Education present progressive. Learning Present Continuous (Present Progressive)

All the information we absorb not only finds a place in our head and memory, but is also transformed into images. To make this process faster and more efficient, you can use tables and diagrams.

To pay attention to what is happening now, at the moment of the conversation or not far from it, the Present Continuous time helps. You can perceive information both in the text and in the table. Which method is right for you, decide for yourself. Let's structure all the information about the present continuous tense and try to "shove" it into the table.

Education

A visually presented table will help to understand and compare the features education this time. In order not to clutter up the space, and not to scatter attention, consider construction of various proposals in the table present continuous using the example to swim. Negative and questions in this tense are quite easy to understand and remember.

Declarative sentence	Negative sentence	Interrogative sentence
I am swimming now.	I am not swimming now.	Am I swimming now?
He is swimming now.	He is not swimming now.	Is he swimming now?
She is swimming now.	She is not swimming now.	Is he swimming now?
It is swimming now.	It is not swimming now.	Is it swimming now?
We are swimming now.	We are not swimming now.	Are we swimming now?
You are swimming now.	You are not swimming now.	Are you swimming now?
They are swimming now.	They are not swimming now.	Are they swimming now?

Use

How and when to use these forms is the most difficult. Everything can be structured and understood. table present continuous by application time in speech.

№	Use cases	Time indicators	Examples
1	The action is happening at the moment of speaking (at the present moment)	now at this moment at the present moment	My mother is reading a book now, don't bother her.
2	The action takes place in an unfinished period of time, an unfinished long-term action	currently these days at the time	She is living in the rented house these days.
3	Action in progress	—	The climate is getting warmer.
4	In subordinate clauses of conditions and time	if when as soon as till untill before	Try not to worry when you are singing.
5	To express too often repeated actions that cause irritation, reproach	always too often all the time constantly	He is always losing something.
6	For planned actions for the near future	today tomorrow	I am having a party tonight.

But not everything is so cloudless and simple, many Verbs in Present Continuous they go out of the ordinary. Exceptions are:

Verbs perception	Verbs mental activity	Verbs emotional action	Verbs belongings, possessions
to see - to see to hear - to hear to notice - notice to smell - smell to feel - feel to recognize - recognize to listen - listen to watch - watch	to understand - understand to know - to know to remember - remember to believe - to believe to expect - expect to suppose - to believe to recollect - remember to trust - to believe	to want - want to desire - desire to refuse - refuse to forgive - forgive to wish - wish to hate - to hate to like - like to love - to love	to own - to possess to belong - to belong to possess - to possess to seem to signify - to express to appear - to appear to contain - contain to consist - consist to keep - store to concern - worry to matter - to mean

Some of these verbs have special cases of use, which you can read about in more detail in our other.

Having studied all this material, having done a bunch of exercises, you can proceed to comprehend the passive voice. Present Continuous Passive built according to the following scheme:

Scheme	Example
I + am + being + V3 (Ved)	I am being shown - They show me.
You + are + being + V3 (Ved)	You are being shown. - They show you.
He + is + being + V3 (Ved)	He is being shown. - They show him.
She + is + being + V3 (Ved)	She is being shown. They show her.
It + is + being + V3 (Ved)	It is being shown. - They show it.
We + are + being + V3 (Ved)	We are being shown. They show us.
They + are + being + V3 (Ved)	They are being shown. - They are shown.

Passive voice requires additional, more thorough study. And this table will be a support, a cheat sheet on the formation of the passive voice in the present continuous tense.

Easy, concise and accessible material presented in the table will help you quickly learn all the material.

Present Continuous- present continuous tense in English. Used to indicate a process that is happening right now. Below are the rules and formula for the formation of Present Continuous time in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences, auxiliary words and examples of the use of time.

Education Present Continuous

In the affirmative sentence, Present Continuous is formed by adding the auxiliary verb am / is / are (one of the forms of the verb to be) and adding the ing (-ing) ending to the verb in the first form.

It should be remembered that:

1) the auxiliary verb am is used with 1 person singular (I); it can merge with the pronoun to form I'm.
2) the auxiliary verb is is used with the 3rd person singular (he / she / it)
3) the auxiliary verb are is used with the 2nd person singular, 1st and 3rd person plural (you, we, they)

Education Formula Present Continuous:

Noun + am / is / are + verb in form 1 with -ing added to it

Examples of affirmative sentences:

I am playing football right now. - I'm playing football now.

