Present Continuous Tense
You already know how to use am, is, and are with a verb ending in -ing. Now it is time to learn the spelling rules for adding -ing to different kinds of verbs.
What You'll Learn
- How to add -ing to most verbs (just add -ing)
- When to drop the -e before adding -ing
- When to double the last consonant before adding -ing and how to spot which rule to use
When to Use
- Most verbs just add -ing: "The children are playing football at recess."
- Verbs ending in -e drop the -e: "She is making a card for Mother's Day."
- Short verbs with a consonant-vowel-consonant ending double the last letter: "The boy is running around the track."
- Verbs ending in -ee, -ye, or -ge keep the -e in some cases: "He is seeing the dentist today."
How to Form
Rule 1: Most verbs - just add -ing
For most verbs, simply add -ing to the end.
| Base verb | + -ing | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| play | playing | They are playing in the garden. |
| read | reading | I am reading a storybook. |
| eat | eating | The baby is eating porridge. |
| walk | walking | We are walking to the hawker centre. |
| talk | talking | Mum is talking on the phone. |
Rule 2: Drop the -e, then add -ing
When a verb ends in a silent -e, remove the -e before adding -ing.
| Base verb | Drop -e | + -ing | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| make | mak- | making | She is making a sandwich. |
| write | writ- | writing | He is writing a letter to his friend. |
| bake | bak- | baking | Grandma is baking a cake for us. |
| dance | danc- | dancing | The girls are dancing on stage. |
| ride | rid- | riding | My brother is riding his bicycle. |
Rule 3: Double the last consonant, then add -ing
When a short verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), double the last consonant before adding -ing.
| Base verb | Pattern | Double | + -ing | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| run | r-u-n (CVC) | runn- | running | He is running to catch the bus. |
| sit | s-i-t (CVC) | sitt- | sitting | She is sitting next to me. |
| swim | sw-i-m (CVC) | swimm- | swimming | We are swimming at the pool. |
| hop | h-o-p (CVC) | hopp- | hopping | The rabbit is hopping across the field. |
| cut | c-u-t (CVC) | cutt- | cutting | Dad is cutting the watermelon. |
When NOT to double
Do not double the last consonant when the verb ends in -w, -x, or -y. These letters are never doubled.
| Base verb | Why no doubling | + -ing |
|---|---|---|
| draw | ends in -w | drawing |
| fix | ends in -x | fixing |
| play | ends in -y | playing |
| snow | ends in -w | snowing |
Key Rules
- Just add -ing for most verbs: If the verb does not end in -e and does not follow the CVC pattern, simply add -ing. Example: talk --> talking.
- Drop the -e before -ing: When a verb ends in a silent -e, take away the -e first. Example: bake --> baking, not
bakeing. - Double the last letter for CVC verbs: When a short verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant, double the last consonant. Example: run --> running, not
runing. - Never double -w, -x, or -y: Even if the verb looks like it ends in CVC, do not double these letters. Example: draw --> drawing, not
drawwing. - Keep the -e in -ee and -ye verbs: When a verb ends in -ee or -ye, keep all the letters and just add -ing. Example: see --> seeing, dye --> dyeing.
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She is makeing a cake. | She is making a cake. | Drop the -e before adding -ing |
| He is runing very fast. | He is running very fast. | Double the -n (run is CVC: r-u-n) |
| The dog is siting down. | The dog is sitting down. | Double the -t (sit is CVC: s-i-t) |
| I am writeing a story. | I am writing a story. | Drop the -e before adding -ing |
| She is stoping the car. | She is stopping the car. | Double the -p (stop ends in CVC: t-o-p) |
Clue Words
Words that remind you to check your -ing spelling:
now, right now, at the moment, look!, listen!, currently
Common verbs that need the drop-the-e rule:
make, bake, take, write, ride, dance, come, have, give, live
Common verbs that need the doubling rule:
run, sit, swim, hop, stop, cut, get, put, hit, win
Tip: Before adding -ing, always check the last letters of the verb. If it ends in -e, drop it. If it ends in CVC (like r-u-n), double the last letter. If neither applies, just add -ing!
Practice Tips
- The -e check: Look at the end of the verb. Does it end in a silent -e? Cross out the -e, then add -ing. Try it: write --> writ- --> writing.
- The CVC check: Say the last three letters of the verb. Are they consonant-vowel-consonant? If yes, write the last consonant twice, then add -ing. Try it: swim --> sw-i-m --> swimm --> swimming.
- Say it out loud: After you write the -ing form, read it aloud. Does "makeing" sound right? No -- it should be "making". Your ear can help you catch mistakes.
- Sort your verbs: Make three columns on a piece of paper -- "Just add -ing", "Drop the -e", and "Double the letter". Sort new verbs you learn into the right column.
Quick Reference
| Spelling rule | When to use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Just add -ing | Most verbs | play --> playing, read --> reading, eat --> eating |
| Drop -e, add -ing | Verb ends in silent -e | make --> making, write --> writing, dance --> dancing |
| Double last letter, add -ing | Short verb ends in CVC | run --> running, sit --> sitting, swim --> swimming |
| Do NOT double | Verb ends in -w, -x, -y | draw --> drawing, fix --> fixing, play --> playing |
| Keep -ee / -ye | Verb ends in -ee or -ye | see --> seeing, dye --> dyeing |