English Exercises - Present Progressive 3

We form the present progressive (also known as the present continuous) using a form of to be + the -ing form of the verb.

The dog is running across the street.

Make sure you use the correct form of the auxiliary verb to be:

I am running

you are running

he/she/it is running

we are running

you are running

they are running

You form the -ing form of most verbs by adding the ending -ing to the base form of the verb.

watch → watching

eat → eating

With verbs ending in -e, the e is left out when forming the -ing form.

write → writing

live → living

In the case of verbs with a stressed final syllable ending in one vowel (a, e, i …) and one consonant (b, c, d …), the consonant is doubled.

run → running

sit → sitting

BUT:

answer → answering (no stressed final syllable)

read → reading (two vowels)

drink → drinking (two consonants)

With verbs ending in -ie, the -ing form is formed with y + ing (without ie).

lie → lying