When the continuous is used. Learn English Online

Present Continuous seems incomprehensible to many students, because there is no such analogue in our native language. Let's see how the present long time is formed and in what cases it is used in order to make friends with it once and for all.

The present continuous (Present Continuous) in some textbooks is called Present Progressive - remember that these are the same thing. Most often, the Present Continuous describes an action that takes place over a period of time in the present. But this time has other functions as well. We will show you how to use it correctly depending on the specific situation.

If you want to learn more grammar topics, sign up with your future teacher.

Present Continuous time is formed according to the scheme:

In order not to make a mistake in writing a verb with the ending -ing, pay attention to the following rules:

• if the verb ends in a vowel -e, then it is omitted: bake - baking;
• when the verb ends in vowels -ie, they change to -y: tie - tying;
• if the verb ends in one consonant letter, before which there is a stressed vowel, then the consonant letter at the end is doubled: let - letting, begin - beginning, regret - regretting.

Affirmative sentence:

She is petting her dog now. - She is now strokes your dog.

In a negative sentence, the particle not is placed between the auxiliary and main verbs.

She is not (isn't) petting her dog now. - She is now does not stroke your dog.

In an interrogative sentence, the auxiliary verb comes first, followed by the subject and the main form of the verb.

Is she petting her dog now? - She is now strokes your dog?

Below you can see how the Present Continuous is formed in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.

Cases of using Present Continuous

Consider examples of the use of Present Continuous, starting with the simplest and gradually moving towards more complex ones.

For beginner and intermediate levels

1. The Present Continuous is used to describe an action that is happening at the current time:

   Listen! The music is playing. - Listen! Music plays.
   Hush! The kids are sleeping. - Shh! Children are sleeping.

   In such a situation, marker words are often found: now (now), right now (at this very minute), at the moment (in this moment), at present (currently). These are some kind of pointers to the present continuous tense.

   Steve is watching TV at the moment. - Now Steve looks TV set.

2. The present continuous is used to describe ongoing actions in the present, even if they are not happening at the moment of speaking. That is, for some time we periodically perform this action:

   Jessica is learning French. - Jessica teaches French. (she has been studying French for a while now and will continue to learn it, but she is not busy learning French right now)

   In this situation, such present continuous marker words as now, these days, currently are also often found. They are translated "now", "currently".

   Pete is currently training to participate in the Olympics. - Pete currently training to participate in the Olympic Games. (he is currently training and will continue until the Olympics, but right now he is not in training)

3. Present Continuous is used to describe the changes that occur in a situation and the development process. In such constructions, the action is often conveyed by the verbs to get (become), to increase (increase / increase), to decrease (decrease / decrease), to rise (rise), to fall (fall), to start (start / begin), to change (change / change), etc.

   An average day temperature is slowly increasing. - Average temperature gradually increases.
   The petrol is getting cheaper day by day. - Fuel every day getting cheaper.

4. The present continuous can be used to indicate events in the near future, but only if it concerns planned actions. The future in such sentences is indicated by time, days of the week or the words tomorrow (tomorrow), next week (next week), next month (next month), next year (next year).

   Cris is buying a new phone tomorrow. - Tomorrow Chris will buy new phone. (he has already chosen a model, put money on the phone)
   We are flying to India next week. - Next week we we fly to India. (the trip is already planned, the tickets are bought, the trip will definitely take place)

   Speaking about the near future, we often use verbs of motion: to go (to go), to leave (to leave), to come (to come). These verbs show that the action will be performed immediately or in the near future.

   I don't feel well. I am going to bed. - I do not feel myself well. I I'm going sleep. (I will take this action immediately)
   I "m coming in 5 minutes. Can you meet me up? - I I will come In 5 minutes. Will you meet me? (I'm already on my way and I'll be right back.)

5. Present Continuous helps to express dissatisfaction or irritation when used with the words constantly (constantly), all the time (all the time), always (always). So we show that some regular or frequently occurring action causes negative emotions.

   Susan is always leaving her coffee mug in the sink. - Susan constantly leaves your coffee cup in the sink. (action is performed regularly, and the speaker is unhappy with this situation)

6. There are verbs that are not used in Present Continuous. We are talking about state verbs (stative verbs), which express feelings and thought processes: to know (to know), to forget (to forget), to notice (to notice), to understand (to understand), to recognize (to learn), to remember ( remember), to love (to love), to hate (to hate), to want (to want), to need (to need), to believe (to believe), to hear (to hear), etc.

