[Exercise 1] From verb to present participle

If you have read well the previous page, this task should not be difficult for you.

What is the present participle of the verb laugh? Fill it in below!

Okay, let’s try this one more time. Please fill in the present participle of “work” into this sentence!

Let’s turn to something a little more interesting this time – a little challenge. 

Every year in the United States, in northwestern Nevada, there is a big festival. For this festival, all the people taking part construct a temporary city called “Black Rock City”. This festival is all about community and art, self-expression and self-reliance. On the sixth day, something special happens, which is why the festival carries this name.

Challenge: Go on a small search for the name of this festival – and fill in the present participle in the gap below!

For the following task, you need to know something. Every time, when a verb ends in -e, we erase the -e and add “ing” straight to the verb’s stem. 

Like so: 

• make => making
• write => writing

You’ll now see the lyrics of an old song from the year 1964, a real classic. There are two present participles in there. Either listen to the song and try to find out what they are (one is already in the title! :) ), or do a quick search on the internet for the lyrics of this song.

Notice: Write down the “normal form” (-ing) of the verb, not the abbreviation (-in’).

As usual in English, there are always some exceptions to the rule. So when we construct present participles, this is what we need to follow:

1. Verbs in -ie

When a verb ends in -ie, the present participle changes the -ie to -y.

• Verb (to) die => Present Participle dying

2. One or two consonants?

The question whether the present participle has got one or two consonants is not so easy to answer. Often it helps to listen to the pronunciation.

a) Verbs with one syllable

In verbs with one syllable and a vowel before the last consonant, this consonant is usually doubled.

• Verb (to) swim => Present Participle swimming

The consonants y and w, however, are not doubled:

• Verb (to) buy => Present Participle buying
• Verb (to) snow => Present Participle snowing

b) Verbs with two syllables

In two syllable verbs, you always need to listen to the pronunciation.

Is the stress on the first syllable? (whisper | visit)  Then, we do not double the consonant. (whispering | visiting)

Is the stress on the second syllable? (upset | forget) Then, we double the consonant. (upsetting | forgetting)