Sally is doing her homework at the moment. Sally (she) is doing her homework now.

They are fishing now. They are fishing now.

A negative sentence in the Present Continuous is formed by adding the share not to the auxiliary verb am / is / are, and verbs in the ing ending (-ing). Formula:

Noun + am / is / are + not + verb in form 1 with -ing added to it

The auxiliary verb and the particle not can merge at will of the one who writes or speaks. Examples of using negative sentences in Present Continuous:

I'm not watching TV at the moment. — I don't watch TV now.

He is not working on his project right now. — He is not working on his project now

They are not going to the school now. They don't go to school now.

To form an interrogative sentence in Present Continuous, the auxiliary verb must be placed at the beginning of the sentence. rule:

AM / is / are + noun + verb in 1 form with -ing added to it

Examples of interrogative sentences:

Are you doing your homework? - You are doing your homework?

Is she walking on the street right now? Is she walking outside now?

Are they playing in the club at the moment? Are they playing at the club now?

Auxiliary words Present Continuous

Usually, when present continuous time is used, the following marker words are used:

cases, in which usedPresent Continuous

It is not enough to know the rules for the formation of time, you need to know where it is appropriate to use Present Continuous. The following are examples of how the present continuous tense is used in everyday life.
I use case: the action is happening now

Most often, the Present Continuous is used to describe an action that is happening, not happening right at that moment in time. In this case, auxiliary words are also often used - right now, now, at the moment and others. examples:

You are learning English now. — You are learning English now.

They are not watching television. They are not watching TV (at the moment).

Are you sleeping? You are sleeping (at the moment).

Use case II: long-term actions in the present

Longer Actions in Progress Now

The word now in English can also have a figurative meaning this week, this month, etc., as well as in Ukrainian. Therefore, the Present Continuous can be used to indicate long-term actions that have already been taking place for some period and have not yet been completed. examples:

I am studying to become a doctor. — I am studying to become a doctor.

I am not studying to become a dentist. “I am not studying dentistry.

Are you working on any special projects at work? Are you working on any project at work?

III use case: near future

Sometimes the Present Continuous is used to denote agreements or actions that may or may not take place in the near future. In this case, you must specify the time of the event. examples:

I am meeting some friends after work. — I meet my friends after work.

I am not going to the party tonight. — I'm not going to the party tonight.

Is he his visiting parents next weekend? Or will he visit his parents next week?

IV use case: repetition of actions that have a negative connotation

Repetition and Irritation

Like Past Continuous, Present Continuous can be used by the interlocutor in cases where he wants to express his negative attitude towards those repeating in the present tense. At the same time, the use of the words always and constantly between the auxiliary verb and the verb with the ingovim (-ing) ending is typical. examples:

She is always coming to class late. - She's always late.

He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up. - He talks all the time. I would like him to shut up.

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

Present Progressive (Present Continuous) tense- present long time. In most cases, this time indicates that the action is happening right now. For us Russians, Present Continuous may seem too difficult to understand at first. This is not surprising, because in Russian there are no such tenses of the verb. For example, the sentence “I play the balalaika” in Russian can mean that I am playing now or playing at all (I know how to play). In English, these are two different sentences. However, some verbs in different situations are also used in different ways.

In general terms: if we want to say that an action is happening right now, then we use the Present Continuous (Present Progressive) form. But this is not the only case of using this temporary form. But more on that later. Let's answer the question first - How is Present Progressive (Continuous) formed?

Education Present Continuous: elementary rules and examples

The Present Progressive is formed quite simply: we take the verb to be, put it in the form corresponding to the subject (we change it in accordance with the subject - I am, he is, my mother is and so on) and add the verb corresponding to the specific action (in question) with the ending ing, which is "attached" to its base.

Too difficult? Let's look at a diagram illustrating this process.

