Present Continuous Tense

Or
Present Progressive Tense

Prepared By:Miss Nageen

Affirmative Sentence:
Formula: Subject+ Helping verb+ first form of
verb+ing+ Object
Helping verb: Is/Am/Are
Examples:
• You are swimming now.
• I am sitting now.
• They are reading their books.
• They are watching Television.
Negative Sentence:
Formula: Subject+Helping verb+not+Base form of
verb+ing+Object
Helping verb:is/am/are
Examples:
• I am not studying to become a dentist.
• I am not reading any book right now.
• You are not working on any special projects at work.
• You are not teaching at the university.
Interrogative Sentence:
Formula:Helping verb+Subject+Base form of
verb+ing Object+?
Helping verb: IS/Am/Are
Examples:
Am I meeting my friends after work?
Is he going to the party tonight?
Is he travelling to Japan next month?
Interrogative+Negative Sentence:
Formula: Helping verb+Subject+not+Base form of verb +
Object+?
Helping verb: is /am /are
Examples:
Am I not meeting my friends after work?
Is he not going to the party tonight?
Is he not travelling to Japan next month?
USE 1 – NOW
WE USE THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE
WHEN SOMETHING IS HAPPENING NOW, AT
THE MOMENT OF SPEAKING IT CAN ALSO BE
USED TO SHOW THAT SOMETHING IS NOT
HAPPENING NOW.
Examples:
You are learning English now.
You are not studying now.
Are you watching this programme?
They are working to meet the deadline.
Use 2 – Long actions in progress now
Now can mean: this moment, today, this month,
this year, this decade etc. Present Progressive
Tense is used to express an action that is
happening over a period of time and is in progress
as we speak. However it may not be taking place at
the moment of speaking.
I am learning French.
She's studying to become a doctor.
I'm reading 'Gone with the Wind'.
Are you still working in London?
USE 3 Near Future
Sometimes, speakers use the Present
ProgressiveTense to indicate that something will or
will not happen in the near future.
Examples:
I am meeting some friends after work.
I am not going to the party tonight.
Is he visiting his parents next weekend?
Isn't he coming with us tonight?
• Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
The present continuous with words such as "always" or
"constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating
or shocking often happens. Notice that the meaning is
like Simple Present Tense, but with negative emotion.
Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly"
between "be" and "verb+ing."
Examples:
• She is always coming to class late.
• He is constantly talking.
• Something which is temporary:
He's studying history.
I'm working in London for the next two weeks.
• something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:
These days most people are using email instead of writing letters.
What sort of clothes are teenagers wearing nowadays?
What sort of music are they listening to?
• Future Plans Or Arrangements:
Mary is going to a new school next term.
What are you doing next week?
• Something which is changing, growing or developing:
• The children are growing up quickly.
The climate is changing rapidly.
Your English is improving.
• Something which happens again and again:
It's always raining in London.
They are always arguing.
George is great. He's always laughing.
Note that we normally use always with this use
Present Continuous Tips
REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that non-continuous verbs
 cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain
non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used
in continuous tenses. Instead of using present continuous
with these verbs, you must use simple present.
Examples:
She is loving this chocolate ice cream. Not Correct
She loves this chocolate ice cream. Correct
Before you begin the verb tense lessons, it is
extremely important to understand that not all
english verbs are the same. English verbs are
divided into three groups: normal verbs, non-
continuous verbs, and mixed verbs.
Group I Normal Verbs
Most verbs are "normal verbs." These verbs are
usually physical actions which you can see somebody
doing. These verbs can be used in all tenses.
Normal Verbs
to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.
Examples:
I eat dinner every day.
I am eating dinner now.
 Group II Non-Continuous Verbs
The second group, called "non-continuous verbs," is
smaller. These verbs are usually things you cannot
see somebody doing. These verbs are rarely used in
continuous tenses. They include:
Abstract Verbs
to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to
contain, to owe, to exist...
Possession Verbs
to possess, to own, to belong...
Emotion Verbs
to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to
mind...
Examples:
He is needing help now. Not Correct
He needs help now. Correct
He is wanting a drink now. Not Correct
He wants a drink now. Correct
Group III Mixed Verbs
The third group, called "mixed verbs," is the smallest group. These verbs have
more than one meaning. In a way, each meaning is a unique verb. Some
meanings behave like "non-continuous verbs," while other meanings behave
like "normal verbs."
Mixed Verbs
to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh...
List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:
to appear:
Donna appears confused. Non-Continuous Verb
Donna seems confused.My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club
tonight. Normal Verb
My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club tonight.
List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:
to appear:
Donna appears confused. Non-Continuous Verb
Donna seems confused.My favorite singer is
appearing at the jazz club tonight. Normal Verb
My favorite singer is giving a performance at the
jazz club tonight.
• to have:
• I have a dollar now. Non-Continuous Verb
I possess a dollar.I am having fun now. Normal Verb
I am experiencing fun now.
• to hear:
• She hears the music. Non-Continuous Verb
She hears the music with her ears.She is hearing voices. Normal Verb
She hears something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices in her mind.
• to look:
• Nancy looks tired. Non-Continuous Verb
She seems tired.Farah is looking at the pictures. Normal Verb
She is looking with her eyes.
• to miss:
• John misses Sally. Non-Continuous Verb
He is sad because she is not there.Debbie is missing her favorite TV program. Normal
Verb
She is not there to see her favorite program.
• to see:
• I see her. Non-Continuous Verb
I see her with my eyes.I am seeing the doctor. Normal Verb
I am visiting or consulting with a doctor. (Also used with dentist and lawyer.)I am
seeing her. Normal Verb
I am having a relationship with her.He is seeing ghosts at night. Normal Verb
He sees something others cannot see. For example ghosts, aura, a vision of the future,
etc.
• to smell:
• The coffee smells good. Non-Continuous Verb
The coffee has a good smell.I am smelling the flowers. Normal Verb
I am sniffing the flowers to see what their smell is like.
• to taste:
• The coffee tastes good. Non-Continuous Verb
The coffee has a good taste.I am tasting the cake. Normal Verb
I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.
• to think:
• He thinks the test is easy. Non-Continuous Verb
He considers the test to be easy.She is thinking about the question. Normal Verb
She is pondering the question, going over it in her mind.
• to weigh:
• The table weighs a lot. Non-Continuous Verb
The table is heavy.She is weighing herself. Normal Verb
She is determining her weight.
NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most commonly
done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or stereotypically. It can also be used
when someone's behavior is noticeably different.
to feel:
The massage feels great. Non-Continuous Verb
The massage has a pleasing feeling.I don't feel well today. Sometimes used as Non-
Continuous Verb
I am a little sick.
I am not feeling well today. Sometimes used as Normal Verb
I am a little sick.
NOTICE: The second meaning of "feel" is very flexible and there is no real difference in
meaning between "I don't feel well today" and "I am not feeling well today
Non-Continuous verbs/mixed verbs
It is important to remember that n0n-continuous verbs
( state verbs) cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also
certain mixed verbs cannot be used in the continuous
tenses.
She loves dancing. NOT She is loving dancing.
Jenny appears concerned. ( She looks concerned)
Jenny is appearing concerned. (Incorrect as 'is appearing'
means 'will be seen' i.e. in a performance)
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