Present continuous — happening now · Presente continuo — ocurriendo ahora
Happening right now
- Use the present continuous for actions happening at this moment.
- Look! It's raining. The kids are playing outside.
- This is "now", not "every day".
I am cleaning my room now. The dust is making other plans.
Ocurre ahora mismo
- Usa el presente continuo para acciones que ocurren en este momento.
- ¡Mira! Está lloviendo. Los niños están jugando afuera.
- Esto es "ahora", no "todos los días".
Estoy limpiando mi habitación ahora. El polvo está haciendo otros planes.
The form: be + -ing
- am / is / are + verb**-ing**.
- I am reading. She is cooking. They are playing.
- The be verb is essential — never drop it.
La estructura: be + -ing
- am / is / are + verbo**-ing**.
- I am reading. She is cooking. They are playing. (Yo estoy leyendo. Ella está cocinando. Ellos están jugando.)
- El verbo be es esencial — nunca lo omitas.
Which sentence is in the present continuous? · ¿Cuál oración está en presente continuo?
Present continuous = be + verb-ing: “She is cooking”. · Presente continuo = be + verbo-ing: “She is cooking”.
Spelling the -ing
- Most verbs: just add -ing → read → reading.
- Verb ending in -e: drop the e → make → making.
- Short, stressed verbs: double the last letter → run → running, sit → sitting.
Ortografía del -ing
- La mayoría de los verbos: simplemente añade -ing → read → reading (leer → leyendo).
- Verbos que terminan en -e: elimina la e → make → making (hacer → haciendo).
- Verbos cortos y acentuados: duplica la última letra → run → running (correr → corriendo), sit → sitting (sentarse → sentado).
Make the -ing form · Formar la terminación -ing
Most verbs just add -ing; some drop -e, and short stressed verbs double the last letter. · La mayoría de los verbos solo añaden -ing; algunos eliminan la -e, y los verbos cortos acentuados duplican la última letra.
Write the -ing form of “run”. · Escribe la forma -ing de “run”.
Short stressed verbs double the last letter: run → running. · Los verbos cortos y acentuados duplican la última letra: run → running.
Now vs always
- Present simple = a habit: I read every night.
- Present continuous = right now: I am reading now.
- Signal words now, at the moment, today point to the continuous.
Ahora vs siempre
- Present simple = un hábito: I read every night. (Leo todas las noches.)
- Present continuous = ahora mismo: I am reading now. (Estoy leyendo ahora.)
- Las palabras clave now, at the moment, today (ahora, en este momento, hoy) indican el uso del continuo.
“I am reading now.” — Is the present continuous correct here? · “I am reading now.” — ¿Es correcto aquí el presente continuo?
“now” signals an action happening at this moment → present continuous. · “now” indica una acción que ocurre en este momento → presente continuo.
Translate into English: 他们正在踢足球。 · Traduce al inglés: 他们正在踢足球。
Happening now → are + playing: “They are playing football.” · Ocurriendo ahora → are + playing: “They are playing football.”
Common mistakes
- ❌ They are play football. → ✓ They are playing football. — be and -ing go together.
- ❌ She is cooking every day. → ✓ She cooks every day. — habits use the present simple.
- ❌ He is writeing. → ✓ He is writing. — drop the e, then add -ing.
Errores comunes
- ❌ They are play football. → ✓ They are playing football. — be y -ing van juntos.
- ❌ She is cooking every day. → ✓ She cooks every day. — los hábitos usan el presente simple.
- ❌ He is writeing. → ✓ He is writing. — elimina la e, luego añade -ing.
Match the verb to its -ing form. · Une el verbo con su forma -ing.
run / sit double the last letter; write drops the e; study just adds -ing. · run / sit duplican la última letra; write elimina la e; study simplemente añade -ing.
Is this correct? “I am knowing the answer.” · ¿Es esto correcto? “I am knowing the answer.”
know is a state verb — no continuous: “I know the answer.” · know es un verbo de estado — no va en continuo: “I know the answer.”
- Present continuous = an action happening now.
- Form: am / is / are + verb-ing.
- Don't drop be: He is working, not He working.
- Present continuous = una acción que ocurre ahora.
- Estructura: am / is / are + verbo-ing.
- No omitas be: He is working, no He working.
Look around you. Write one sentence about what someone is doing right now, using the present continuous. · Mira a tu alrededor. Escribe una oración sobre lo que alguien está haciendo ahora mismo, usando el presente continuo.
Example: “My friend is listening to music.” (is + listening) · Ejemplo: “My friend is listening to music.” (is + listening)