Still unclear? Okay, let's look at examples. To do this, take the verb to think- think. Since it ends in a consonant, then adding ing will not discard anything, that is, we get - thinking. If we want to say "I'm thinking" (about something at the moment), then we get - I am thinking. Now with other faces:

The negative and interrogative forms are formed very simply:

Interrogative form	negative form
Am I think ing? - I think?	I am don't think ing. - I don't think (I'm not thinking.)
Are you think ing? - You think?	You are don't think ing. - You do not think. (You aren't thinking.)
Is he think ing? - He thinks?	He is don't think ing. He doesn't think. (He isn't thinking.)
Is she think ing? - She thinks?	She is don't think ing. She doesn't think. (She isn't thinking.)
Is it think ing? Does it think?	It is don't think ing. It doesn't think. (It isn't thinking.)
Are we think ing? - We are thinking?	We are don't think ing. We don't think. (We're not thinking.)
Are they thinki ng? - They think?	They are don't think ing. They don't think. (They aren't thinking.)

Rules for using Present Continuous and examples

The formation of the Present Continuous form is quite simple. The most difficult thing is the correct use of this form. The bottom line is that there are several cases when it is necessary to use the Present Continuous tense, and not any other tense. Briefly, all these cases are indicated using the diagram:

This scheme is not yet completely clear to us, but it will be useful in order to quickly recall the main uses of the present progressive.

So, Present Continuous is used:

1. Designation of what is happening or not happening now, at the moment (now, at the moment).

• I'm studying the present continuous . - I study the present for a long time.
• I'm not watching TV at the moment. — I am not watching TV at the moment.
• I'm sitting now.- Now I'm sitting.
• I'm using the Internet. — I use the Internet.
• We're talking about life. We are talking about life.
• She's not listening to me. She doesn't listen to me (now).

2. Designation of what is happening now in the broadest sense of the word - today, this month, this year, and so on. Temporary situations that we feel or know will not last.

• I am studying to become a teacher. — I study to be a teacher (for example, 5 years).
• Are you working on any special projects at work? Are you (now) working on some work project?
• I'm living in Moscow for a few months. — I have been living in Moscow for several months.
• I'm reading a great book. I am reading a wonderful book (Now, these days. Reading a book is a long process).
• He's living with his mother until he finds an apartment. He lives with his mother until he finds an apartment.

3. Recent or temporary habits that have not always existed.

• My father is smoking too much . (He used to smoke less or not at all.)
• My cat's eating a lot these days . (She didn't eat that much before.)

4. Repetitive, annoying actions, habits using always, constantly, forever:

• I don't like him because he is always complaining.
• They're forever being late.
• My sister is always losing her keys.

5. Plans for the near future

• I'm leaving at 5 am. — I leave at 5 am.
• Are you visiting your parents next weekend? Will you visit your parents next weekend?
• I am not going to the party tonight. - I'm not going to the party tonight.

6. Changing the situation (usually slow) - little by little, gradually etc.

• My son is getting better at playing the guitar.
• The weather is improving.

These were all the rules for the formation and use of the present continuous (the present progressive).

Reference table for the formation of the affirmative form of the Present Continuous in English

Let's first take a look at the How is Present Continuous Tense Formed?. It refers to compound tenses, since even in affirmative sentences it consists of an auxiliary and a main verb.

The auxiliary verb for the present continuous tense is verb to be in the present tense, or rather its form am, is, are. The ending is added to the main verb, which will indicate the action to be performed. -ing.

Remember!

To form an affirmative sentence in Present Continuous, use one of the forms of the verb be (am/is/are) and main verb with the ending -ing.

It is important to remember that auxiliary verb to be always agrees with the subject, that is, its form am/is/are must match the number and person of the subject. Let's look at the examples in more detail:

I am reading a book(Russian I am reading a book): I- subject, are- auxiliary verb (consistent with subject), reading .

He is working as a secretary now(Russian. He is now working as a secretary): he- subject, is working- main verb (does not agree with the subject, frozen form)

• Hey, you are eating my ice-cream(rus. Hey, you eat my ice cream): you- subject, are- auxiliary verb (consistent with the subject), eating- main verb (does not agree with the subject, frozen form)

Examples of affirmative sentences in Present Continuous with translation:

Often used in colloquial speech abbreviated forms of the linking verb to be: I'm, You're, He's/She's/It's etc.

If there are homogeneous predicates in the sentence, then the linking verb to be is usually omitted, for example:

James and Sally are spending the evening together, watching a new video(Russian James and Sally spend the evening together, they watch TV).