   I know which bus to take to get home. - I I know which bus to take to get home. (knowledge is my state, not action)

For high level

The present continuous tense in English can also be used in the following situations:

1. There are verbs that in one sense are state verbs and cannot be used in the present continuous tense, and in another sense act as action verbs and can be used in Present Continuous. Let's look at examples:

   to think - consider, believe (state) and to think - reflect (action)
   to see - see (state) and to see - meet, see (action)
   to have - to have (state) and to have as part of a stable expression, for example, to have breakfast (have breakfast), to have a good time (have a good time)

   I think it is a nice jacket. - I I think that this is a good jacket. (it's my opinion)
   What are you thinking about? - what are you talking about think? (At the moment)

   The use of the Present Continuous form with some state verbs (to attract - to attract, to like - to like, to love - to love) is possible when the speaker wants to emphasize the temporality of his feelings.

   Usually I don't like music festivals, but I am loving this one. - I usually do not like music festivals, but this one is me adore. (the speaker emphasizes that he likes this particular festival now.)

   We use some verbs that describe thought processes (to realize - to realize, to understand - to understand, to regret - to regret), we use in Present Continuous to emphasize that we have just begun to think about something and have not yet formed our final opinion.

   I "m realizing how wrong I was. - I began to understand how was wrong.

   Verbs that describe physical sensations (to feel - to feel, to hurt / to ache - to hurt) can be used both in Present Simple and Present Continuous without much difference in meaning.

   I am feeling sad today. = I feel sad today. - I'm sad today.
   my head is teaching. = My head ache. - I have a head hurts.

2. We can also use the static verb to be in Present Continuous if we want to emphasize that a person’s behavior is uncharacteristic for him.

   He is being weird after he lost his job. - He acting strange after he lost his job. (i.e. it usually behaves differently)

3. We can use the Present Continuous and Present Simple tenses together to make our story sound more dynamic. In this case, the action in the Present Simple takes place against the background of the action in the Present Continuous, interrupting it and creating a sense of suddenness.

   two guys are walking through a game park and they come across a lion that has not eaten for days. - Two boys go through the wild animal park, when they suddenly stumble on a lion that hasn't eaten in days.

How not to confuse Present Continuous and Present Simple

It is worth considering the most common situations in which one time from the Present group can be mistaken for another:

1. Present Continuous is used to describe situations and actions that the speaker considers temporary. Present Simple describes situations that the speaker perceives as permanent.

   Linda is working at the ice cream shop during summer. - Summer Linda works in an ice cream shop. (when summer ends, Linda will no longer work at this place)
   Sam works as a manager at the ice cream shop. - Sam works manager at an ice cream shop. (this is his regular job)

2. If we are describing repetitive actions that are related to the present moment, we use the Present Continuous. And if they are not connected with the present moment, we use Present Simple.

   I "m speaking with my mom a lot these days. - Recently, I often I say with mom on the phone. (there is a connection with the current moment)
   I speak with my aunt who lives in New York twice a year. - Twice a year talking with his aunt who lives in New York. (no connection to the present moment)

3. The Present Continuous describes an action that is happening at the present moment. Present Simple is used to describe facts that remain true at any given time.

   Kathy is speaking with her father at the moment. - Now Katy He speaks with his father. (she is speaking at the present time, the conversation will be over)
   Kathy speaks English. - Katy He speaks in English. (she can speak English, this statement remains a fact at any given time)

We suggest taking a test to consolidate the rules for using Present Continuous.

Test on the topic "Present Continuous - Present Continuous in English"

Present progressive or present progressive (present continuous) is the designation of the present continuous tense in English. The article will give the grammatical foundations for the use of this tense in the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms of sentences. After each definition and at the end of the article, examples will be given with translation for consolidation.

Basic rules for use

So, what are the rules in present progressive and how to use it? As said, it is used for actions in the present that are in progress: right now, in the near future, or in the current period.

The sentence scheme with the affirmative form of the given tense consists of a pronoun with an auxiliary part denoting the present tense (to be) + a verb bundle with the ending -ing.

