabic verbs if it has no diphthong;

E.g. to be´gin – beginning	BUT to ´open – opening
to per´mit – permitting	to ´visit – visiting
to re´fer – referring	to ´offer – offering
to pre´fer – preferring	to a´ppear – appearing

In British English we double a final -L after a short (stressed or unstressed) vowel.

E.g. to ful´fil (BrE)/ful´fill (AmE) – fulfilling	BUT to a´ppeal – appealing
to ´travel – travelling (BrE)/traveling (AmE)	to con´ceal – concealing

(c) we change a final -C into -CK;

E.g. to panic – panicking

to picnic – picnicking

(d) we change a final -IE into -Y;

E.g. to die – dying

to lie – lying

to tie – tying

(e) we do not change a final -Y.

E.g. to study – studying

2. In negative sentences we place the negative particle NOT after the auxiliary verb TO BE (am/is/are). In informal English we use short negative forms.

E.g. I am not/’m not writing a letter now.

She is not/isn’t reading the book.

They are not/aren’t making a report at present.

Full negative forms	Short negative forms
I am not working. He (she, it) is not working. We (you, they) are not working.	I’m not working. He (she, it) isn’t working. We (you, they) aren’t working.

3. In interrogative sentences (questions) we place the auxiliary verb TO BE (am/is/are) before the subject.

E.g. Am I writing a letter now?

Is she reading the book?

Are they making a report at present?

4. In negative-interrogative sentences (negative questions) we place the auxiliary verb TO BE (am/is/are) before the subject and the negative particle NOT after the subject. In informal English we place short negative forms before the subject.

E.g. Am I not/Aren’t I writing a letter now?

Is she not/Isn’t she reading the book?

Are they not/Aren’t they making a report at present?

Full negative-interrogative forms	Short negative-interrogative forms
Am I not working? Is he (she, it) not working? Are we (you, they) not working?	Aren’t I working? Isn’t he (she, it) working? Aren’t we (you, they) working?