Present continuous auxiliary verbs. Present Progressive (Continuous) - present continuous tense: features of education, use of the temporary form, exercises

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 may 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).

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 also 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. Time Present Continuous

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, then -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

Number	Face	affirmative form	Interrogative form	negative form
Unit h.	1 2 3	I am (I "m) starv ing You are (You're) starv ing He/She/It is (He "s/ She's/ It's) starv ing	Am I starv ing? Are you starv ing? Is he/ she/ it starv ing?	I am (I "m) not starv ing You are not (aren "t) starv ing He/She/It is not (isn "t) starv ing
Mn. h.	1 2 3	We are (We're) starv ing You are (You're) starv ing They are (They're) starv ing	Are we starv ing? Are you starv ing? Are they starv ing?	We are not (aren "t) starv ing You are not (aren "t) starv ing They are not (aren "t) starv ing

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

When can I use Present Continuous

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 a condition after conjunctions.

And again we will talk about grammar, but today we will look at theory with a more practical bias. The topic of the lesson is the aspect of the present continuous tense and everything connected with it: the laws of education, situations of use and, of course, present continuous examples. It is on them that the focus of today's material will be exposed. Immersion in practice is the most effective way to work out the theory to automatism. Let us examine in detail each type of proposal, emphasizing the features of its construction.

The present continuous tense in English is used to indicate actions and events taking place right now or in a strictly limited period of time. Consider the rules and find out how to make sentences in the present continuous with a different semantic connotation.

Statements

The predicates present continuous tense are complex two-element constructions in which the first part is expressed by the verb to be, and the second by the present participle, i.e. ing verb form. Wherein tobe also varies in numbers and persons. The generalized scheme of a positive statement, i.e. when it comes to the execution of an action, it looks like this.

Jack (1) is (2) riding (3) this horse (4) – Jackrideson thethishorses.

To successfully use the aspect of the present continius, you need to confidently navigate in the forms to be and be able to form ing verbs. Both topics are covered in detail on our website, so if you are not sure of your knowledge, we recommend that you first familiarize yourself with the functions and forms of to be, as well as the laws of joining –ing endings.

And now we will work out the formation of affirmative constructions of the present continuous, having considered examples of 10 sentences with translation. All expressions are taken from everyday English speech.

callbacklater, Jessica is taking ashowernow– Call back later, Jessica now accepts shower.
Iknowyou are smiling rightnowI know that right now you smiling .
the sun is shining brightly todayTodayverybrightlyshines sun.
right now we are learning present continuous tense in English -Straightnowwestudying the present prolonged time in English language.
While I am cleaning the room, my brother is washing our carTillII'm cleaning up inroom,mybrotherwashes ourcar.
My pants are still drying on the clothes lineMytrousersallmoredry on thelinenrope.
He is currently looking for apartments to rent–Heasonceinthemomentlooking for removableapartment.
I am preparing a report at the momentATrealmomentIpreparing report.
2017 is coming to an end – 2017yearfits toend.
They are leaving at 2 o'clock -They areare leaving intwo hours.

Please note that the predicates of this aspect of time are translated into Russian with imperfective verbs, since an unfinished process is indicated.

Negation

If you add the negative particle not to the predicate, then the affirmative sentence will change to a negative statement.

Jack (1) is (2)not(3) riding (4) this horse (5) – Jackrideson thethishorses.

At the same time, the added particle often merges with the verb to be, forming abbreviated constructions: aren’t / isn’t. Consider how negative sentences are built on the aspect of the present continuous, using 10 sentences as an example.

She isn't looking for a new jobShe isnot looking for newwork.
I am not teaching German at presentATthe presenttimeInot I teach Deutschlanguage.
You aren't singing old songs nowNowyounot perform oldsongs.
Mymobilephone isn't 't working now– My mobile phone is now does not work .
They aren't 't sending theseemails- They are do not send these emails.
Atthemomenthe isn't 't still playing football- At the moment he is still does not play in football.
They aren't 't telling thetruthaboutthiscase- They are don't tell the truth about this case.
I am not leaving at 3 o'clock -Inot leaving inthreehours.
The laptop isn't charging right now-Straightnowa laptopnot charging .
Now they aren't watching TV, but they are playing computers games-Nowtheynot watching TV set,buttheyplay incomputergames.

