Present Continuous Tense
Introduction
1. Definition
2. 2. The Present Continuous “Progressive” tense
2. 2. 1. Form
The present continuous “progressive” tense is formed with the present tense of the helping verb “to be” + the present participle of the main verb. See the following table with the example verb “to work” for more details.
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Subject + (am / is / are ) + stem of the main verb + ing |
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Affirmative |
Negative |
Interrogative |
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I am working You are working He/she/it is working We are working You are working They are working |
I am not working You are not working He/she/it is not working We are not working You are not working They are not working |
Am I working? Are you working? Is he/she/it working? Are we working? Are you working? Are they working? |
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Important Note: See the lecture of the past continuous tense for the spelling rules and notes of the present participle.
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2. 2. 2. Main Uses of the Present Continuous “Progressive” Tense
§ It is used for an action exactly happening right now when we want to say that somebody is doing something or that something is happening at the moment of speaking. At this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now. Here it looks that the speaker is in a direct connection with the time of the action described. The action or event is in progress and not yet complete. Common phrases of time are “at the moment, at the present time, and now”. This kind of actions can be represented diagrammatically as follows:
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See the examples below for more clarification:
· She is washing her hair now.
· She is not washing her hair now.
· They are attending the conference. (The speaker announces this idea exactly at the time of delivering the conference.)
· I am eating my lunch. (Right now I am taking my lunch.) see this example in this diagram below.
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§ In English, "now" can mean right now, today, this month, this year, this century…etc. Sometimes, we use the Present Continuous to say that we are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second. So the present continuous is also used for an action happening about this time around now but not necessarily and exactly at the moment of speaking but it is happening just before and just after now, and it is not permanent or habitual. In this situation, the action is not yet complete but can be interrupted for a time. Strictly speaking, such interrupted actions are not in progress at the moment of speaking. This indicates an activity that does not necessarily continue at the time of speaking. This kind of actions can be represented diagrammatically as follows:
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Examples: (All of these sentences can be said while watching movie with your friend)
· They are attending the conference. (The speaker announces this idea not exactly at the time of the conference but during a coffee break where teacher and his students are expected to come back continue the conference.)
· John is reading a novel. (He is taking his coffee at the time of speaking.)
· I’m very busy. I am redecorating my living-room.
· He is teaching French and Greek. (He may not be doing either at the moment of speaking.)
· John is studying English this time, but he is not studying right now; he is eating dinner.
§ Sometimes, speakers use the Present Continuous to indicate that something will or will not happen in the near future. We use the present progressive to say that something definitely planned or arranged for the near future. When we say the word “future” we must add or understand from the context or from the use of the future word the idea of near future arrangement through some time or location references. Future words include, for example, tomorrow, next year, in June, at Christmas, etc. we only use the present continuous to talk about the future when we have planned to do something before the time of speaking. We have already made a decision and a plan before speaking. This kind of actions can be represented diagrammatically as follows:
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See the examples below:
· I am taking an exam in next October. (It implies that I have registered and entered for it. This implies that the speaker prepared all the reasons for the exam and what is left is just waiting the right moment for the exam. )
· Bob and Bill are meeting tonight. (It implies that they both have arranged it.)
· They aren’t arriving until Tuesday.
· Are you doing anything tomorrow afternoon? Yes, I am playing tennis with Ann.
§ Non-Progressive Verbs: There are some verbs that tell us about our feelings, emotions, opinions, relations or about a permanent state. These verbs have several different names: stative verbs, non-action verbs, non-progressive verbs, or non-continuous verbs; all these names mean the same thing. These verbs are not normally used in the continuous tenses except in some special cases. It should be noted here that the continuous tenses are chiefly used for deliberate actions (actions that the speaker has power over the action.) Some verbs are, therefore, not normally used in the continuous and have only one present tense, the simple form. These verbs can be grouped as follows:
1. Verbs of senses (involuntary actions): feel, hear, see, smell, also, notice, and observe. (When you feel the action is deliberate use them.)
2. Verbs expressing feelings and emotions: (admire, adore, appreciate, desire, detest, dislike, fear, hate, like,)
3. Verbs of thinking and mental activity: (agree, appreciate, assume, believe, expect, forget, know, mean, perceive, realize, recall, recognize,)
4. Verbs of possession: belong, owe, own, possess, the auxiliaries, except, be and have in certain uses.
5. Verbs of liking or disliking:
6. Verbs of appearance:
7. The auxiliaries, except be and have in certain uses and situation.
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Some Common Verbs of State |
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agree doubt love remember amaze envy look resemble appreciate equal weigh |
be exist mean seem believe fear min smell belong …………. |
care forget owe taste concern hate own think consist ………….. |
contain hear possess want dislike know prefer wish disagree …………… |
matter see feel need so have please understand like recognize |
2. 3. Simple Present Tense and Present Continuous Tense Differences
§ Progressive forms sound more casual and less definite than simple forms because they suggest something temporary and incomplete.
