Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense (Study English Today)

Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense

Grammar >>> Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense

1. How to form the Present Continuous Tense?

The Present Continuous is made with the present form of the verb "to be" (I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are, you are, they are) + the '-ing' form of the main verb. The '-ing' form of the verb is called the Present Participle.

Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense

Affirmative (Positive) Form			Negative Form				Question Form
I	am	reading	I	am	not	reading	Am	I	reading?
You	are	reading	You	are	not	reading	Are	you	reading?
He	is	reading	He	is	not	reading	Is	he	reading?
She	is	reading	She	is	not	reading	Is	she	reading?
It	is	reading	It	is	not	reading	Is	it	reading?
We	are	reading	We	are	not	reading	Are	we	reading?
You	are	reading	You	are	not	reading	Are	you	reading?
They	are	reading	They	are	not	reading	Are	they	reading?

Contracted forms: I am = I'm                 he/she/it is = he's/she's/it's                     you are = you're
                     I am not = I'm not       he/she/it is not = he isn't/she isn't/it isn't        you are not = you aren't

                                 we are = we're                        they are   = they're
                            we are not = we aren't             they are not = they aren't

Examples:  1. What are you doing?                                       3. He is reading a newspaper.

2. I'm having a bath. 4. Are they working?

2. Using the Present Continuous Tense

We most often use the Present Continuous when we talk about something which is happening at the time of speaking (now, at the moment):

Examples: Pamela is sleeping in the bedroom.

1. The telephone is ringing!

2. They are doing their homework.

3. I'm waiting for my girlfriend in front of the cinema.

Present Continuous is also used when we talk about something which is happening at present, but not necessarily at the moment of speaking:

Examples: 1. I'm reading an interesting book.

2. Tom is looking for a new job.

3. We are studying English and Spanish.

We can use the Present Continuous when we talk about temporary actions taking place only for a period of time (today, this week, this semester, this year):

Examples: 1. My husband is working hard today.

2. They are spending this week in Paris.

3. She is teaching English this semester.

4. We are staying at the Bristol Hotel tonight.

5. I'm living with my parents at the moment but soon I'll buy my own house.

Present Continuous is also used to express current trends:

Examples: 1. Fuel prices are rising constantly because of strong demand.

2. On-line shopping is growing rapidly nowdays.

We can use the Present Continuous when we talk about repeated actions which are irritating to the speaker (always, constantly):

Examples: 1. He is always complaining from his colleagues.

2. My son is always getting into trouble in school.

Sometimes we use the Present Continuous to describe a planned action in the near future:

Examples: 1. I'm leaving for Vienna tomorrow morning.

2. We are having lunch at 12.30 o'clock.

See also: Present Participle /en/

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