It is worth noting that for the pronoun I there is also the use of the abbreviated form I'mnot.

Questions

The most numerous type of statements are interrogative sentences. A long time has six varieties of expressions with a question mark. To begin with, we will analyze the general questions of the present continuous and examples of sentences of this type.

General questions are a kind of clarifying sentences that can be confirmed or refuted by a short answer. To build such a question, you just need to move the form to be to the beginning of the sentence.

Is(1) Jack(2) riding (3)this horse (4)? – Jackrideson thethishorses?

A short answer will consist of the words Yes / No and a pronoun with the form to be.

yes, he is – Yes,rides. no, he isn't 't - No, it doesn't ride.

To master the design, we will work out 10 sentences with questions and short answers.

Are you drawing your favorite cartoon character? - yes, we are. — You draw your favorite cartoon character? Yes, we draw.
Is she learning Chinese now? - no, she isn't. — She is now studies Chinese? Not,notstudies.
Am I writing it? - yes, you are. — I I write down This ? Yes, you are recording.
Are you reading the Idiot by Dostoevsky now? - no, I am not. — You reading "Idiot" Dostoevsky? No, I don't read.
Is he repairing your car at the moment? - no, he isn't . — At the moment he repairs your car? - No, it doesn't.
Are they following us? - yes, they are . — They are follow behind us? Yes, they follow.
Am I doing this exercise? - yes, you are . — I I'm doing this exercise? Yes, you do.
Is she burning these papers? - no, she isn't . — She is burns these papers? No, it doesn't burn.
Are we preparing project documentation? - yes, we are . — We preparing project documentation? Yes, preparing. — Is match starting right now? - no, it isn't. — Match starts right now? No, it doesn't start.

If we put a choice of two options for a general question, then we will already get an alternative question. Its design is the same, only by the union or add an additional part.

Are you leaving at 6 or 7 a.m.? -You leaving in 06 or in 07 hours morning?
Is he cooking meat or fish now? -He now trains meat or fish?

Questions with special interrogative words, which displace the verb to be from the first place, have a more interesting demeanor. They stand at the beginning of the phrase, and after them comes the typical construction of a general question. Consider examples of questions on the present continuous with special question words.

why is she continuing to do it again? -Whyshe iscontinued makeThisagain?
Where are they walking now? -Wheretheynowwalk ?

But the interrogative words what and who form a separate type of questions - specification of the subject. Therefore, they, in fact, have the order of approval, only in the first place, instead of the performer of actions, there is a question word.

Who is calling you? -Whoyoucalling ?
What is playing atthemoviesthisweek? - What show in theaters this week?

In colloquial speech, one can often find negative questions expressing an emotional attitude to the subject of conversation.

Isn't she complaining of her life? -Isshe isnot complains on themya life?
Aren 't you enjoying thisparty? – Are you not happy this party?

And the last grammatical construction is disjunctive questions. They consist of two parts: the first is a regular statement, and the second, separated by a comma, is an additional question. Moreover, the meaning of the question is directly opposite to the meaning of the first part of the sentence.

They are speaking Polish, aren't 't they ? - They are they say in Polish, right?
He isn't 't growing tomatoes, is he ? - He does not grow tomatoes, right?

The grammatical structure has been studied, it remains to deal with the scope of this aspect.

The use of the present continuous

In addition to denoting processes that are happening right now or at a specified time, the present continius has several more uses.

Often there are suggestions to use the present continuous as a description of negative actions that are repeated by someone from time to time. These can be bad habits, demeanor, absent-mindedness, etc.

Pamela is constantly talking about her babyPamelaconstantlychatting abouthisbaby!
I am always losing my pens-Ialwayslosing theirpens!

With the help of a sustainable turnover to be going to, this aspect is used to denote events planned for the near future.