For the present, the binder to be has three forms. It depends on which person the story is going on and their number:

• I am
• He|She|It. He|She|It is
• You|They|We. You|We|They are

The ending -ing must be "added" to the form of the verb:

• Read. Read - Reading
• Look. Watch-Watching
• To swim. Swim - Swimming

Thus, when speaking on your own, you must use the auxiliary verb am: I am reading. I am reading or: I do. I am doing.

When is the present continuous tense used in English?

In English, there are several variations when present progressive is used. Here are four directions:

1. The present continuous tense indicates the process taking place at the moment of speaking: I am watching a movie. I am watching a movie. This distinguishes it from the description tense used for actions that occur intermittently or continuously: Every year I watch this film at Christmas. Every year I watch this movie in Christmas.
2. The present progressive also describes some temporary phenomenon that may not be happening right now, but is relevant in the current period. For example: I am preparing for the exam. I am preparing for the exam. Here the action is indicated not at this minute / second, but in the current segment and for a certain period (before passing the exam).
3. Another example is a present progressive: for some action that is planned in the near future. For example: We are leaving on Friday. We're leaving this Friday. Note that the day of the week in this sentence is preceded by the preposition on. In all other sentences in English, this preposition is placed before the day of the week.
4. And the next case, when they use a long time - to describe actions or phenomena in which something is expressed in a negative way. For this, adverbs are usually used, which can be translated into Russian as "permanently" or "forever", this is always / constantly. For example: She always loses her mobile phone. She is always losing her cellphone.

Verbs not used in Present Progressive

Are there any cases where the verb is not used? As a rule, the present progressive is not used with static verbs that denote a certain state - static verbs. These include words that describe processes in relation to sensory, mental perception or attitude. They mean some activity that takes place in the mind, and a person does not have the opportunity to observe them.

Such verbs include the following: feel - to feel, think - to think, love - to love, need - to need, to mean - to mean, to mean, and others. As you can see, these words denote some kind of thinking or feeling. Due to the fact that a certain duration of actions is indicated in the Progressive, these verbs are not used.

Using present progressive in negative forms

To construct a sentence with negation, you need to add the particle not to the auxiliary verb.

For example:

1. I am not translating the article now. I am not translating the article now.
2. He is not swimming now. He is not swimming now.
3. They don't watch TV now. They are not watching TV now.

In spoken English, abbreviated forms with personal pronouns are actively used. Instead of missing letters, an apostrophe ("") is inserted. Abbreviated forms are more applicable for oral speech, however, they are often used in writing: in newspapers, messages, advertising signs.

For example:

1. No, I don't drive a car now. No, I'm not driving a car now.
2. She doesn't try to learn the poem. She isn't trying to learn a poem.
3. They don't ride now. They aren't skating now.

Use in a question-sentence

To construct an interrogative sentence, you need to move the auxiliary verb before the subject, answering the question: who? what?

For example:

1. Am I reading Lermontov's poem now? Am I reading a poem of Lermontov now?
2. Does she go to the museum? Is she going to the museum?
3. Are they working in the garden now? Are they working in the garden now?

Offers with present progressive

So, for better assimilation, here are a few phrases with an affirmative, negative and interrogative form of the present continuous tense in English with translation:

1. Look! It's snowing. look! It is snowing now.
2. Ira is writing a letter now. Ira is writing a letter now.
3. Cold. The wind is picking up. It is cold. Wind is getting stronger.
4. Where are you going? - I'm going to go to the department store. Where are you going? - I am going to the emporium.
5. She is making panna cotta. She is cooking panna cotta.
6. What is he doing? - He's working on a report. What is he doing? - He is working on the report.
7. The teachers love this evening. Teachers are enjoying the evening.
8. He constantly chats at meetings. He is constantly chattering on meetings.
9. What are you doing? - I watch the morning TV show. What are you doing? - I am watching morning TV show.
10. They are playing chess now. They are playing chess now.

Conclusion

The present continuous tense is very often used in English: in speech and writing, in literature. Based on the very name of time, it is already possible to understand that it describes an action in a progressive state. The present progressive in English grammar indicates a process that is going on in the present. However, there are a number of verbs that are not used in Progressive tense - these are verbs of sensory perception and mental activity.

