PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Why do we teach it?

Students who have never studied English before tend to come into the class bravely
attempting to talk about the Present using a mix of Present Simple and Present
Continuous, eg:

1. ‘I walking to work every day’

2. ‘Just now I listen to teacher’
3. ‘I am like fish’ (always makes me laugh later.)

It is no surprise that they have picked this up from listening to conversations without
having the meaning, form and rules explained to them. Also it creates confusion for the
listener – as we can see in example 3 above, the confusion has led to a change of meaning
from what the student intended.

We also need to remember that if we teach them the Present Continuous it will help
introduce them to a simple form of the Future.

How to introduce it?

Talk for a little while to the students in the Present Simple.

‘I am a teacher. Every day I get up and walk to work.. Every day I eat…’
The change your talk to:
‘Now I am teaching in Forfar. Now I am standing at the front of the class…’
Some students get it pretty quickly, some never do. Almost all will confuse the form for a
long time even after they have grasped the meaning.

Things we like talking about in the Present Continuous:

 What I’m doing right now
 What’s happening right now
 What we can see right now

Where can I get resources?

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/ESOL_Access2_EverydayCommunication_Student.
pdf
pp 68 – 75

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/ESOL_Access2_EverydayCommunication_Teacher.
pdf
pp 35 - 37

Other resources follow

PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Every day he walks to work (PRESENT SIMPLE)

Now he is sleeping. (PRESENT CONTINUOUS)

What is he doing now?

What does he do every day?

Every night he sleeps. (PRESENT SIMPLE)

Now he is walking to work. (PRESENT CONTINUOUS)

What is he doing now?

What does he do every night?

PRESENT SIMPLE

Use the Simple Present for repeated or usual actions.

I sleep
You sleep
He/she sleeps
We sleep
They sleep

 Question: Do you sleep every night?

 Negative: You do not sleep every night.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Use the Present Continuous for actions happening now, at this very
moment.

Subject Verb ‘to be’ Main verb + ‘ing’

I am sleeping
You are sleeping
He/she is sleeping
We are sleeping
They are sleeping

 Question: Are you sleeping?

 Negative: I am not sleeping

 Present Simple or Present Continuous?

1. Look! He (leave) the house.

2. Quiet please! I (write) a letter.

3. She usually (walk) to school.

4. Right now she (go) to work by bike.

5. Every Sunday we (go) to see my grandparents.

6. He often (go) to the cinema.

7. We (play) football at the moment.

8. The child never (cry)

9. I (not / do) anything at the moment.

10. you (swim) every day at the pool?

More help with the rules:

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentcontinuous.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RYdMEDfRdU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7Gw6MFRfLI

More exercises at:

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/support-
files/present_continuous_form_positive_and_negative_1.pdf

There are packs of large flashcards called ‘Colorcards’ VERBS. Ask me if there’s not
one around in your base. They are ideal for holding up and asking ‘What’s s/he doing?’ to
get the correct tense response.