Present Continuous TensePresent Continuous Tense

Form of Present Continuous Tense:Form of Present Continuous Tense:

Positive SentencePositive Sentence

books.reading isHe, She, It

happily.dancingareYou, We, They

to music.listeningamI

modifier. main verb (V+ing) +“BE” + Subject +

Form of Present Continuous Tense:Form of Present Continuous Tense:

Negative SentenceNegative Sentence

isn’tbooks.reading

notisHe, She, It

aren’thappily.dancing

notareYou, We, They

‘m notto music.listening

notamI

modifier.

main verb (V+ing) +

NOT + “BE” + Subject +

Form of Present Continuous Tense:Form of Present Continuous Tense:

YesYes--No QuestionNo Question

lazy?beinghe, she, itIs

football with Jimmy?playingyou, we, theyAre

to music ?listeningIAm

modifier ? main verb (V+ing) +

Subject +“BE” +

Form of Present Continuous Tense:Form of Present Continuous Tense:

WhWh--QuestionQuestion

? goinghe, she, itisWhere

football with? playingyou, we, theyareWho

now?doingIamWhat

modifier ?main verb

(V+ing) +Subject +“BE” +

Question word

Use of Present Continuous TenseUse of Present Continuous Tense

1. NOW! We use the present continuous to say that we are in the middle of action. Often the action is happening at the time of speaking.

I’m working now. = I’m in the middle of working; I’ve started working and I haven’t finished it yet.

Margaret’s having a bath.= She’s in the middle of having a bath; she has started having a bath and she haven’t finished it yet.

It is raining now.=It’s in the middle of raining; it has started raining for a while and it hasn’t stopped yet.

She is sleeping now.

She is not sleeping now.

Is she sleeping now?

Where is she sleeping now?

Now, they are singing Spanish song.

Now, they are not singing Spanish song. .

Are they singing Spanish song now?

What kind of song are they singing?

Use of Present Continuous TenseUse of Present Continuous Tense

2. LONGER ACTIONS IN PROGRESS NOW! We also use the present continuous when we are in the process of doing a longer action, being in the middle of doing something which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at the moment of speaking.

Use of Present Continuous TenseUse of Present Continuous Tense

2. LONGER ACTIONS IN PROGRESS NOW!

Marry is studying to become a doctor.She is not studying to become a doctor.Is she studying to become a doctor?

What is she studying?

2008 2010 2013 2014

Use of Present Continuous TenseUse of Present Continuous Tense

3. CHAINGING!We can use the present continuous tense when things are changing over a long period.

The population of Americans is rising so fast.

Use of Present Continuous TenseUse of Present Continuous Tense

4. NEAR FUTURE!We can use the present continuous tense for what someone has arranged to do in the near future.

They are going to party tonight.They are not going to party tonight.Are they studying to party tonight?when are they going to party?

Present Continuous Tense & Present Continuous Tense &

Present Simple TensePresent Simple Tense

Present Simple TensePresent Simple Tense

Repeated actions, customs, habits

General truth or facts

Present Continuous TensePresent Continuous Tense

Now

Longer actions in

progress now

Near future