Verbs not normally used in the continuous

a) verbs of thinking

think (=believe), believe, suppose, remember, see (understand), recognize, mean, realize, imagine, forget, know, understand

I think you are right. (Not: I'm thinking ...)

Do you know Billy Palmer? (Not: Are you knowing ...?)

b) verbs of feeling

like, dislike, hate, love, prefer, want, wish

I like this music. (Not: I'm liking ...)

Do you want to go now? (Not: Are you wanting ...?)

c) sense verbs

see, look, smell, taste, feel

This spaghetti tastes delicious. (Not: This spaghetti is tasting ...)

d) other verbs

have (= possess), own, belong to, owe, hear, include, cost, contain, weigh, sound, be, seem, need

I weigh 70 kilos. (Not: I'm weighing ...)

I m a manager. (Not: I'm being ...)

Positive form

am/are/is + -ing

I You	am are	writing working	now. rather hard these days.	(I'm writing...) (You're working...)
He/She It	is	traveling stopping	a lot this year. now.	(He's/She's travelling...) (It's stopping...)
We You They	are	staying talking watching	at a small hotel in London. with my close friend. TV at the moment.	(We're staying...) (You're talking...) (They're watching...)

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences. Use the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous.

1. Look! A man _ in the lake. (swim)

2. Hurry up! The bus _. (come)

3. Greg's in the kitchen. He _ the dinner, (cook)

4. Look at Sue! What a beautiful dress she _ today! (wear)

5. Sue and Joe _ a cake for tea. (make)

6. "Be careful! You _ on the broken chair." (sit)

7. The weather is awful. It _. (rain)

8. You _ too fast. (walk)

Negative form

am not/are not/is not + -ing

I	am not	reading	now.	(I'm not reading).
You	are not	seeing	your dentist today.	(You aren't seeing ...)
He/She	is not	having	a shower right now.	(He/She isn't having ...)
It	is not	snowing	at the moment.	(It isn't snowing ...)
We	are not	planning	our next holiday	(We aren’t planning…)
You	are not	learning	to skate	(You aren’t learning…)
They	are not	playing	outside	(They aren’t playing…)

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences with the negative form of the verbs in brackets.

1. My friend's parents _ a new car. (buy)

2. I __ for my keys. (look)

3. You _ very hard. (work)

4. My husband _ the dishes in the kitchen. (wash)

5. They_ tea. (drink)

6. My sister and her boyfriend _ a good time at the party, (have)

7. She _ him. (leave)

Exercise 3. What's happening at the moment? Write true sentences, positive or negative.

Example: I/have lunch. - I'm not having lunch at the moment.

My classmates/do these exercises. - My classmates are doing these exercises.

1. It/snow heavily.

2. I/listen to the music.

3. I/look/at my watch.

4. The sun/shine.

5. We/take exercises.

6. My classmates/sit on the sofa.

7. My friends and me/study at the moment.

8. The person next to me/sleep.