GRAMMAR A2 Present Continuous Actions now Temporary situations Italian learner editionEdizione per studenti italiani

A2 Present Continuous A2 Present Continuous

Learn to describe actions happening now, temporary situations and fixed arrangements. Form affirmative sentences, negatives and questions using am/is/are + verb-ing. Impara a descrivere azioni che avvengono adesso, situazioni temporanee e programmi già organizzati. Forma frasi affermative, negative e interrogative usando am/is/are + verbo-ing.

I am workingShe is studyingThey are waiting isn’t / aren’tAre you…?What is he doing?

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1. See it in context1. Guarda il Present Continuous nel contesto

“I am waiting for the train at the moment. A woman is talking on the phone and two children are playing nearby. Their father isn’t watching them because he is reading a message.” “I am waiting for the train at the moment. A woman is talking on the phone and two children are playing nearby. Their father isn’t watching them because he is reading a message.”
What students must noticeCosa devono notare gli studenti

am waiting: con I usiamo am + verbo-ing.

is talking: con he, she, it o un soggetto singolare usiamo is.

are playing: con you, we, they o un soggetto plurale usiamo are.

isn’t watching: la negazione si forma mettendo not dopo il verbo be.

2. Take on board: the A2 control panel2. Da portare via: il pannello di controllo A2

The present continuous always needs two parts: the correct form of be and a verb ending in -ing. Il Present Continuous richiede sempre due parti: la forma corretta di be e un verbo che termina in -ing.

1. I
I am + verb-ing

I am working.

2. He / she / it
is + verb-ing

She is studying.

3. You / we / they
are + verb-ing

They are waiting.

4. Negative
am not / isn’t / aren’t

He isn’t sleeping.

5. Questions
Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?

Are you listening?

6. Short answers
Yes, I am. / No, they aren’t.

Repeat the verb be.

3. The Present Continuous map3. La mappa del Present Continuous

Core formula:Formula centrale:

subject + am/is/are + verb-ing. Do not remove the verb be and do not use do/does.

AffirmativeForma affermativa

subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

I am working.

She is cooking. We are studying.

Italian trap: Non dire I working o I am work.

NegativeForma negativa

subject + be + not + verb-ing

I am not working.

She isn’t cooking. They aren’t studying.

Italian trap: Non usare don’t/doesn’t con il Present Continuous.

QuestionsDomande

Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?

Are you working?

What is Anna doing?

Italian trap: Nella domanda, metti be prima del soggetto: Is he…?

Short answersRisposte brevi

Yes/No + subject + am/is/are

Are they waiting? — Yes, they are.

Is he sleeping? — No, he isn’t.

Italian trap: Non dire Yes, they do: ripeti il verbo be.

4. How to form the -ing spelling4. Come formare correttamente -ing

RuleRegolaExamplesEsempiRememberRicorda
Most verbs: +ingwork → working
read → reading		È la regola più comune.
Final silent e: remove e + ingmake → making
write → writing		Ma: see → seeing.
Short stressed CVC verb: double consonantrun → running
sit → sitting
swim → swimming		Non raddoppiare w, x o y.
Final -ie: ie → y + inglie → lying
die → dying		Non scrivere lieing.

5. When do we use it?5. Quando lo usiamo?

Actions happening nowAzioni che avvengono adesso

I am talking to you now.

Common markers: now, right now, at the moment, look, listen.

Temporary situationsSituazioni temporanee

I am staying with my aunt this week.

The situation is true around now, but it is not permanent.

Changing situationsSituazioni in cambiamento

The weather is getting warmer.

More people are working from home.

Fixed future arrangementsProgrammi futuri già organizzati

I am meeting Sara at six tomorrow.

Use it when the arrangement is already planned.

6. Present Simple or Present Continuous?6. Present Simple o Present Continuous?

Present SimplePresent SimplePresent ContinuousPresent Continuous
I work in Rome.
Situazione stabile.		I am working from home this week.
Situazione temporanea.
She usually takes the bus.
Abitudine.		She is taking a taxi today.
Azione diversa dalla routine.
They play football every Friday.
Attività regolare.		They are playing football now.
Azione in corso.
The lesson starts at ten.
Orario ufficiale.		We are meeting the teacher at ten.
Appuntamento organizzato.
Memory rule:Regola da ricordare:

usually / every day → spesso Present Simple. now / today / this week / at the moment → spesso Present Continuous.

7. Italian brain vs English brain7. Cervello italiano vs cervello inglese

Italian students often forget the auxiliary or use do/does incorrectly.Gli studenti italiani spesso dimenticano l’ausiliare o usano erroneamente do/does.