Remember, at school, in the third grade, an English teacher showed you pictures in which people were doing various useful things, and asked in English: “What is he doing?”. And you answered: "He reads", "He helps his mother" or "He builds a birdhouse." On this acquaintance with Present Continuous for many of us ended.

Present Continuous, or present continuous tense, one of the basic tenses of the English language, starting from which you will build your system of tenses.

First, we will consider how the forms of this time are formed.

To form a statement, we need two components: auxiliary to be (am/ is / are - depending on the subject) and ending verb-ING.

Statement
		Ving: working.

Negation
		NOT		Ving: working.

General question
		Ving: working	?

* informational question with the word When ? is not set in Present Continuous, since the form itself to be + Ving indicates that the action is happening at the moment of speech, therefore, the question of time does not make sense.

At all times the group Continuous and in all types of statements there is an auxiliary verb to be and a semantic verb with the ending -ING.

How to add an ending -ING to verbs? When this ending is added to the verb, the spelling of the verb changes. There are a few rules to remember:

		For most verbs that end in a consonant after two vowels or two consonants, the ending is added unchanged	speak - speaking point-pointing
		If the verb ends in silent E, then it drops out and the ending ING is added.
		For verbs that end in Y, the ending is added unchanged	study - studying
		If the verb ends in a closed stressed syllable, then the final consonant is doubled
	travel-traveling	Verbs that end in an L preceded by a vowel double the L when the ending is added. This rule applies to British English, in American English L is not doubled.	quarrel - quarrelling marvel - marveling model - modeling
		If the verb ends in R in a stressed syllable, then the R is doubled	prefer - preferring
	Exceptions	There are a number of exceptions to remember	agree - agreeing

Now consider the use cases Present Continuous.

1. An action that occurs at the moment of speech. (Action in progress at the moment of speaking)

Present Continuous serves to express an action that is happening at the moment of speech, often in front of our eyes, that is, we can observe the process.

At the time of speech indicate such time indicators: now(now), at the moment(at present), still(still). Time pointers now and at the moment may not be used, because the form itself to be + Ving indicates that the action is happening right now, at the moment of speech.

In addition, words that serve to attract attention (look, listen, be careful, etc.), indicate that the action is happening at the moment of speech.

look! She is dancing! - Look! She is dancing!
Jim is still doing his homework. Jim is still doing his homework.
Be careful! The ladder is falling! - Carefully! The ladder is falling!

2. Temporary actions and states

States are actions that seem to be in progress at the time of speech, but we cannot see them. For example: live, work, study.

Using the Present Continuous in this sense, you are saying: “I’m doing it now, but it’s temporary, I don’t usually do it. When the action is completed, everything will return to its place".

Pointers: today, this week, these days, tonight, at present.

I'm living at my friend's while my flat is being redecorated. - I live with a friend while my apartment is being renovated. (This is a temporary action, the renovation will be completed and I will return to my apartment)

He likes science fiction but this month he is reading historical novels as it's the topic of this month. - He loves science fiction, but this month he is reading historical novels because that is the theme of this month. (The action is temporary, the topic will end and he will read fiction again)

She is working as a secretary these days. She is currently working as a secretary. (This is a casual job)

3. Changing and progressive actions (Changing or developing situations)

If you are watching any process and see the changes taking place, then you should use Present Continuous. Often used with comparative paired adjectives: more and more, better and better.

It is becoming a client and colder. - It's getting colder and colder.
The flowers are becoming more and more beautiful. - The flowers are getting more and more beautiful.
It is getting hotter. I will have a break. - It's getting hotter. I'll take a break.

4. Plans and agreements. (Arrangements)

The present continuous also has a future meaning. It can denote personal plans and arrangements for the near future. Often with indications of place and time. In Russian, we use the present tense in the same way to express the future action that we have planned:

Mr. Smith is leaving tomorrow at 11.00. - Mr. Smith leaves tomorrow at 11.00.
I am taking my exam tomorrow so I am studying tonight. - I'm taking the exam tomorrow, so I'm studying tonight.
We are meeting the manager tomorrow at 10 o'clock. We are meeting with the manager tomorrow at 10 o'clock.

5. At the beginning of the story to create an atmosphere. (Setting the scene)

If you are going to tell a story, you can use the Present Continuous to create a setting, to give the listeners an opportunity to imagine the situation. You can use the word Imagine(Imagine).