Rules for adding the ending -ing to Present Continuous

Reference table adding the ending -ing to form the Present Continuous.

At education Present continuous tense as a general rule, we add the ending to the verb -ing. However, there are a number of verbs that require a little transformation when adding such an ending.

Consider basic rules for adding the ending -ing for education Present Continuous.

Rule #1

If the verb ends in -e, then this final vowel is omitted:

make - making, drive - driving

Rule #2

If the verb consists of 1 syllable and ends in 1 vowel and 1 consonant, then the consonant is doubled:

swim-swimming, stop - stopping

However, it is not necessary to double the consonant if the verb ends in -w or -x:

sew - sewing, fix - fixing

Rule #3

If the verb consists of two or more syllables and ends with a vowel followed by one consonant, then the consonant is doubled only if the last syllable is stressed:

put - putting, regret - regretting

Rule #4

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

lie - lying, die - dying

What verbs can not be used in Present Continuous

Reference table: verbs that are not used with Continuous tenses

There are a number of verbs in English that cannot be used in Present Continuous Tense. Such verbs include the so-called State/Stative/Non-action Verbs(Russian state verbs). However, there are exceptions to these verbs.

For example, the following verbs are not used in the Continuous tenses because they themselves denote some kind of process in one way or another:

english verbs related to perception (notice, hear, see, feel…)

verbs that convey emotions (love, hate, like...)

verbs that convey the processes of mental activity (know, understand, believe…)

possession verbs (have, possess, belong…)

existence verbs (be, exist, consist of…)

• other verbs (fit, deserve, matter…)

Verbs that should not be used in Continuous

Meaning of verbs	Verb examples
verbs of existing or being	be, consist of, contain, exist
verbs of possessing	belong to, have (= own), include, lack, own, possess
verbs of feeling or wanting	adore, desire, despise, detest, dislike, envy, hate, like, love, need, pity, prefer, trust, want, wish
verbs of thinking or believing	believe, doubt, expect, feel (= think), forget, imagine, intend, know, realize, recognize, remember, see (= understand), suppose, think, understand
verbs of appearance	appear, resemble, seem
other verbs	concern, depend, deserve, fit, matter, measure, mean, mind, weigh

These verbs use the tense Present Simple instead of Present Continuous. Compare:

Correctly: Many people believe in the existence of UFOs(eng. Many people believe in the existence of UFOs)

• Not right: Many people are believing in the existence of UFOs(Russian believe only now)

Sometimes, however, the same verb can have two meanings, and depending on the meaning, the verb can be used in the Present Continuous tense, for example:

I consider (=believe) her to be a very good student(rus. I believe she is a very good student)

• I'm still considering (= studying) all the pros and cons(rus. I'm still learning the pros and cons)

In some cases, the change in the meaning of the verb is not significant, and emotional coloring allows you to use the verb in the Continuous form:

Negative and interrogative sentences in Present Continuous

Reference table for the formation of affirmative form, negation, simple and special questions in Present Continuous, short answers

English learners often think that formation of negative and interrogative forms in Present Continuous is easier than in.

Of course, you remember that when negative and questions are formed in Present Simple, an auxiliary verb is added do or does, and the main verb is used without an ending -(e)s. Unlike it, Present Continuous already has an auxiliary verb am/is/are even in the affirmative form, that is, you do not have to think about which auxiliary verb to use.

That is why in some Present Continuous is the first tense that students are introduced to.

Formation of the negative form of Present Continuous

When forming negative sentences in the Present Progressive, it is important to remember how the auxiliary verb to be forms interrogative and negative forms in the present tense.

After all, it is the forms of the verb to be (am/is/are) are used to form questions and negatives. The ending -ing in the semantic verb always remains unchanged.

Remember!

To form negative sentences in Present Continuous to an auxiliary verb am/is/are add a negative particle not, and the semantic verb always retains the ending -ing.

