Present Continuous Tense is the present continuous tense in English. English language

Present Continuous- This is the present continuous tense in English, its main meaning is a continuous action taking place at the present moment. Unlike , it expresses precisely a long-term action, that is, an action that happened, but not happened.

Present Continuous Education Scheme: Rules and Examples

Consider how the continuous present tense is formed in the affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.

1. Affirmative form: I am talking

In the affirmative form, Present Continuous is formed with the help of a verb and a verb with an ending – ing, only the verb is changed to be. Examples are shown in the table:

Examples:

Are you talking to me? – Are you talking to me?

Is this device working properly? – Is this device working properly?

Are you kidding? - Are you kidding?

Meaning of Present Continuous: when is a long simple time used?

Present Continuous is used in the following cases.

• A continuous action is taking place now, that is, at the moment of speaking.

Suggestion examples:

I am going to a swimming pool. - I'm going to the pool (I'm going now).

I am working. – I am working (at the moment).

Compare how the meaning will change if the verb is in:

I go to a swimming pool. - I go to the pool (in general, regularly, but not at the moment).

I work. – I am working (generally, not at the moment).

• A long-term action takes place in the present time period.

That is, not literally now, at this second, but in a wider period of time, for example, during this day, this month.

I am reading the book “War and Peace” . – I am reading the book "War and Peace" (not at the moment, the book is in the process of reading).

He is writing a new song. He is writing a new song (not right now, but in some real period of time).

• To express an action that will take place in the near future.

That is, to express the intention to perform this action or the confidence that it will certainly happen.

You are going with me - You go with me (meaning: you go with me).

I am leaving the town in 24 hours - I leave the city in 24 hours (leave).

• Repetitive action with a negative connotation.

This case is rarely mentioned in the educational literature, but it should be mentioned because it is typical for colloquial speech. Present Continuous with words like always, constantly(meaning "constantly", "all the time") expresses some unpleasant, annoying action that occurs regularly.

He is constantly talking. I hate it. - He talks all the time. I hate it.

I don't like them because they are always complaining. I don't like them because they complain all the time.

In essence, the value is obtained as y - a repeated regular action, but here we are talking about an annoying, unpleasant action.

Verbs that are not used in Present Continuous

Some verbs expressing perception, feelings, emotional state are not used (as a rule) in Continuous times, because they cannot express a long action. They include verbs.

Hello! If you are interested in the rules for the formation and use of time Present Continuous in English, then you've come to the right place! I will tell you what Present Continuous time is, I will explain the nuances of the formation and use of this time, and for clarity, I will give many examples.

What is Present Continuous Tense?

Present Continuous Tense (Present Continuous) is a tense form of a verb that describes an action or state that is going on at the moment of speech. That is, Present Continuous Tense shows actions and states in progress! This is how it differs from the simple present tense (Present Simple Tense).

There is no analogue for Present Continuous Tense in Russian. It provides only one temporary form for the present tense, which expresses both shades of simple and long tense. Let's see this with an example:

• Present continuous: You are speaking Spanish - You speak Spanish. (Meaning you are speaking Spanish at the moment.)

• Present Simple: You speak Spanish. - You speak Spanish. (Meaning you can speak Spanish at all.)

As you can see, in Russian the same form of the verb conveys different shades of the present tense.

Rules for the formation of Present Continuous Tense

The Present Continuous is difficult. It is formed with an auxiliary verb to be in Present Simple Tense (am, are, is) and present participles of the main verb (verb ending -ing).

When forming the present participle (Present Participle), it is important to know the following rules:

• If the verb ends in an unpronounceable -e, then it goes down:

to drive e— driving
to give e- giving

• If the verb ends in a consonant after the stressed syllable, the consonant is doubled:

sit − si tt ing
to stop-sto pp ing
to forget-forge tt ing

• If the verb ends in -l preceded by a vowel, then -l always doubles (in the American version, this rule is not respected).

to travel-trave ll ing
to fulfil - fulfi ll ing

• If the verb ends in -ie, That -ie changes to -y:

to l ie—l y ing
to d ie- d y ing

Formation of the affirmative form:

• subject + to be in Present Simple (am, are, is) + Present Participle of the main verb (V + ing)

Formation of the interrogative form:

• to be in Present Simple (am, are, is) + subject + Present Participle of the main verb (V + ing)

Formation of the negative form:

• subject + to be in Present Simple (am, are, is) + negation of not + Present Participle of the main verb (V + ing)

Conjugation table of the verb to starve in Present Continuous Tense

I advise you to carefully study this table as a cliché, where you will then substitute other verbs.

