Present Continuous Tense

Forming the present continuous

The present continuous of any verb is composed of two parts - the present tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.
(The form of the present participle is: base+ing, e.g. talking, playing, moving, smiling)

Affirmative
Subject	+ to be	+ base + ing
She	is	talking.
Negative
Subject	+ to be + not	+ base + ing
She	is not (isn't)	talking
Interrogative
to be	+ subject	+ base + ing
Is	she	talking?

Examples: TO GO, present continuous

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I am going	I am not going	Am I going?
You are going	You aren't going.	Are you going?
He, she, it is going	He, she, it isn't going	Is he, she, it going?
We are going	We aren't going	Are we going?
You are going	You aren't going	Are you going?
They are going	They aren't going	Are they going?

Note: alternative negative contractions: I'm not going, you're not going, he's not going etc.

Functions of the present continuous

As with all tenses in English, the speaker's attitude is as important as the time of the action or event. When someone uses the present continuous, they are thinking about something that is unfinished or incomplete

The present continuous is used:

to describe an action that is going on at this moment: You are using the Internet. You are studying English grammar.
to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend: Are you still working for the same company? More and more people are becoming vegetarian.
to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared: We're going on holiday tomorrow. I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight. Are they visiting you next winter?
to describe a temporary event or situation: He usually plays the drums, but he's playing bass guitar tonight. The weather forecast was good, but it's raining at the moment.
with "always, forever, constantly", to describe and emphasise a continuing series of repeated actions: Harry and Sally are always arguing! You're constantly complaining about your mother-in-law!

BE CAREFUL! Some verbs are not usually used in the continuous form

Verbs that are not usually used in the continuous form

The verbs in the list below are normally used in the simple form because they refer to states, rather than actions or processes.

Senses / Perception

to feel*
to hear
to see*
to smell
to taste

Opinion

to assume
to believe
to consider
to doubt
to feel (= to think)
to find (= to consider)
to suppose
to think*

Mental states

to forget
to imagine
to know
to mean
to notice
to recognise
to remember
to understand

Emotions / desires

to envy
to fear
to dislike
to hate
to hope
to like
to love
to mind
to prefer
to regret
to want
to wish

Measurement

to contain
to cost
to hold
to measure
to weigh

Others

to look (=resemble)
to seem
to be (in most cases)
to have(when it means "to possess")*

Exceptions

Perception verbs (see, hear, feel, taste, smell) are often used with can: : I can see... These verbs may be used in the continuous form but with a different meaning

This coat feels nice and warm. (your perception of the coat's qualities)
John's feeling much better now (his health is improving)
She has three dogs and a cat. (possession)
She's having supper. (She's eating)
I can see Anthony in the garden (perception)
I'm seeing Anthony later (We are planning to meet)

Grammar Usage

NOUNS

ADJECTIVES

What adjectives are and what they are for
Forming and placing adjectives in English
What order to put adjectives in when you are using more than one at a time
Forming the comparative and the superlative of adjectives
Using adjectives to compare qualities
Using adjectives to compare equal quantites
Using adjectives to compare unequal quantites

ADVERBS

What adverbs are and what they are for
Forming adverbs from adjectives
Forming the comparative and the superlative of adverbs
Adverbs of place
Adverbs of time
Adverbs of manner
Adverbs of degree
Adverbs of certainty
Viewpoint and commenting adverbs
Relative adverbs
Interrogative adverbs

VERBS AND VERB TENSE

Present Tenses

- Simple present

- Present continuous

- Present perfect

- Present perfect continuous

Past tenses

- Simple Past

- Past Continuous

- Past Perfect

- Past Perfect Continuous

Perfect tenses

- Present perfect

- Present perfect continuous

- Past Perfect

- Past Perfect Continuous

- Future perfect

- Future perfect continuous

Future tenses

- Simple future tense

- Future continuous tense

- Future perfect tense

- Future perfect continuous tense

Conditional sentences

- Zero conditional sentences

- Type 1 conditional sentences

- Type 2 conditional sentences

- Type 3 Conditional Sentences

- Mixed conditional sentences

The -ing form

- Present participle

- Gerund

Infinitives
Passive voice

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