ItalianoCommon mistakeErrore comuneNatural EnglishInglese naturale
Sto lavorando.I working.I am working.
Lei sta studiando.She is study.She is studying.
Non stanno dormendo.They don’t sleeping.They aren’t sleeping.
Stai ascoltando?Do you listening?Are you listening?
Cosa sta facendo?What she is doing?What is she doing?
Oggi lavoro da casa.Today I work from home.I am working from home today.

8. Common mistakes8. Errori comuni

❌ I am work at the moment.

After am/is/are, use the -ing form.Dopo am/is/are, usa la forma in -ing.

✅ I am working at the moment.
❌ She cooking dinner.

The auxiliary is missing.Manca l’ausiliare.

✅ She is cooking dinner.
❌ They don’t waiting.

Use aren’t, not don’t.Usa aren’t, non don’t.

✅ They aren’t waiting.
❌ Is playing Tom football?

The subject comes after is and before the -ing verb.Il soggetto viene dopo is e prima del verbo in -ing.

✅ Is Tom playing football?

9. Concept Check Questions9. Domande di controllo del concetto

Check meaning and structure before controlled practice.Controlla significato e struttura prima della pratica guidata.

1. Which sentence describes an action happening now?1. Quale frase descrive un’azione che sta avvenendo adesso?
2. Which verb changes with the subject in the present continuous?2. Quale verbo cambia in base al soggetto nel Present Continuous?
3. How do we make the sentence “She is working” negative?3. Come rendiamo negativa la frase “She is working”?
4. How do we form a present-continuous question?4. Come formiamo una domanda al Present Continuous?

10. Quick Check10. Quick Check

1. I _____ an email at the moment.1. I _____ an email at the moment.
2. Marta _____ dinner now.2. Marta _____ dinner now.
3. We _____ for the bus.3. We _____ for the bus.
4. He _____ today because he is ill.4. He _____ today because he is ill.
5. _____ you listening to me?5. _____ you listening to me?

11. Challenge Check11. Challenge Check

Focus on -ing spelling, temporary situations and future arrangements.Concentrati sull’ortografia di -ing, sulle situazioni temporanee e sui programmi futuri.

1. Look! The baby is _____.1. Guarda! Il bambino sta _____.
2. The children are _____ in the park.2. I bambini stanno _____ nel parco.
3. The dog is _____ on the floor.3. Il cane è _____ sul pavimento.
4. Choose the sentence for a temporary situation.4. Scegli la frase che indica una situazione temporanea.
5. Which sentence describes a fixed future arrangement?5. Quale frase descrive un programma futuro già organizzato?

12. Write it in English12. Scrivi in inglese

Translate into natural A2 English.Traduci in un inglese A2 naturale.

1. Sto leggendo un libro in questo momento.
2. Mia sorella sta studiando in camera sua.
3. Non stiamo guardando la televisione.
4. Tom non sta lavorando oggi.
5. Che cosa stanno facendo i bambini?

13. Sentence correction and transformation13. Correzione e trasformazione delle frasi

Correct or transform each complete sentence.Correggi o trasforma ogni frase completa.

1. Correct the sentence.

I am write an email.

2. Correct the sentence.

She cooking dinner.

3. Correct the sentence.

They are play football.

4. Make it negative.

He is sleeping.

5. Make a question.

You are waiting for the train.

14. Mini dialogue practice14. Mini dialogo pratico

A: “Hi, can you talk?” — B: “Not really. _____.”A: “Ciao, puoi parlare?” — B: “Non proprio. _____.”

15. Guided writing task15. Writing guidato

Imagine you are in a busy place. Write 45–70 words describing what you and the people around you are doing. Include one negative sentence. Immagina di essere in un luogo affollato. Scrivi 45–70 parole descrivendo ciò che tu e le persone intorno a te state facendo. Includi una frase negativa.

I am + verb-ing
is + verb-ing
are + verb-ing
negative form
present-time expression
connector
Capital letter + punctuation + 45 words
Model answer:

I am sitting in a café at the moment. Two people are talking near me, and a waiter is carrying some drinks. A child is eating a sandwich, but his sister isn’t eating anything. She is looking out of the window. Outside, several people are waiting for a bus, and it is starting to rain.

16. Use it in real life16. Usalo nella vita reale

Use the present continuous to describe a scene, explain what is happening or talk about a current temporary situation.Usa il Present Continuous per descrivere una scena, spiegare cosa sta succedendo o parlare di una situazione temporanea attuale.

Describe what is happeningDescrivi ciò che sta succedendo

Example:
People are leaving the building, and a police officer is talking to a driver.

Explain a temporary changeSpiega un cambiamento temporaneo

Example:
I am working different hours this month because my colleague is on holiday.
Want a lasting method to really learn English?Vuoi un metodo duraturo per imparare davvero l’inglese?

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