Not all English verbs are used in the long tense. Verbs that denote desires, thoughts, states, feelings, as a rule, are not used in the Present Continuous form. You can find a more detailed list of such verbs in the article: Present Simple tense in English

Present Continuous Tense is used:

1. When expressing an action that is happening at the moment (now). Very often in such sentences there are circumstances of time by which the Present Continuous Tense can be accurately determined. For example:

• now - now
• at the moment - at the moment

• Don't you smell something is burning? "Don't you feel that something is on fire?"
• What are you talking about now? - What are you talking about now?

2. When expressing an action or state that lasts in the present tense (the action has already begun and has not yet ended), but not necessarily related to the current moment of speech:

• Sorry but I can't lend you this book because I'm reading it myself. — I'm sorry, but I can't lend you this book, because. I'm reading it myself right now.
• I'm studying at the university. - I study at University.

3. When expressing any inclination or permanent habit (usually negative). In such sentences, the verb expresses impatience or disapproval and is often accompanied by adverbs:

• always - always
• constantly - constantly
• all the time - all the time

• She is always coming too late! She always comes too late!
• I'm constantly wearing with my teachers. I constantly argue with my teachers.

4. When expressing actions planned for the near future. In such sentences, verbs of motion are very often used:

• to come - go
• to move - move
• to leave - leave
• to stay - stay
• to return - return
• to start - start

and expressions:

• to have guests - have guests
• to give a party - make a party

• I am giving a birthday party tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm having a birthday party.
• They are leaving us this afternoon. They are leaving us tonight.

Note!

The combination of the verb to go in Present Continuous Tense with the infinitive form of another verb also expresses the intention to perform an action in the near future:

• why are you going to change your flat? Why are you going to change your apartment?
• I'm going to present him to my parents. “Seo is going to introduce him to my parents.

6. When expressing an action that takes place simultaneously with another action expressed in Present Simple Tense. That is, in a subordinate clause of time or condition after conjunctions:

• when - when
• If - if
• in case - in case
• as long as - as long as
• while - while
• unless - if not

• Try not to make a noise when you are playing. − Try not to make noise when you play.

These were the basic rules about Present Continuous Tense. Use and improve in English!
I advise you to watch the following videos on the topic: "Real long tense in English"

When we talk on the phone, we are often asked “What are you doing now?” and we usually answer, for example, “I am chilling / drinking coffee / cooking / reading a book”. In the answer, we use "Present Continuous" (present continius) or "present continuous".

Such a tense helps to describe the action that is taking place at the moment of the spoken speech. This is our first rule for using Present Progressive Tense. But let's find out more, shall we?

Using Present Continuous

So, "Present Continuous" we use in the following cases:

• when we talk about an action that is happening (or not happening) right now, at the moment of speech. Marker words can be used here: now" (Now), " at the moment" (At the moment). Also, we can use this time for two actions that occur simultaneously in the present.

She's drinking tea now. She is drinking tea now.
He "s not playing computer games now because he" s sleeping.- Now he does not play computer games because he is sleeping.

• when the action takes place in the present, but not at a particular moment of speech.

Something is happening around now. In this case " now” matters not only in this second, but also today, as well as this week, this month, or even this year.

I am reading an interesting book.- I am reading an interesting book (I started reading it before the moment of speech and will read it for some time, but right now I am not busy reading).
I usually drink tea, but today I'm drinking coffee. - I usually drink tea, but today I drink coffee.

• when we talk about an action that develops and changes. Such an action can be indicated by the words " change"(to change)," get/become"(become)," rise" (get up), " fall" (fall), " grow"(grow)," improve"(improve)," begin/start» (begin).

Your English is getting better.- Your English is getting better.
Our country is developing.- Our country is developing.

• when we talk about the near future, planned actions and plans. We use "Present Continuous" only with those actions that we have already firmly decided to perform. Marker words: " this/next week" (this/next week), " this/next weekend» (this/next weekend), « this/next year"(this/next year)," today" (In the evening), " today" (Today), " tomorrow"(Tomorrow).

I am having a lesson tomorrow at 4.10 p.m.- I have a lesson tomorrow at 16:00 (I have already planned the action and I know all the details).
We are going to the theater next Monday.- We are going to the theater next Monday (we know the name of the play, which theatre, time, bought tickets, etc.).