In order to make an affirmative sentence negative, you need to add the particle not after the auxiliary verb to be (am/is/are): I am not working(Russian I don't work), He isn't working(Russian It doesn't work), My brothers are not working(Russian. My brothers are not working now)

Examples of negative sentences in Present Continuous

Sentence examples	Translation into Russian
I am not listening to you.	I don't listen to you.
She is not watching TV now.	She is not watching TV now.
We are not talking about it at the moment.	We are not talking about it now.
Our guests are not dancing right now.	Our guests are not dancing at the moment.
Antonio is not driving to work, he is at home.	Antonio is not going to work now, he is at home.
Traffic is not moving because of the accident.	Traffic on the road was stopped due to an accident.

In conversation, abbreviated forms are always preferred, unless the speaker wishes to give emotional reinforcement to the denial: I am not working = I'm not working, He is not working = He isn't working, They are not working = They aren't working

Questions and answers with Present Continuous

Word order in interrogative sentences for Present Continuous is no different from other times. Auxiliary am/is/are always comes before the subject, and the semantic verb with the ending -ing for the subject.

Remember!

To ask a general question in the Present Continuous auxiliary verb am/is/are must come before the subject, and the semantic verb always retains the ending -ing.

In special questions, the interrogative word is put first, followed by an auxiliary verb. am/is/are, followed by the subject and semantic verb with the ending -ing.

Compare:

Are you watching TV?(rus. Do you watch TV?): a general question that requires a yes or no answer

What are you watching?(rus. What are you watching?): special question with a question word what

What TV program are you watching?(rus. What TV program do you watch?) special question with an interrogative phrase What TV program

• Who are you watching it with?(rus. Who do you watch it with?) special question with a question word Who (with)

Examples of interrogative sentences in Present Continuous

As you can see, nothing complicated in the formation of interrogative and negative forms of Present Continuous cannot be, if you know the conjugation of the verb copula well to be in present time.

Using Present Continuous

Present Continuous is used to refer to actions in the present that are not permanent, temporary.

Before moving on to specific cases and rules for using the present continuous tense, let's pay attention to the marker words that are often used with this tense.

Marker words for Present Continuous the following:

now- now,

at the moment- in this moment,

at present- currently

these days- during these days

nowadays- today, now, nowadays

still- still, still

today/tonight- tonight/tonight

look!- Look!

Listen!- Listen!

Often marker words are omitted in English, especially if the context is clear to all participants in the conversation. But in the translation into Russian, these words, on the contrary, have to add or use the imperfect form of the verb to show that the action is happening now.

Present Continuous for present

So, in what cases do we use Present Continuous Tense for the present time? Let's look at the list below:

1. First of all, Present Continuous is used to express action, happening now, at the moment (at the moment of speech):

2. We also use the Present Continuous if we are talking about an action that does not last at a particular moment, but “around it”, it is, as it were, stretched out in time, i.e. action in progress. Perhaps it started yesterday or last week, continues in the present and will continue for some other period of time, during which we perform this action from time to time:

3. For a temporary action that lasts certain limited period of time and we usually specify it:

4. The Present Continuous is also used for an action indicating long, constantly changing process. AT this case very common verbs get- to become change- to change improve- to improve grow- grow, start- begin rise- grow, etc.:

5. We know that “always” is a marker. However, it is important to mention that if we exaggerate the situation and express a note of indignation, indignation, irritation, then we use the Present Continuous with “always” to show that we do not like it:

Present Progressive is used for an action that indicates unusual, unusual human behavior, i.e. if we want to show that a person is doing something that is usually not characteristic of him. In this case, we often use the verb to be also in the long run:

Summing up: Present Continuous describes an action in progress at the moment of speech or characteristic of the present. The action can continue after, but it can also end at any moment, that is, it is temporary.

Present Continuous for the future

As mentioned earlier, the present continuous performs many functions, including we can use Present Continuous to express the future.

So, for example, we use it when we talk about plans, agreements that we definitely decided to fulfill in the near future

Examples of Present Continuous to indicate the future

As you noticed, in Russian we also use the present tense to show that an action in the future is predetermined and will definitely take place.

Present Continuous examples of sentences with translation

So, now we know when and in what cases it is necessary to use Present Continuous time. In order to make it easier to absorb this information, let's look at a few more examples of sentences in the present continuous tense.

