UNIT 12 Present continuous (I am not leaving, Are you leaving?)
A – Negative Form
A forma negativa do Present Continuous é construída colocando a palavra not entre o verbo auxiliar be (am / is / are) e o verbo principal com -ing.
Essa estrutura indica que uma ação não está acontecendo no momento da fala.
Estrutura gramatical:
Full form: Subject + am / is / are + not + verb + ing
Short form: Subject + ’m not / isn’t / aren’t + verb + ing
| Subject | Negative Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | am not / ’m not | I’m not leaving tonight. |
| You | are not / aren’t | You aren’t listening carefully. |
| He / She / It | is not / isn’t | She isn’t working today. |
| We | are not / aren’t | We aren’t waiting anymore. |
| They | are not / aren’t | They aren’t studying for the test. |
| English Literature | Pop Song Lyrics |
|---|---|
| “I’m not dreaming,” he said softly, staring at the distant lights. The negative form shows the action is not imaginary. The Great Gatsby (1925), F. Scott Fitzgerald / American |
“I’m not running from the truth anymore.” The lyric uses the present continuous negative to deny an ongoing action. Song: “Runaway Truth”, Sam Smith – Album Gloria (2023) |
- I’m not going out tonight.
- She isn’t studying chemistry.
- They aren’t playing football.
Nas frases negativas do Present Continuous, as formas contraídas (isn’t / aren’t) são muito mais comuns na linguagem falada.
B – Interrogative Form
Para formar perguntas no Present Continuous, o verbo auxiliar be aparece antes do sujeito.
Esse tipo de pergunta é usado para saber se uma ação está acontecendo agora.
Estrutura:
Am / Is / Are + subject + verb + ing
| Question Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Am I | Am I disturbing you? |
| Are you | Are you calling Jack? |
| Is he / she / it | Is she reading that book? |
| Are we | Are we meeting tomorrow? |
| Are they | Are they watching the game? |
| English Literature | Pop Song Lyrics |
|---|---|
| “Are you waiting for someone?” he asked quietly. A pergunta investiga uma ação em progresso. Rebecca (1938), Daphne du Maurier / British |
“Are you thinking of me tonight?” The question refers to a present emotional action. Song: “Thinking Tonight”, Shawn Mendes – Album Wonder (2020) |
Em perguntas negativas, as formas contraídas aparecem antes do sujeito.
- Aren’t the children sleeping?
- Isn’t she doing her homework?
C – Short Answers
As short answers são respostas curtas usadas para evitar repetição da frase completa.
Elas utilizam apenas o pronome sujeito e o verbo be.
Structure:
Yes / No + subject pronoun + verb be
Importante: nas respostas afirmativas, o verbo be nunca é contraído.
| Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|
| Are you joking? | No, I’m not. |
| Is he watching TV? | Yes, he is. |
| Are they studying? | Yes, they are. |
D – Wh- Questions
Perguntas com Wh-words (what, where, why, who, etc.) começam com a palavra interrogativa, seguida pelo verbo be, pelo sujeito e pelo verbo com -ing.
Estrutura:
Question word + am / is / are + subject + verb + ing
| Example Question | Meaning (Portuguese) |
|---|---|
| What are you doing? | O que você está fazendo? |
| Where are you going? | Para onde você está indo? |
| Why aren’t they listening? | Por que eles não estão ouvindo? |
| English Literature | Pop Song Lyrics |
|---|---|
| “Where are you going at this hour?” she asked anxiously. The question refers to an action happening now. Jane Eyre (1847), Charlotte Brontë / British |
“Why are you hiding from the light?” The question explores a current emotional situation. Song: “Blinding Lights”, The Weeknd – Album After Hours (2020) |
Time Spent: 
19/05/2026 About Post Author