• when we want to show discontent, indignation, irritation. In these cases, we use the words always(Always), constantly(constantly), all the time(all the time), forever(forever) to show that a person regularly does something that we do not like and that it annoys us.

They are always complaining.- They always complain.
He's constantly biting his nails.- He bites his nails all the time.

As you may have noticed, the form of "Present Continuous Tense" is as follows:

• Affirmative: Subject + verb "to be" + V-ing
• Interrogative: Verb "to be" + subject + V-ing ?
• Negative: No + subject + verb "to be" + not + V-ing

Nota Bene: different subjects have different forms of the verb "to be": "I am", "he/she/it is"," you/we/they are».

Present Continuous Forms

Let's look at all forms of "Present Progressive Tense" using the example of the verb "work" - to work.

The main verb or semantic verb in "Present Continuous" has the ending "- ing". Usually we just need to add this ending to the verb, but as always there are exceptions.

Also, do not forget about the "insidious verbs" ( state verbs) that are not used in Present Continuous Tense. They can be divided into 6 groups:

• Senses and Perceptions: to feel, to hear, to see, to smell, to taste.
• Opinions: to assume, to believe, to consider, to doubt, to feel (= to think), to find (= to consider), to suppose, to think.
• Emotions and 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.
• mental states: to forget, to imagine, to know, to mean, to notice, to recognize, to remember, to understand.
• measurement: to contain, to cost, to hold, to measure, to weigh.
• Others: to look (= resemble), to seem, to be (in most cases), to have(= to possess).

But as always, there are a few cases where state verbs are used with "Present Continuous". This happens when the verb has several meanings and one of them shows action, and also when we want to show that the situation is temporary.

The steak tastes good.- This steak tastes great (steak is always so delicious).
The chef is tasting the steak.- The chef is tasting the steak (he is tasting it now).

Conclusion

So, we have analyzed the main features of the use of "Present Continuous". It is used quite often in situations, for example, when we talk about the present, the future, our plans, and temporary events.

We hope that the article will help you understand all the nuances. Don't stop evolving!

We offer you to get acquainted with other tenses of the English language

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

Present Continuous - the present continuous tense of the English language, denotes
action taking place at the moment; action, which is a continuous process taking place at the moment of speech; future planned action. When we talk about such an event, we usually use the words now(Now), at the moment(At the moment), currently, currently(currently), etc. The action is incomplete.

affirmative form

affirmative form present tense is formed from the auxiliary verb " to be" in the corresponding person of the present tense ( am, is, are) and a semantic verb in the ing form ( V-ing) that follow the subject.

I am watching TV now
I am watching TV now

I am(= I "m) eat ing. -
I eat.

She is reading at the moment
She is currently reading

Is not reading a book. -
He is reading a book (now).

We are working now
We are working now.

We/you/they are(=we"re/you"re/they"re) sing ing. -
We/you(you)/they sing.

The water is boiling. Can you turn it off? -
The water is boiling at the moment. Turn it off.

Currently I am working on a very exciting project. -
Currently I am working on a very interesting project.

We can't come right now because we are watching TV. -
We can't come right now because we watch TV.

Interrogative form

To ask a question in the present continuous tense, you need to put the verb "to be" before subject, semantic verb in the form " -ing"should behind the subject.

Am I reading now? -
I am reading now?

Is he reading a new book? -
Is he reading a new book?

Are we waiting for a bus? -
Are we waiting for the bus?

Are we playing basketball? -
Are we playing basketball now?

Are children enjoying the party? -
Children enjoy the holiday?

Is she speaking to her mother? -
Is she talking to her mother?

Is Mary sleeping?
Yes, she is. (She's sleeppin.)
No, she is not. (No, she is not sleeping)
No, she's not. (She's not sleeping)
No, she isn't (She isn't sleeping)

Special questions in Present Continuous

Where is Mary sleeping?
On the sofa (She's sleeping on the sofa)

Why are you watching TV?
Because I like this program. (I'm watching TV because I like this program)

Negative form

The negative form is formed by stating the negation " not" after the auxiliary verb.

They are not playing football now.
They don't play football now.

They are very busy.
They are very busy.

Compare with present indefinite:

They don "t play football at all. - They don't play football at all.

Interrogative-negative form

In the interrogative-negative form, the particle not is placed directly after the subject or before the subject, forming an abbreviated form of the auxiliary verb and particle:

Am I not working?
Is he not working? (Isn't he working?)
Are we not working? (Aren't we working?)

