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How to add -ING to a verb

   How to add : '-ING' to a verb

General rule : add -ING to the base form

talking   /  sing => singing   /  read => reading

John is talking to his neighbour Mr. Deck

        The bird is singing.

A few rules:

 I° When the base form ends in the vowel  'E', simply delete the letter:

      dance => dancing    /  smile => smiling                        

Maria is dancing                            This young girl is smiling

If the verbs ends in  '-ee'  / '-ye' / '*oe', no change: see => seeing  / dye => dyeing / toe => toeing

2° When the base form ends in '-IE',  the two vowels are replaced by 'Y'. 

   lie => lying     The cat is lying by the fire.

  die => dying    'Within the Realm of a Dying Sun'   album recorded by the 'Dead Can Dance' duo.

3° In British English, these two verbs have 2 letters 'L' :

      travel => travelling                    cancel => cancelling

4° Verbs with one syllable and ending with 1 consonant+ 1 vowel + 1 consonant  have 2 final consonants:

sit => sitting                            dig => digging                       swim => swimming                    knit => knitting

Betty is sitting on the wall.       He is digging a hole.                   The fish is swimming.                    Grandma is knitting.

5° Same rule with the verbs with 2 or more syllables, but only if the last syllable is stressed.

   --- for'get  => forgetting           (2 letters 't')

   ---'listen  => listening              (one 'n')

David! Aren't you forgetting your bear on the grass ?

   She is listening into a tin can phone 

   Exceptions: there can't be 'xx' or 'ww'                fix => fixing

  snow => snowing  / Look! It is snowing    

Other examples:

   be'gin => beginning   /   pre'fer => preferring     /   ad'mit => admitting        (double)

  'open => opening            'frighten => frightening      re'member => remembering         (no double letter)

   allow  => allowing     ( no double w)

Test

Conjugate these verbs in brackets.

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1.
People today are (travel) far more than they ever used to.

2.
What are you doing dressed like that? I am (write) a novel, it is called 'In the Past'

3.
My sister is (fly) back to the States tomorrow.

4.
The player is (run) as fast as possible. He would like to score a try.

5.
I can't hear you very well because the rain is (drum) against the windows.

6.
I'm afraid you can't see my grandfather. He doesn't want to be disturbed when he is (garden).

7.
I was (begin) to cook dinner when the phone rang. The news was so surprising that I forgot the pan on the cooker ring.

8.
I am (tie) up your shoelaces because I don't want you to trip over.

9.
The woodcutter is (chop) blocks of wood.

10.
Stop (throw) stones at the birds!