The Present Simple is used to describe the main events.

He is walking through the dark forest. It is raining and the wind is blowing. - He's walking through a dark forest. It's raining and the wind is blowing.
Imagine: you are in the garden. The sun shining is and the birds are singing. Imagine you are in a garden. The sun is shining and the birds are singing.

6. Frequently repeated actions to convey irritation or surprise (Annoying or surprising actions)

Always is considered a typical Present Simple marker, but this adverb can be used with the Present Continuous to express an action that is repeated too often: constantly, all the time. Such actions either irritate us or surprise us.

Except always, can be used constantly and continuously.

My sister is always leaving her dirty dishes on the table. My sister constantly leaves dirty dishes on the table.
You are constantly interrupting me! - You interrupt me all the time!
I am always meeting you in this shop. - I always meet you in this store.

Comparative characteristics present simple and Present Continuous you'll find .

Learn English with Enginform and keep making progress!

Subscribe to our communities

Dear readers of the English Voyage blog! Today you will learn how to use one more tense of the English verb In the grammar tables below, we will look at the formation of affirmative, interrogative and negative forms Present Continuous (Progressive). After tables and a useful video, you will be able to translate Russian sentences into English using the present continuous tense. If you do not confuse forms and translate sentences with am, is, are without errors, then you will easily remember the formation of time.

To get started, watch this video tutorial carefully. Here they calmly and in detail talk about the construction and use of Present Continuous. At the end - an exercise (do not be too lazy to do it :).

Time Present Continuous used:

to describe an action happening at the moment of speaking. For example: She is singing a song now. She is singing a song now.

to describe a temporary action that occurs not at the present moment of speech (at the same minute, second), but at the present time period. For example: I am working on the project. I'm working on the project. (Meaning not at this moment, but for a limited present period, which will soon end).

to describe repetitive actions that cause irritation, disapproval of the speaker. Especially with phrases like always, constantly, repeatedly, which are translated, as a rule, into Russian by the word "forever". For example: You are always shouting at me! You always yell at me!

marker words(read more about marker words in the article) for Present Continuous: now, at the moment, this week, today. For the future - tomorrow, next week.

Time Present Continuous NOT used with state verbs - verbs that describe the state of the soul, body or mind, as well as ongoing relationships. State verbs include the following English verbs: appear (meaning "appear"), assume - believe, be - be, believe - believe, count, belong - belong, consider (meaning "count"), consist - consist, contain - contain, cost - cost, depend - depend, detest - to be disgusted, envy - to envy, equal - to be equal, exist - to exist, expect - to expect, feel (in the meanings "cause a sensation", "to be touched" and "count"), fit - to be fit, forget - forget, hate - hate, have (meaning "possess"), hear - hear, include - include, know - know, lack - lack, like - like, look (meaning "look"), love - love, matter - to matter, mean - to mean, need - to need, owe - to be due, own - to own, possess - to possess, prefer - to prefer, realize - to realize, remember - to remember, see (in the meanings of "perceive by sight", "understand" ), seem - to seem, smell (meaning "smell"), taste (meaning "to have a taste"), tend - to tend, think (meaning "to count"), understand - understand at, want - want, wish - wish, weigh (meaning "weigh"). We will look at state verbs in more detail in future posts.

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE) TENSE

affirmative form

Structure			Examples
I	am	V+ing	I am listening to music. I listen to music.
	is		He is listening to music. He is listening to music. She is listening to music. She's listening to music. It is getting dark. It's getting dark.
	are		We are reading. We reading. You are reading. You read. They are reading. They are reading.
Notice the suggestion to after the word listen which should be used always after this verb. The omission of to after listen is

Interrogative form

(yes/no questions - general questions) ?

Structure			Examples
Am	I	V+ing?	— Am I reading? I am reading? - Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
Is			Is he reading? He reads? - Yes, he is. / No, he isn't. Is she reading? She reads? - Yes, she is. / No, she isn't. Is it getting dark? Is it getting dark? - Yes, it is. / No, it isn't.
Are			Are we coming back? Are we going back? - Yes, we are. / No, we aren't. Are you coming back? Are you coming back? - Yes, you are. / No, you aren't. Are they coming back? Are they coming back? - Yes, they are. / No, they aren't.

