Present Continuous
Lesson 4 of 7 · ~4 minutes

Lesson 4 · Present Continuous

Negatives

Negative

In the present continuous, the negative only changes be. Put not after am / is / are and leave the -ing verb as it is.

be + not + verb-ing

  • II am not working or I’m not working; there is no form amn't
  • isshe is not reading = she isn’t reading
  • arethey are not playing = they aren’t playing

Statement

I am working
She is working
They are working

Full negative

I am not working
She is not working
They are not working

Contraction

I'm not working
She isn't working
They aren't working
Statement
Full negative
Contraction
I am working
I am not working
I'm not working
She is working
She is not working
She isn't working
They are working
They are not working
They aren't working

I’m not sleeping.

Where people usually slip

Don't add don't / doesn't: She isn’t working, not she doesn't working.

The form of be can already take not, so the helper do isn't needed.

In short

  • II'm not working
  • he / she / itisn't working
  • you / we / theyaren't working
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