Present, past and future continuous: be plus the verb with -ing for actions in progress at a moment. Every continuous form needs be before the -ing verb: She is reading now. Was she reading?
No information at the current level. This view starts at A1: choose A1 or a higher level.
No information at the current level. This view starts at A1: choose A1 or a higher level.
CheatsheetA1–B1
Tense
Question
Statement
Negative
Helper
Subject
Verb
Subject
Helper
Verb
Subject
Helper
Verb
B1Future
Will
I
be working?
I
will be
working.
I
won't be
working.
you
You
You
he
He
He
she
She
She
it
It
It
we
We
We
they
They
They
Present
Am
I
working?
I
am
working.
I
am not
working.
Are
you
You
are
You
aren't
Is
he
He
is
He
isn't
she
She
She
it
It
It
Are
we
We
are
We
aren't
they
They
They
A2Past
Was
I
working?
I
was
working.
I
wasn't
working.
Were
you
You
were
You
weren't
Was
he
He
was
He
wasn't
she
She
She
it
It
It
Were
we
We
were
We
weren't
they
They
They
OverviewA1
Each continuous tense is be + verb + -ing: will be for the future, am / is / are for the present, was / were for the past.
In questions be goes before the subject; in negatives it takes not: isn't, wasn't, won't be.
The main verb always ends in -ing, in every tense and for every person.
Be changes with the person in the present and past; will be is the same for everyone.
Speech and messages use short forms: I'm, she's, they're, won't be.
The -ing formA1
Verb ending
Spelling
Examples
most verbs
+ ing
work → working / play → playing / go → going
-e
drop e + ing
make → making / write → writing / come → coming
-ee
+ ing
see → seeing / agree → agreeing
-ie
ie → ying
lie → lying / die → dying
1 vowel + 1 consonant, one syllable
double the consonant + ing
run → running / sit → sitting / swim → swimming
-w, -x, -y
+ ing, single consonant
show → showing / fix → fixing / stay → staying
Present continuous: formA1
Subject
Form
Example
I
am / 'm + V-ing
I'm reading.
he / she / it
is / 's + V-ing
He's reading.
you / we / they
are / 're + V-ing
They're reading.
singular noun
is + V-ing
My sister is reading.
A short answer repeats be; the positive answer takes the full form: Are you working? — Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
A wh-word goes first: wh-word + am / is / are + subject + V-ing. What are you doing?
Present continuous: useA1
Use
Example
Actions happening now
I'm cooking dinner.
Temporary situations
I'm staying with my sister this week.
Changes and trends around now
Prices are going up.
Time words: now, right now, at the moment, today, this week, Look! Look! It's snowing.
Plans and arrangements for the future: see Future forms.
Past continuous: formA2
Subject
Form
Example
I / he / she / it
was + V-ing
She was reading.
you / we / they
were + V-ing
We were reading.
A short answer repeats was / were: Were you sleeping? — Yes, I was. / No, I wasn't.
A wh-word goes first: wh-word + was / were + subject + V-ing. What were you doing at 8?
Past continuous: useA2
Use
Example
In progress at a past moment
At 8 o'clock I was having dinner.
Background to a story
The sun was shining and children were playing.
Interrupted action (when + past simple)
I was cooking when the phone rang.
Two actions at the same time (while)
While I was cooking, he was watching TV.
while comes before the long action; when comes before the short action that interrupts it.
Future continuous: form and useB1
Use
Example
In progress at a future moment
This time tomorrow I'll be flying to Rome.
Polite questions about plans
Will you be using the car tonight?
Time words: this time tomorrow, at 8 tonight, all day tomorrow.
Stative verbsA1–A2
Verbs for states take the simple tenses, also for what is true right now.
Group
Verbs
Example
Feelings
like, love, hate, want, need, prefer
I want a coffee.
Thinking
know, think (= believe), understand, remember, mean