Using Present Continuous Tense: Examples with Translation and Meaning

Offer in English	Translation into Russian	Meaning of Present Continuous
I'm reading an interesting article right now.	I am currently reading an interesting article.	action at the moment of speech
They are always breaking their promises.	They always break their promises.	annoyance with "always"
She is meeting a dentist tomorrow morning.	She is meeting with the dentist tomorrow morning.	precise plans, arrangements
Our team is working so hard this week.	Our team is working very hard this week.	an action that lasts a limited period of time
Our world is changing.	The world is changing.	long, constantly changing process
What's happened? You are being so nervous today!	What happened? You are so nervous today!	unusual human behavior

Pay attention to one more example: I would like to remind you about stative verbs - verbs that are not used in the Continuous tense group:

Now we understand every word(Russian. Now we understand your every word): action at the moment of speech, but the verb understand is not used in Continuous, therefore it is used in Present Simple.

Present Continuous and other English tenses

There are 12 tenses in English: 4 for present, 4 for past and 4 for future. And they all have their own characteristics.

1. Present (present)
2. Past (past)
3. Future (future).

But each of them has 4 forms:

• Simple
• continuous
• Perfect
• Perfect Continuous

It is thanks to such a detailed system that tenses in English describe each situation in more detail and allow the interlocutor to understand more information about each event. Knowing the differences between tenses and knowing how to use tenses correctly in English, you can bring your speech closer to native speakers.

So, speaking about Present Continuous, the question often arises: what is its difference from other present tenses. Let's figure this out.

Present Simple and Present Continuous

Comparative table of education Present Simple and Present Continuous.

The most frequently asked question is about the differences and the correct use of Present Simple and Present Continuous. The basic rule is the following:

Describes actions that usually occur or are an indisputable truth, that is, they are of a permanent nature.

• Present Continuous describes temporary, non-permanent events that are happening now, at the moment of speaking.

We hope that our table will help you systematize your knowledge of the present simple and present long tenses and figure out once and for all when to use each of these tenses.

Comparative table of the use of Present Simple and Present Continuous

present simple	Present Continuous
regular activities, daily routine, habits - regular action: We usually start work at 8 o'clock. (rus. We usually start work at 8 o'clock.) - does this every day: He is a doctor. He meets a lot of patients every day. (Rus. He is a doctor. He sees many patients every day.) marker words Present Simple: always, often, usually, sometimes, rarely, seldom, occasionally, hardly ever, never, every day/week/month/year	The action is happening at the moment of speaking (right now): - action at the moment of speaking: Sorry, I can't talk now. I'm working. (Russian. Sorry, I can't talk right now. I'm working.) -right now: He isn't meeting a patient now. He is just talking to a friend. (Rus. He's not seeing a patient right now. He's just talking to a friend.) marker words Present continuous: now, at the moment, still
permanent states and actions: From the context it is clear that this is a normal, habitual action or state. -permanent place of work: I work in this building. (Russian. I work in this building.) -always: He is a really good student. He studies so hard! (eng. He is a really good student. He studies so hard!)	temporary state and actions: The action is limited to some period of time, it occurs only now (during this period), and usually not everything is wrong. -temporarily: I am working in this office this month. (eng. I work in this office this month. = I usually work in another office) -not always: Jim is busy. He is studying so hard these days. (eng. Jim is busy. He studies so hard these days. = these days are especially busy, usually easier) marker words indicating temporary action: today, these days, this week/month/year, at present
well-known facts, laws of nature, scientific facts: -true: Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. (Russian. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.) -fact: It is really cold in winter in our country. (Russian. In our country it is very cold in winter.)	changing activities, activities in progress: -changing action: It is getting colder and colder here every day. (Russian. It's getting colder and colder every day.) -process: look! Sun is rising - it's so beautiful! (Russian. Look! The sun is rising - it's so beautiful!)
an action that happens always, regularly, using always: My girlfriend always talks on the phone in the evenings. (eng. My girlfriend always talks on the phone in the evenings. = really talks every evening) Jim always complains about his colleagues. (Russian Jim always complains about his colleagues. = real situation - something happened, Jim goes and complains about his colleagues)	to express emphasis, exaggeration, and mild resentment using always: My girlfriend is always talking on the phone! (eng. Yes, my girlfriend always talks on the phone! = she doesn’t talk all the time, but too often and it annoys us) Jim is always complaining about his colleagues. (Russian. Jim always complains about his colleagues. = he does it too often, no one likes it)
schedule of transport, day, concerts: -timetable: The bus leaves at 4 o'clock tomorrow. (Rus. The bus leaves at 4 o'clock tomorrow.)	Plans and agreements for the future: -plans: They are leaving at 4 o'clock tomorrow. (Rus. They leave at 4 o'clock tomorrow.)