+ She is standing.
- She is not standing.
? Is she standing?
Yes, she is. No, she is not. (No, she isn't.)

Present Continuous to express actions taking place at the moment of speech

- What are you writing? - I am writing a letter to a friend of mine.
- What are you (now) writing? I am writing (now) a letter to my friend.

They are not working. They are on their holidays. - They don't work (now). They are on vacation.

If at the moment the fact of action is more important for the speaker than the process, then Present Indefinite is used, not Present Continuous:

Why don't you answer? - Why don't you answer?

Stop talking! Why don't you listen? - Stop talking! Why don't you listen?

If two simultaneous processes occur at the moment of speech, then all three options for transferring these actions are possible: both in Indefinite, one in Indefinite - the other in Continuous, both in Continuous:

Do you hear what he says? = Do you hear what he's saying? = Are you listening to what he's saying?
Do you hear (listen) what he says

Temporal markers Present Continuous

English verbs in Present Continuous used c
temporary markers:
still- still,
now- Now,
at present- currently,
at the moment- At the moment,
meanwhile- Meanwhile,
while- Bye

Moreover, the presence of words denoting the moment of speech: now, at this moment, etc. is possible, but not at all necessary.

I am sitting at my table and writing. -
I sit at the table and write. (Now)

The bus is coming. -
The bus is coming.

It is raining. -
It's raining. (At the moment)

Mary, what are you doing? -
Mary, what are you (now) doing?

You are not listening to me. -
You don't listen to me.

Verbs that are not used in Continuous:

(verbs of senses)
feel - feel
hear - to hear
notice - notice
see - see,
smell - to smell,
sound - sound,
taste - try.

I hear a siren. Do you here it too

(verbs of need and need) needs and wants:
need - need,
wish - wish,
want - want.

I want an apple

(tastes and dislikes) likes and dislikes:
dislike - not to love,
hate - hate,
like - like,
love - to love,
prefer - prefer.

(knowledge)
forget - forget
know - to know
realize - realize
understand - understand.

The Present Continuous Present Continuous is formed using the verb to be and the -ing form of the verb

To express a long action taking place in the present time period, although not necessarily at the moment of speech, for example:

I am learning to drive. -
I am learning to drive. (currently)

He is studying at school. -
He goes to school. (currently)

My husband is working on an invention. -
My husband is (currently) working on an invention.

Is not writing a new play. -
He is writing a new play. (not right now, but in this period of life)

That firm is carrying on negotiations for the purchase of ore. -
This firm is negotiating the purchase of ore.

to express future action

The Present Continuous is also used to express future action:

To express a planned future action (the actor expresses both the intention to perform the action and the confidence in its commission, since there is an agreement, plan, tickets, etc.), especially with verbs denoting movement or action. In this case, the circumstances of time are almost always used. This form is typical of the colloquial style, while Present Indefinite is typical of the formal style.

Such constructions often contain words today, this week and even tomorrow

We are leaving tomorrow at 6.

I "m going to visit my aunt this evening -
I decided to go to my uncle's tonight.

1) To express a planned future action (the actor expresses both the intention to perform the action and the confidence in its commission, since there is an agreement, plan, tickets, etc.), especially with verbs denoting movement or action. In this case, the circumstances of time are almost always used. This form is typical of the colloquial style, while Present Indefinite is typical of the formal style.

I'm leaving tomorrow. -
I leave tomorrow.

We're flying to Paris in the morning. -
We're leaving for Paris in the morning.

We are dining out on Saturday. -
We have lunch at a party on Saturday.

He is taking his examination on Friday. -
He is taking his exam on Friday.

2 To express the future action in adverbial clauses of the condition and time of the conditions introduced by the conjunctions (if if, in case in case, etc.) or time (before before, until (till) until ... not, while in while, while, when, etc.), for example:

If I am sleeping when he comes, wake me up, please. -
If I am sleeping when he comes, please wake me up.

abbreviations in colloquial speech:

In colloquial speech, abbreviations are used:

I am \u003d I "m
He (she, it) is \u003d He "s (she" s, it "s)
We (you, they) are = we "re (you" re, they "re)
am not="m not
is not= isn't="s not
are not=aren"t="re not

He's working.
He isn't working. = He's not working.
Aren't they working?

Present Continuos - read as Present Continius, or the Present Continuous is one of the most used tenses in the English language. In fact, it is in second place after (translated as Real simple). With the help of it, actions are expressed at the moment of pronunciation of the proposal, plans and much more.