Interrogative form

(WH-? - special questions) ?

negative form

Structure			Examples
I	am not	V+ing	I am not dancing. (= I'm not) I don't dance.
	is not		He is not singing. (= He isn't) He doesn't sing. She is not having dinner. (= She isn't) She doesn't have dinner. It is not raining now. (= It isn't) It's not raining now.
	are not		We are not working. (= We aren't) We don't work. You are not laughing. (= You aren't) You are not laughing. They are not looking at me. (= They aren't) They don't look at me.

Before you say a sentence, think about the verb. If this is a state verb, then instead of Present Continuous, you need to use Present Simple. For example, “I love pizza” - “I love (like) pizza”.

So, today we have considered the formation of Present Continuous. If you have any questions about the topic or need additional explanations, write in the comments. I will gladly answer all questions. Expect new articles in the rubric.

Present Continuous Tense is one of the temporary forms of the English language, which has no analogues in Russian. Its exact name is translated as present continuous (long), and this already contains the essence of this time: it is used to describe the situation that is happening at a given moment in time.

The present continuous tense in English has many features of use, and due to the fact that in Russian there is no division of tense into long or regular, it can cause some difficulties for those who study English.

So, two examples can be given that reflect such a situation:

· I’m speaking English - I speak English (referring to the fact that I speak English right now)
· I speak English - I speak English (meaning that I always speak English).

In the second example, Present Indefinite (Simple) is used to show the regularity and constancy of the action. In the first case, Present Continuous is used to emphasize that the situation is happening in this particular time period.

Education Present Continuous

It is important to understand not only how the Present Continuous is formed, but also why it happens that way. The basis of this tense is the auxiliary verb to be, the three forms of which in the present tense, as you know, are am (for the pronoun “I”), is (“he”, “she”, “it”) and are (“we” , “you”, “they”). In addition, the construction of time includes a form of the verb called Present Participle, or Participle I and having the ending -ing. Thus, the present continuous tense in English, or rather, the Present Continuous formula looks like this:

Am
Is + V-ing
Are

Questions and negatives

Interrogative sentences

in such a temporary form they differ in that no auxiliary words like do and does are used here, as is the case with Present Indefinite. In this case, the scheme is simple: the verb to be is put in the first place in the desired form, followed by the subject, and then the rest of the structure:

Are you going to school now? – Are you going to school now?
Is he watching a new film at the moment? Is he watching a new movie now?

But here you should pay attention to the fact that, like any other tense, Present Continuous has different types of questions. And if the above sentences refer to general questions, then, for example, special questions in Present Continuous (in this case, the question does not apply to the subject here) are formed using a special interrogative word that comes first, and the further order is exactly the same:

Where is he going? - Where is he going?
Why are they running so fast? Why are they running so fast?

Question to the subject

the present continius has some peculiarity: in the first place is the interrogative pronoun who, asking a question about an animate object, or what (about an inanimate one). In Russian, the question to the subject begins with the words who or what.

Examples of how a subject question looks like in Present Continuous:

Who is making such a strange noise? Who is making this strange noise?
What is flying over that house? What is flying over that house?

Negative sentences

they do not carry any complexity at all: the particle not is simply added to the verb to be in the required form. Here are some examples of sentences that illustrate the negation in Present Continuous:

I'm not walking with my friend now - I'm not walking with a friend now
· They are not talking to their chief at the moment - At the moment they are not talking to their chief.

Rules for writing verb forms in Present Continuous

The grammar of the present continuous requires compliance with certain rules for writing some verbs that are used in a long form:

1. In the event that the last vowel of the verb is the unpronounceable -e, then it will not be written:

to drive - driving
to describe - describing
to dance - dancing

2. There are also situations where the doubling of the consonant occurs:

In the event that the last consonant of the verb is preceded by a short stressed vowel, then this consonant will be doubled:

to stop - stopping
to cut - cutting
to forget - forgetting

· in the event that the last consonant is -l, preceded by a vowel, then this -l will also be doubled:

to tell - telling
to travel-traveling
to spell - spelling

Note: For American English, the doubling rule -l is not typical.