Present Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous

With these times, too, not everything is simple, although they are somewhat consonant in their names. But the word Perfect already says that the action began in the past, lasted for a certain period and has a result in the present.

In contrast to the Simple Long time, in Present Perfect Continuous it is important not that the action is temporary and reflects the current process, but the process of its implementation in the past and, as a result, its result in the present.

Compare:

Wait, I'm trying to open the door(eng. Wait, I'm trying to open the door): now I'm trying, in the process of opening the lock, I'm trying - Present Continuous.

• I've been trying to open the door. bit it is still locked(rus. I tried to open the door, but it is still closed): I tried in the recent past, maybe still trying, but having a negative result, I've been trying -Present Perfect Continuous.

Comparative table of the use of Present Simple and Present Perfect Continuous

Present Continuous	Present Perfect Continuous
The action takes place in the present - the connection is only with it, there is no connection with the past and there is no indication of how long the action lasts:	The action began in the past and continues until now - the connection of the past with the present, there may be an indication of how long the action lasts:
Hurry up! We're waiting for you. (Russian. Hurry up! We are waiting for you. = waiting right now)	We've been waiting for 2 hours. (eng. We have been waiting for 2 hours already. = we started waiting for 2 hours and are still waiting)
Don't disturb her! She is learning English. (Russian. Don't disturb her. She is studying English. = right now she is studying)	She speaks English pretty nice. She has been learning English for 2 years. (rus. She speaks English quite well. She has been studying English for 2 years = already for 2 years)

Instead of a conclusion

So we dismantled present continuous time- present continuous tense. In the lessons, you can consolidate in communication with the teacher all the rules that you just read about.

And to consolidate the knowledge gained now, we suggest that you perform several exercises.

Present Continuous exercises

Everyone knows that any new theoretical knowledge requires consolidation in practice. Below are a few exercises on Present Continuous, as well as to compare Present Continuous and Present Simple and Present Continuous with Present Perfect Continuous, so be careful when doing it. :)

Exercise 1: Open the brackets using Present Simple or Present Continuous:

Her brother (not to read) a book at the moment. He (to sleep) because he (to be) exhausted.

Lisa (not to cook) dinner at the moment. She (to talk) to a friend.

I (not to play) games now. I (to do) my English homework.

He (not to drink) tea in the evenings. He (to drink) tea in the mornings.

look! The baby (to sleep). The baby always (to sleep) after dinner.

I usually (to go) to work at seven o "clock every morning.

Who (to make) lunch for your children now?

You (to read) a magazine and (to think) about your holiday at the moment?

They (to be) good singers but they (not to go) to karaoke bars very often.

What are you (to talk) about right now?

You (to keep) to any special diet? - Well, I (not to think) it (to be) good to eat a lot of meat. I usually (to have) meat only once a week. I (to eat) lots of fruits and vegetables.

He (to learn) English now because he (to want) to get a better job.

Listen to those people! You (to understand) what language they (to speak)?

Your English (to get) better? Yes, I (to think) so.

1. She (to try) to lose weight, I (to think). She always (to have) light lunches.

Exercise 2: Open the brackets using Present Continuous or Present Perfect Continuous:

Linda_ __ (learn) German for four years.

Hello Bill. I_ __ (look) for you all morning. Where have you been?

Why_ __ (you/look) at me like that? Stop it!

Julia is a doctor. She_ ____ (work) in this hospital for three years.

I_ ____ (think) about what you said and I "ve decided to take your advice.

"Is Melissa on holiday this week?" "No, she_ ____ (work).

1. Sarah is very tired. She_ __ (work) very hard recently.

Exercise 3: Translate into English:

We go to Italy every summer.

What do you do on the weekends?

Let's stay at home - it's raining outside.

You always talk about your problems! I'm tired of this!

I think they are wrong.

Can you speak louder? I can not hear you!

You don't look very good. How do you feel?

What are you doing? I am thinking about our trip to Greece.

Where are you going? - I need to go to the bank.

I'm going to the store, do you want anything?

