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Grammar The Present Continuous Tense

Positive and negative

I

am

playing

in the yard.

am

not

He

She

It

is

is

not

We

You

They

are

are

not

Subject question

Who

is

playing

in the yard?

Special questions

Where

is

he

playing?

There are some groups of verbs that are never used in the Present Continuous. The Present Simple is used with these verbs, because they mean states or conditions, i.e. facts – not activities.

Verbs of thinking and opinion

think* understand see suppose mean imagine believe know recognize realize remember forget agree doubt expect deserve

Verbs of emotions and feeling

like prefer dislike want hate wish love care hope

Verbs of senses

see* hear smell taste* feel

Verbs of having and being

have* possess contain include belong to seem sound owe own weigh cost deserve depend on need be resemble

* verbs can be used in the Present Continuous with the difference in meaning

Note spelling of verb + -ing

help – helping

come –coming

play – playing

get – getting

go - going

write - writing

stay – staying

plan - planning

build – building

have - having

try - trying

dig - digging

show - showing

*lie - lying

swim - swimming