· I’m hoping you can lend me 50 dollars. (It is less definite than I hope ….)
· What time are planning to arrive? (It is more casual than what time do you …?)
· I’m looking forward to seeing you.
§ A continuous “progressive” form does not simply show the time of an event. It also shows how the speaker sees the event- generally as an ongoing and temporary, not completed or permanent. For this reason Grammarians often talk about progressive aspects rather than the time when the action happen.
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Simple Present |
Present Continuous |
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§ The present simple indicates completeness of the event. The taxi stops. ( comes to a halt ) My business runs well for all the time. § The simple present says about past present, future. The sun rises in the last. § Impersonal § Definite § Focus on time |
§ Present continuous has duration. It describes temporary actions. He is living in the village (temporary residence. § The present progressive/ continuous refers to an activity which has limited duration. The taxi is stopping. (Slowing down). My business is running well. (But earlier it was not.) § The progressive is included in the present and does not say anything about the past or future of the action. She is having a bath. § Personal § Casual § Focus on aspect and circumstances |
Summary
The present progressive tense is used to indicate an action in progress at the moment of speaking. It is formed by using “am,” “are,” or “is” with the present participle of the base verb (I am, you are, s/he/it is, we, they are). The common way of using the simple present tense is when:
· To express an action taking place at the moment of speaking (I’m trying to hear what he’s speaking).
· To indicate changes, trends, development, and progress (He is not improving, he is getting worse).
· To indicate a temporary situation (She is travelling through Europe).
· With future reference as a part of personal arrangement (I am seeing John tomorrow).
Exercise 1
Put in the present continuous form of the verb in brackets.
1. Please be quiet. I …………. (try) to read my book.
2. I ………………. (not/use) the computer at the moment so you can use it.
3. Mary is ill so Sue ……………… (teach) her 1essons today.
4. Excuse me, I…………… (look) for a hotel. Is there one near here?
5. ……………..(you/wait) for someone?
6. Jack, you are very careless. You ………..(always/forget) to do your homework!
7. The cost of living ………(rise) very fast. Every year things are more expensive.
8. What……….. (you/do)? I …………..(clean) my shoes.
9. Why………….. (not/wear) shorts? It's so hot today.
10. The neighbors are so noisy! They…………… (always/argue) 1oudly.
Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the simple or the progressive form (present tense) of the verb given in brackets at the end of each.
1. The Italians...............in Italy. (live)
2. Mr. Johnson......................to the office in his car each morning. (go)
3. My aunt…………....with us for a few weeks. (stay)
4. Jack cannot come out to play just now, as he…………....his home-work. (do)
5. We……………..to the seaside for a month every summer. (go)
6. A vegetarian is a person who never……………...meat (eat)
7. An honest person always……………….the truth. (tell)
8. The workmen …………….the road near our house. (repair)
9. My husband will see you in about quarter of an hour; he...............his lunch at the moment. (have)
10. There are some birds that…………...every year. (migrate)
11. A person who…………..ladies………….. hats is known as a milliner. (sell)
12. That child………....because it cannot find its mother. (cry)
13. My sister and I…………....to the cinema every Thursday evening. (go)
14. The Pyrenees……………...France from Spain. (divide)
15. It was very dull early this morning, but the sun………………..now. (shine)
Exercise 3
Fill in the blanks with Present Continuous or Simple Present tenses:
1. The children ………………………….. (play) outside now.
2. She usually ………………………. (read) the newspaper in the morning.
3. I …………………………… (do) my homework now.
4. I ………………………… (eat) my dinner now.
5. ……………………………. (you / want) a pizza?
6. They …………………………….. (watch) TV now.
7. I ……………………………. (not / like) spaghetti.
8. The baby …………………………. (sleep) now.
9. My mother usually…………………. (cook) dinner in the evening.
10. He …………………….. (write) a letter to his pen-friend every month.
11. She ………………………. (not / like) football.
12. Mary ………………………….. (listen) to music now.
13. Tom usually…………… (drink) coffee, but he …………. (drink) tea now.
14. We ………………………. (go) to the disco tonight.
15. . ………………………… (he / go) to work by bus everyday.
Exercise 4
Complete the sentences with Simple Present or Present Continuous tenses:
1. Susan usually …………. (go) to school by bus, but now she …………….. (go) to school by train.
2. Mary often………….. (read) in bed, but today she is very tired and she ………………. (not / read).
3. The boys usually ………… (ride) their bikes to school. They ……………. …………… (like / ride) their bikes. They ……………… (be) very naughty boys. They always ……………… (go) to school late. Today their teacher ……………. (be) very angry, because they ………………… (be) late again.
4. Mary ……………….. (like / eat) sweets. Every morning she ………. (have) coffee with a lot of sweets and chocolate. For lunch she and her friends often …………….. (eat) sweets or ice-cream. She ……………… (not / like / eat) fruit or vegetables. She ……………… (eat / never) eggs or cheese. Today she …………….. (be) sick. She ……………… (sleep) in her room now.