This year we are going to buy a new carWere going buy newcarinthisyear.
TomorrowI am going to send apost cardtomyrelatives- Tomorrow I going to send a postcard to your relatives.

When it comes to changing events, evolving technologies, etc. you can also use the present continuous aspect. In such expressions, it will have a generalized meaning.

young people are watching movies on the Internet these daysATis ourtimethe youthlooks films onthe Internet.

It is equally important to note situations in which the continius is never used. We are talking about a rather extensive list of static verbs that do not take the ing form. See the next article for a complete list.

Hello my wonderful readers.

Didn't you know that I'm madly in love with grammar? Yes, for some it seems like a real nightmare, but I love to analyze every new rule, every new phenomenon. And of course, I dream that everyone knows her, if not perfectly, then at least well. Therefore, today we will study in more detail my favorite topic - "Rules Present Continuous". We will learn in detail when it is used, how this time is formed, and also see dozens of examples.

Well, are you ready?

What is it and when is it used?

I hope you remember that in English we have as many as 16 tenses, as opposed to only 3 in Russian. So here's to describing those events that are happening right now, at this moment in time, we use Present Continuous.

Let's look at examples:

I am reading- I'm reading (right now).

My mother is cooking a dinner.- Mom is cooking dinner.

Bethany is cleaning the house.- Bethany cleans the house.

In all these cases, the action is happening right now! The most important thing for children who are just starting to get acquainted with grammar is to understand exactly this rule. This is a base that will be easy to deal with at first.

But then it will be more difficult, because the use of Present Continuous is not limited to this rule. In English there is a concept - future arrangements- planned future activities. This is, for example, when you say that you are going to the doctor tomorrow, or your father has a scheduled appointment interview. Surprisingly, in English they are also used in this tense.

I am going to my doctor tomorrow.- I'm going to my doctor tomorrow.

I am grandmother visiting this weekend. I am visiting my grandmother this weekend.

She is having a very important meeting tomorrow. She has a very important meeting tomorrow.

You can often see the use of this tense to describe actions that are not happening specifically at the moment, but are temporary in general. Let's figure it out:

Tom is studying hard this month. He is having an exam next week. - Tom is working hard. He has an exam next week.

"Practicing" in this context does not mean doing something right now. The time period of action captures a whole month, but it is very important for us to show that it was a process itself.

Mary is working late for the last couple of weeks. She is having a project presentation next month.-Maria has been working late the last few weeks. She has a project presentation next month.

Very often Present Continuous used with adverb always-always to express one's annoyance about something.

You are always leaving your cup on the table.- You always leave a cup on the table.

She is always making things worse. She always makes things worse.

In addition, this time is often used to describe a changing situation. For example:

The cities are becoming bigger and bigger.- Cities are getting bigger and bigger.

The climate is getting warmer.- The climate is getting warmer.

Important about verbs!

It is very important to remember that there is table of verbs that cannot be used in Present Continuous. These are verbs like:

like, dislike, hate, own, feel, taste, smell, enjoy, prefer, understand, realize, include, contain, cost, appear, mean.

When, according to the meaning of the sentence, we need to put them in a long time, we still use present simple. Let's see some examples:

I don't believe a word he is saying. I don't believe a single word he says.

Not: I am not believing a word he is saying.

I see a plane in the sky.- I see a plane in the sky.

Not:I am seeing a plane in the sky

But here, too, there are nuances. And I dedicated a separate article to them. Here is such an English language - all in nuances

Education rules

The general rule for the formation of time can be stated as follows:

Subject + auxiliary verb to be + verb ending -ing (V-ing) + object.

She (subject) is (auxiliary) baking (verb) a cake (object) . - It's making a cake.

He is repairing a car. - He fixes the car.

They are swimming in the sea. - They swim in the sea.

In the negative form, a particle is added to the auxiliary verb not. – notice that often, especially in colloquial speech, it is reduced, merging with the verb “to be”.

Subject + auxiliary verb to be + not + verb ending -ing (V-ing) + object.

She isn't (is not) studying for the exam. She's having a break. She is not preparing for the exam. She's on a break.