Do you like it there? Yes, I have a great time with my friends.

This dress doesn't fit me.

I don't like autumn! It rains constantly and the days are getting shorter and shorter.

The book consists of five chapters. I am currently reading the third one.

Looks like it's starting to rain...

Do you see this? It's incredible, I can't believe my eyes!

Lisa is very tired. She's been working so hard this week.

The weather is great! The sun is shining brightly and the birds are singing in the trees. We need to go outside now.

It's so beautiful here! I love walking in this park so much! I feel so happy!

1. Well, here it is again! She always sings in the shower!

In contact with

It turns out that the British have their favorite times. Present Continuous tense or Present Continuous tense is one of them. We are talking today about how the Present Continuous is formed and when it is used.

General information

In Russian, you can find sentences of the following type:

• You can not rush! The shop is still open!
• She is now choosing a new dress.
• At the moment they are discussing new issues.

As can be seen from the examples, we are talking about long-term actions, about processes that occur at the very moment when they are spoken about. In Russian, this is indicated by words such as “now”, “at the moment”, “still”. Verbs are used in the present tense. The situation is different in English. To express duration, only adverbs of time are not enough. The main exponent of duration in the language of Foggy Albion is the tense form Present Continuous (Present Continuous):

• Don't hurry! The shop is still working!
• Now she is choosing a new dress.
• At this moment they are discussing new questions.

Education

Sentences in English are built according to the direct word order. In the first place - the subject, in the second - the predicate. Affirmative sentences in Present Continuous are no exception. Only the predicate is expressed by two verbs: auxiliary to be and the main one with the addition of the ending to its basis - ing. The following table demonstrates how the formula works in practice "subjects + to be + main verb + -ing":

When adding the ending -ing to the stem of a semantic verb, it is necessary to pay attention to the final vowel or consonant:

• if the verb ends with a silent vowel -e, then it is omitted ( to bake - baking, to blame - blaming);
• if the verb ends in -ie, then this combination is replaced by -y ( to die - dying);
• if the verb consists of one syllable and ends in a vowel + consonant, then the final consonant is doubled ( to cut - cutting, to put - putting).

Negative sentences

Negation in English is built using the negative particle not (not). In the Present Continuous tense, it stands between the auxiliary and main verbs: subject + to be + not + main verb + -ing.

TOP 3 articleswho read along with this

Question

A characteristic feature of English interrogative sentences is the reverse word order, when the auxiliary verb comes first. In Present Continuous questions are built according to the following formula: to be + subject + main verb + -ing?

Use cases

The answer to the question of when Present Continuous (Present Continuous) is used lies on the surface - in the very name of time. The word Present (Present) indicates that the action takes place in the present, and Continuous (Long) emphasizes the duration, the duration of the event. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Under dark water, other nuances of using this time are hidden:

• To illustrate an action that is happening at the moment of speech. In this case, it is possible to use such time markers as at this moment (at the moment), now (now):

My father is not smoking now. He is speaking to our neighbor - My father doesn't smoke now. He is talking to our neighbor.

• To describe an action that is extended over time: it is happening now and will continue for some time. In order to emphasize this “extension”, the time indicators these days (one of these days), currently (now) are used:

My grandmother is currently sewing a new shirt for me

• To illustrate temporary situations, events. In these sentences, you can find words such as until (yet), for (during), during (during):

Ann is working as a teacher until she moves to another city - Anna works as a teacher until she moves to another city (her job is not permanent, but temporary).

• To describe events that do not "stand in one place", they develop, change. As a rule, in these cases, the verbs to change (change), to get (become), to begin (begin), to improve (improve), to become (become) are used:

His skills are getting better - His skills are getting better.

• To describe planned activities, as well as events that should happen in the near future:

Tonight they are organizing New Year party - Tonight they are preparing a New Year's party.

The stable expression to be going to (gather) is used in the meaning of the future (We are going to visit a doctor - We are going to visit the doctor).

What have we learned?

The considered rules and examples of Present Continuous for children explain in detail how this tense form is formed when a consonant is doubled and what are the exceptions when adding the ending -ing to the main verb. It was also explained for beginners and complex cases of the use of time.

Topic quiz

Article rating

Average rating: 4.6. Total ratings received: 274.