Education Present Continuous

Education

Affirmative (positive) form of Present Continuous

Created with:

• The verb "", which declines depending on the person (first, second or third) and the number (singular or plural) of the performer.
  Declension looks like this:

Interrogative Present Continuous

It looks similar, only the word order changes. can be composed with a special question word and without it.

1. If o exists, it is placed first.
2. Then it goes in the right way.
3. Next is the semantic verb.
4. And finally, all the other members of the proposal.

For example, let's make the sentences from the table interrogative:

You can see that in the last two sentences, the interrogative word “what” was used, which translates as “what?”. To make interrogative sentences, you will need other common interrogative words:

• how? (How?)
• When? (When?)
• Who? (Who?)
• Where from? (Where?)
• Which? (Which?)
• Where? (Where?)
• Why? (Why?)

Negative form

Formed by adding the particle "not".

You can see that "is not" and "are not" have abbreviated to "isn't" and "aren't", which are read as "iznt" and "ant". The reason for this is in the peculiarities of the English language, where the “swallowing” of vowel sounds is common.

Writing rules

The only problem that may arise with the creation is the spelling of verbs in the "ing" form. The most common is the creation of the Present Participle with the infinitive form of the verb and the ending "ing".

Here are examples of such cases:

See (see) - seeing (vision)
enter (enter) - entering (incoming; entering; entry / entry)

Note: when answering the questions "What to do?" "What to do?". But when the last letter of the verb is "e", which is not pronounced, that letter is omitted.

Fame - faming
note (notice) - note (notice)
forgive (forgiving) - forgiving (forgiving)

Formation of affirmative, interrogative, negative forms of Present continuous

There are also exceptions where:

• The last doubles if the word ends in a consonant before which there is a stressed sound.

Examples:
run - running;
admit - admitting.
stop - stopping;
At the same time, do not forget that the letter "x" is never doubled, since it conveys two sounds "ks".

• The final "r" is doubled if it does not contain a diphthong:

stir (move) - stirring;
refer (refer) - referring (referring).

• The final "l" is doubled if it precedes it and if the last syllable is stressed:

travel - travelling (travel, traveling)
signal - signaling (signaling, signaling)
cancel - cancelling (cancellation, canceling, canceling)
compel - compelling (compulsion, forcing, forcing)

• The ending "ie" is replaced with "y":

hie-hying
pie - pying
delie - delaying

It is worth noting that words that end in "ing" are not always patissipple. In English, they can also be nouns or even adjectives.

Here are examples:
I am swimming. - I swim (the word with the ending ing plays the role of a patisiple).
Swimming is beneficial to your health. - Swimming is good for your health (plays the role of a noun and a subject).
Now he is in the swimming pool. - Now he is in the pool, literally in the "swimming lake" (here it plays the role of an adjective).

So if you see a -ing word, this does not mean that the sentence is necessarily in the Continuous form. Everything depends on the context.

Eat . They are divided into the following groups:

1. Verbs that show emotions: love, need, appreciate;
2. Verbs related to thoughts:forget, remember;
3. Verbs of feelings: sensations, hearing, etc.. (hear, touch);
4. Verbs denoting the right to something, possession: belong, have, possess, own;
5. Other verbs not belonging to groups: cost, need, contain.

Using Present Continuous

This tense is used:

• If the action is performed at the time of the conversation. In these cases, the words now (now, now), at this moment (at this moment), etc. are often used, but they are optional.

Now I am swimming. - Now I'm swimming.
At this moment she is talking. She is talking at the moment.

• If something is being done now, but not right during the speech.

Don't this novel. Katya's reading it. - Don't take this novel. Katya is reading it.
Sam's spending a lot of time home last days, as he's writing a novel. Andrew spends a lot of time at home these days because he is writing a novel.

• If the action is part of the plans and the person who speaks is confident that the plans will come true. In such cases, Present Continuous is used with verbs of motion and words indicating the future.

They're getting married in September. - They will get married in September.
We're flying to Paris in the evening. - We fly to Paris in the evening.

• If the characteristic properties of a person are described, often with a negative connotation.

Why are you shouting at me? - Why are you shouting at me?

conclusions

Summing up, in order to study the Present Continuous, you will need to learn the basic rules for the formation of the Present Participle, remember the word order in sentences. It is important to remember verbs that are not used in this tense. If you memorize all the information from this article and practice a little, you can confidently say that you understand Present Continuos.