He isn't (is not) painting the door as the paint has finished. He is not painting the door because the paint has run out.

They aren't (are not) driving home. They are going to the lake.- They're not going home. They are going to the lake.

To make an interrogative sentence, you just need to swap the auxiliary verb and the subject of the action.

Auxiliary verb to be + subject + verb ending -ing (V-ing) + object?

Is he reading a book?- He is reading a book?

Are they building a house on the tree?- Are they building a tree house?

Is she looking at that boy? Is she looking at that boy?

And finally...

Remember, my dears, that the best thing you can do when learning English is exercise. Without practice chances learning a language from any person is minimal. Already now you can practice the new rule in or on my site. And in what I advised, you will find even more useful tasks. For a complete overview of English tenses, you can always refer to this table and to

I hope my dears that the theme tenses-times you liked it just as much as I did. I am absolutely sure that soon you will love them, because there is nothing complicated here. And I will share with you new materials. Stay tuned for my blog updates. And if you can't wait at all - subscribe to my newsletter and find out about everything instantly.

The present continuous is the first time that an English learner starts to get confused. If everything is more or less clear with the present, past and future - these three tenses are in almost all languages, then why do we need Present Continuous - another present?
If you are asking the same question, get ready for big shocks - there are at least 12 times in English (), and most of them have no analogues in Russian. But I hope that the readers of the site will not be surprised by the number of tenses in English, especially since the idea in Present Continuous is quite simple.
continuous vs progressive
But before starting to list the main use cases, a small digression for meticulous readers. Present Continuous (in textbooks with translation you can see “real continuous” or “real continuous”) is sometimes also called Present Progressive. In English it is exactly the same.
The remark "in English" certainly did not escape the eye of more meticulous readers. In oriental languages, for example, in Chinese (Mandarin), it is not the same thing - “to do something at this moment”, for example, putting on a shirt is one time (Progressive), but “to be in some state” For example, wearing a shirt is something else (Continuous).
And since we are talking about continuous in other languages, I will add that in many European languages there is no analogue for continuous at all. Yes, in Italian and Spanish there is a construction for what is being done “right now”, but it is used much less often than in English. In French and German there is no grammatical way at all to show that an action is happening "right now". Why go far - it’s the same in Russian: to emphasize that I’m doing something “right now”, I’ll have to say it right away - “I’m reading an article right now”, or you have to guess from the context “milk on the stove runs away [precisely at this moment, and not in general in life ...] "...
In English, the difference between "in general" and "right now" can be expressed grammatically - and that's what we'll talk about.
How is the Present Continuous formed?
The formula for the formation of Present Continuous is as follows: we take the verb to be, put it in the desired form, as in the simple present (am, are, is) and add the verb we need in the –ing form to it. Here are some examples.
I am reading a book. I am reading a book.
You are watching the TV show. You are watching a TV show.
My girlfriend is chatting with her friends, while I'm doing her homework. My girlfriend chats with her friends while I do her homework for her.
verb to be in this construction is called the “auxiliary verb” - auxiliary verb. (This will come in handy when we parse negative sentences or learn how to ask questions).
When and how to use Present Continuous
We figured out what Present Continuous looks like, now the most interesting thing is how to use it. Here are the three most common cases.
1. The action really happens “at this very moment”
That literally happens, at the moment when you say the phrase, at the same time.
Right now I am reading an article on the site- this is what readers of this article can say about themselves right now in Present Continuous.
What are you doing? What are you doing? Right now, when I look at you and ask - what are you doing at this moment.
I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain. I feel the drops fall on my head, but I don't stop singing, as the hero of a classic Hollywood movie did.
2. The action takes place in the wider "now", not far from the current moment.
If the “now” in which the action takes place is not exactly this second, but this minute, this day, year, and even a century, then this is also a case of using Present Continuous.
I'm reading "Lord of the Rings" now. I'm currently reading The Lord of the Rings. To say so, it is not necessary to hold a weighty volume of Tolkien in your hands, and even not take your eyes off the lines for a second. Present Continuous in this case is rather “these days” (or even “months” - the book is very long).
