Present continuous – I’m doing, I’m not doing, Are you doing?
Mục Lục
Present continuous – Form
We form the present continuous with am/is/are + the -ing form of the verb.
- I
am writing
a book.
- She
is listening
to the radio. - They
are doing
their homework.
The short forms of am/is/are are: ‘m/’s/’re.
- I
‘m writing
a book.
- She
‘s listening
to the radio.
- They
‘re doing
their homework.
The negative short forms of am not/is not/are not are: ‘m not/isn’t/aren’t.
- I
‘m not writing
a book.
- She
isn’t listening
to the radio.
- They
aren’t doing
their homework.
Note that we can use short forms only in negative short answers, but not in positive short answers.
- ‘Are you writing a book?’ ‘No,
I’m not/I am not
.’
- ‘Are you writing a book?’ ‘Yes,
I am
.’ (NOT Yes, I’m.)
Actions happening now
We use the present continuous for things happening now, at the moment of speaking.
- ‘What
are
you
doing
?’ ‘I
‘m watching
TV.’
Actions happening around now
We use the present continuous for temporary things that are happening around now (=not at the moment of speaking but these days, or weeks, etc.)
- I
‘m reading
a very good book at the moment. (=I’m not reading it at the moment I’m speaking, but I’m reading it these days.)
Now, these days, at the moment, etc.
We use the present continuous with time expressions that mean ‘now’ or ‘around now’: now, at the moment, at present, today, these days, this week, etc.
