¿Qué es el Present Continuous?
El Present Continuous (también llamado Present Progressive) es un tiempo verbal que usamos para hablar de acciones que están ocurriendo ahora mismo, en el momento en el que hablamos. También puede utilizarse para hablar de planes futuros o acciones temporales.
Añadiendo ING a los verbos
Para formar el present continuous es fundamental saber conjugar el verbo to be en present simple y saber añadir ing a los verbos. Antes de explicarte la estructura del present continuous te voy a explicar cómo añadir ese ing a los verbos ya que existen algunas normas
1. Verbos que terminan en consonante → se añade -ing directamente
Ejemplos:
work → working
jump → jumping
call → calling
2. Verbos que terminan en -e (una sola "e" muda) → se elimina la "e" y se añade -ing
Ejemplos:
make → making
drive → driving
write → writing
Importante:
Si el verbo termina en -ee, no se elimina la "e":
see → seeing
agree → agreeing
3. Verbos que terminan en una sola vocal + una sola consonante → se duplica la consonante final
Esto ocurre cuando:
El verbo es de una sola sílaba, o
La sílaba acentuada es la última
Ejemplos:
run → running
sit → sitting
swim → swimming
begin → beginning (acento en la segunda sílaba)
No se duplica la consonante si el acento no está en la última sílaba:
open → opening (NO: openning)
visit → visiting (NO: visitting)
4. Verbos que terminan en -ie → se cambia -ie por -ying
Ejemplos:
die → dying
lie → lying
5. Verbos que terminan en -y → se añade -ing normalmente
No hay ningún cambio especial, aunque la “y” vaya después de una vocal o consonante.
Ejemplos:
play → playing
enjoy → enjoying
study → studying
Estructura del Present Continuous
✅ Forma Afirmativa
Sujeto + am / is / are + verbo-ing
-
I am eating pizza.
(Estoy comiendo pizza.) -
She is watching a movie.
(Ella está viendo una película.) -
They are playing football.
(Ellos están jugando al fútbol.)
❌ Forma Negativa
Sujeto + am / is / are + not + verbo-ing
-
I am not working today.
(No estoy trabajando hoy.) -
He is not studying right now.
(Él no está estudiando ahora mismo.) -
We are not sleeping.
(No estamos durmiendo.)
También puedes usar las contracciones:
-
I'm not, he isn't, she isn't, we aren't, etc.
❓ Forma Interrogativa
Am / Is / Are + sujeto + verbo-ing?
-
Are you listening to me?
(¿Me estás escuchando?) -
Is she doing her homework?
(¿Está haciendo los deberes?) -
Am I talking too much?
(¿Estoy hablando demasiado?)
¿Cuándo usamos el Present Continuous?
Aquí tienes los usos principales:
-
Acciones que ocurren en este momento:
➤ I’m reading a book right now. (Estoy leyendo un libro ahora mismo.) -
Acciones temporales (aunque no sean ahora mismo):
➤ He’s living in London for a few months. (Él está viviendo en Londres por unos meses.) -
Planes para el futuro cercano:
➤ We’re meeting my cousins this weekend. (Vamos a ver a mis primos este fin de semana.) -
Situaciones que están cambiando:
➤ More and more people are working from home. (Cada vez más gente trabaja desde casa.)
Verbos que no se suelen usar en -ing (stative verbs)
Hay verbos que expresan estado, no acción, y por eso normalmente no se usan en present continuous:
-
like, love, hate, want, know, believe, understand, need...
Ejemplo:
-
I know the answer. (No: I am knowing)
✅ Test: Completa con la forma correcta del Present Continuous
-
She __________ a cake in the kitchen.
a) is cook
b) is cooking
c) are cooking -
We __________ for the bus now.
a) am waiting
b) are waiting
c) is waiting -
I __________ to music at the moment.
a) am not listen
b) am not listening
c) don't listening -
They __________ their homework right now.
a) is doing
b) are doing
c) am doing -
He __________ TV in the living room.
a) is watching
b) are watching
c) watching -
The baby __________ now.
a) aren't sleeping
b) isn't sleeping
c) don´t sleeping -
You __________ very fast!
a) are running
b) is running
c) running -
My parents __________ dinner tonight.
a) are haveing
b) are having
c) is having -
What __________ you __________?
a) are / do
b) are / doing
c) is / doing -
It __________ outside. Take your umbrella!
a) is raining
b) are raining
c) raining -
I __________ to the teacher.
a) am not listen
b) am not listening
c) are not listening -
We __________ to the party this Saturday.
a) are going
b) is going
c) am going -
Why __________ she __________?
a) is / crying
b) are / crying
c) is / cry -
The dogs __________ in the garden.
a) is playing
b) are playing
c) are play -
I __________ my keys!
a) am losing
b) is losing
c) am lose -
She __________ to open the window.
a) is trying
b) are trying
c) is try -
Look! The children __________ in the pool.
a) are swiming
b) are swimming
c) is swimming -
I __________ the phone.
a) am not answering
b) isn't answering
c) don´t answering -
They __________ a new house these days.
a) are building
b) is building
c) are build -
_____he_____ his bedroom?
b) Are / cleaning
c) Is / clean
✅ Respuestas del Test
-
b) is cooking
-
b) are waiting
-
b) am not listening
-
b) are doing
-
a) is watching
-
b) isn't sleeping
-
a) are running
-
b) are having
-
b) are / doing
-
a) is raining
-
b) am not listening
-
a) are going
-
a) is / crying
-
b) are playing
-
a) am losing
-
a) is trying
-
b) are swimming
-
a) am not answering
-
a) are building
-
a) Is / cleaning