What are you working on now? What are you working on now? I mean, in general, what projects and tasks are you working on these days/months/years? And at the same time, your interlocutor is not at all obliged to hold tools in his hands or sit at a computer.
Our galaxy, Milky Way is heading for a collision with our neighbor, Andromeda galaxy. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is about to collide with its neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy. And the fact that there are still 4 billion years left before the collision does not prevent us from using the Present Continuous here.
Present Continuous vs Present Simple
If this “now” is so extensible, then how is it fundamentally different from Present Simple? I live in Russia or I'm living in Russia? After all, I live in Russia at the moment?
The answer to this question depends on you, on what you want to say. This is something permanent that is unlikely to change in any foreseeable future - then Present Simple, " I live in Russia". And if you want to emphasize that this is just one of the few states that you are going through, and the situation may soon change - then I'm living in Russia.
Here are some more examples. Please note that Present Simple is used for permanent states, Present Continuous for temporary ones.
Normally I don't smoke, but I'm having a cigarette now, because I'm very nervous. I don't smoke at all, but now I'm with a cigarette, because I'm very worried.
The weather is nice today, so I'm walking home. I usually use subway. The weather is fine today and I'm walking home. Usually I ride the subway.
My friend lives in America. This weekend she is staying in my place. My friend lives in America. He will be staying with me this weekend.
There is another important point - words denoting states (for example need, like) are not used at all in Present Continuous. Such verbs in English are called stative verbs, state verbs. This is a separate big topic, so we will consider it in a separate article. In the meantime, let's move on to the next use case of Present Continuous.
3. Plans for the near future
That is, how can the time we use to describe the present moment be used for the future? Doesn't this cause confusion among those who speak English?
I agree, it sounds weird. But, firstly, with this use of Present Continuous, the future tense is obvious to the participants in the conversation - by mentioning tomorrow, next week, in the future. Secondly, I will repeat the same argument that I used in the article about Present Simple - we use exactly the same construction in Russian. Tomorrow I'm going to visit (I'll go instead). I'm going to university next year (I'm going to do it instead).
Are you coming to the party tomorrow? - I can't. This Friday I'm taking an exam, I need to study. Are you going to the party tomorrow? - I can’t, I’m taking the exam on Friday, I have to study.
Have you forgotten that Present Simple has the same “double role”? I can imagine your confusion: Present Simple can be used to talk about the future, now Present Continuous can be used to talk about the future… What, the English tenses are not paid enough at their main place of work and they periodically “hack” in neighboring areas?
Let's try to sort out this confusion. Use the Present Simple for the future when it comes to events that happen regularly, on schedule. Present Continuous - for something irregular, but planned now.
Train for Manchester leaves the station at 7 am. The train to Manchester leaves at 7am (meaning it happens every day).
I am leaving for Liverpool in the morning. I'm going to Liverpool in the morning (and judging by this offer, I don't do it every day).
One more case. Present Continuous and Annoyance
And here is the “half-case” that I mentioned in the title - irritation. "Half-case" - because this is not the most frequent use of Present Continuous. Beginners, I think, should get comfortable with the previous three. But for those who have been studying English for a long time, Present Continuous will help to gracefully express irritation. All you need to do is add words like always, constantly, all the time:
She is always complaining about something. She constantly complains about something.
I am so tired of my boss, he is often telling me what to do. The boss really got me, he always tells me what I need to do.
This app I installed is asking for money all the time. The app I installed keeps wanting money from me.
The effect of irritation is given by the combination of Present Continuous and always. Compare here:
He always gets up at 7 o'clock. He always gets up at 7 am. And apparently, he washes himself, does exercises. Good boy.
He is always getting up at 7 o'clock. He always gets up at 7 am. And, judging by the choice of grammatical time, he turns on loud music and interferes with sleep. Annoys.

That's all.
So, Present Continuous is used for what is happening "at the moment", even if this present moment is stretched in time. This is the difference between this tense and Present Simple,
Another important use case for Present Continuous is planned events in the future.
And for those who continue to learn English, there is another interesting way to use the Present Continuous - to express irritation.