3. In the case when the verb ends with the letter combination -ie, then the replacement with -y takes place:

to die - dying
to lie-lying

Note: if the verb ends in -y, then in this case, the ending -ing is simply added to it:

to fly - flying
to cry-crying

Cases of using Present Continuous

The use of Present Continuous is typical for the following situations:

1. In order to show a long-term effect,

happening at a particular moment in time. Present continius time, also called Present Progressive Tense, often carries with it some so-called markers, the presence of which, as a rule, indicates that the time will be exactly like that. Such pointer words and constructions are usually now, at the moment. But at the same time, it is important to remember that when speaking about the present moment, one should not focus on the fact that the action is being performed at one particular moment and only now. If in Russian words such as now or now are used, in English we use Present Continuous in a broader sense:

John, you are talking nonsense - John, you are talking nonsense
Jack and Mary are in London now. Mary is studying English - Jack and Mary are in London now. Mary is studying English.

At the same time, there are also such examples of Present Continuous, when this time is used to show a certain state or quality characteristic of a person at a particular moment in time:

You are being a nuisance - you interfere;
· You are being bitter - You are sorry.

Note: in the event that we are talking about actions taking place in the present tense, but describing not the process, but the very fact of the action, then it is customary to use Present Indefinite:

· Why don't you answer, Emily? Why don't you answer, Emily?
Your defend him despite all his misdeeds - You defend him despite all his misdeeds

2. In a situation where there are two actions in one sentence,

and one of them shows the regularity, and the other - the process, then in the first case the Present Indefinite Tense should be used, and in the second - the Present Continuous Tense:

You never talk while you are working - You never talk when you work
She always dreams while she is walking - She always dreams while walking

3. To express the future

In English, in Present Continuous, not only the present can be expressed, but also. This is typical for situations when it comes to actions that have been decided and planned in advance, and the chance of their completion is close to one hundred percent:

· I am leaving tomorrow at sunset - I'm leaving tomorrow at sunset
They are coming to us on Sunday - They will come to us on Sunday

The construction to be going to deserves special attention, which is translated into English as going to do something and is also used to express intentions for the future. Its difference from Present Continuous is that here, as a rule, the exact time is not indicated:

I am going to visit you - I'm going to visit you
She is going to come - She is going to come

Note: The Present Continuous rule provides for the use of this tense in such situations, and not Future Indefinite, where decisions aimed at the future are usually spontaneous and only probable.

4. With "constantly, always, ever"

With Present Continuous, those sentences are usually used in situations in which they are aimed at demonstrating those actions that are always long and never stand still. In this case, special clues often appear in the form of adverbs constantly, always, ever:

The population of the Earth is always increasing - The population of the Earth is constantly increasing
· The Sun is ever shining - The sun always shines

5. Irritation

Often there are such sentences in Present Continuous in which the speaker expresses the idea of ​​irritation and negative emotions towards another. Here, all the same satellites are also usually used - adverbs always, constantly:

· You are always grumbling! - You always grumble!
She is constantly complaining! She's always complaining!

Verbs not used in Continuous

English, like, perhaps, any other, has its own strict laws. If we are talking about Present Continuous Active, then it is extremely important to remember that not all verbs can form the Present Participle form and be used to indicate the process. Below are the categories of verbs that are not used in Continuous and cannot form the –ing or so-called form:

verbs of sensory perception (see, hear, smell, etc.);
verbs, the essence of which is to express desire and intention (wish, intend, want, etc.);
Verbs illustrating mental activity (think, suppose, believe, etc.);
verbs showing feelings and emotions (love, hate, like, etc.);
verbs that display abstract relationships (have, belong, possess, etc.).

But even in these cases there are exceptions: for example, the verb of sensory perception to see in its direct meaning to see does not have the right to stand in Continuous. But, acting, for example, as a phrasal verb (to see off - to see off) or being part of some construction (to see the sights of - to see the sights), it has every right to form the -ing form. This means that all verbs that are not used in Continuous, one way or another can be used in a long time, and such situations with them are formed and sound quite natural:

· I'm thinking of tomorrow's meeting - I'm thinking about tomorrow's meeting
What are you doing? - I am having breakfast - What are you doing? I eat breakfast

Thus, even such a relatively simple time has many nuances that must be taken into account. Present Continuous has simple usage rules, but each of them has its own peculiarity, having understood which it will be much easier to use this time in speech.