1.
6 The Present Progressive:
Wh- Questions
At the Movies
Focus on Grammar 1
Part V, Unit 16
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

2.
What’s happening?
II think they are
Well, the aliens Ahhh…!! What’s
think they are Who This they is
Why??? movie
are
looking for
are looking for
getting hungry. happening?
so scary! I can’t watch ...
looking for?
humans.
life on the
planet.

3.
Form
Begin wh- questions in the present progressive with a
question word like what, where, why, who, or how. Use
am, is, or are + the –ing form of the verb.
Be
Wh- Word Verb Subject -ing Verb Form
What am I doing?
Where is he going?
Who are you meeting?

4.
Who
Use who to ask about a person.
Who is he
talking to?
Who are
they
directing?

5.
Why
Use why to ask for reasons.
Because this Why are you
is the funny laughing?
part.

6.
Look at the underlined words.
Practice 1 Then make questions with the
present progressive.
Example:
Question: Where is he standing?
Answer: He is standing in front of the movie projector.
1. Question: What are they watching?
TheyQuestion: Where is he standing?
are watching a romantic movie.
Answer: He is standing in front of the projector.
2. Question: Why is she leaving?
She’s leaving because the movie is too scary.
3. Question: Who are you sitting with?
I’m sitting with my friends.

7.
Answers
In informal conversation, answers are often
short.
What’s playing at A new romantic movie!
Ugh…
the theater?

8.
Intonation
In wh- questions, your voice goes up and
down at the end.
What are they wearing?
Why are they standing?

9.
Work with a partner. Ask and
Practice 2 answer questions about the
pictures. Practice intonation and
short answers.
Example: what / he / eat
Question: What is he eating?
Question: What is he eating?
Short Answer: A lot of junk food.
Short Answer: A lot of junk food.
1. Where / he / hide 2. Why / she / cry 3. Who / you / talk to

10.
References
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and its
licensors. All rights reserved.