GRAMMAR: PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Present continuous: talking about actions in progress

To understand the present continuous well, you need to understand the verb to be

What do we use the present continuous for?

We use the present continuous to talk about actions in progress now

I am writing a new article for the Guardian right now

I am currently staying at my girlfriend´s flat

I am currently doing a German course on Upverb.com

I am working in a bank at the moment

 

We use the present continuous to talk about temporary situations

My parents are saving for a new holiday home

I am living in Madrid at the moment

 

Hint: it is very different to say

I live in London = I intend to stay in London

I am living in London = It is only for a short time

 

We use the present continuous to talk about annoying or irritating situations

You are always arriving late to work!

You are always complaining!

 

We use the situations to talk about amusing situations

You are always telling the funniest stories

You are forever kidding around

 

Warning: actually does not mean now, it means in fact/reality

We use the word CURRENTLY to say now/right now

 

Warning: we do not use the phrase, in this moment

Now = at the moment

 

 

We do not usually use the present continuous for stative verbs: these are not actions

 

AGREE	APPEAR	BELIEVE	BELONG	CONCERN
CONSIST	CONTAIN	DEPEND	DESERVE	DISAGREE
DISLIKE	DOUBT	FEEL	FIT	HATE
HEAR	IMAGINE	IMPRESS	INCLUDE	INVOLVE
KNOW	LIKE	MATTER	MEAN	MIND
NEED	PREFER	SEEM	UNDERSTAND	WANT

For example, it would be strange to say:

I am liking playing tennis. We would simply say, I like playing tennis.

I am wanting to buy a new car. We would say, I want to buy a new car.

 

Form: how to make your own sentences

+ I am working at a language school at the moment

– I am not listening to music at the moment

? Are you doing your homework right now?

 

 

KEY WORDS

NOW, RIGHT NOW, AT THE MOMENT, TODAY, CURRENTLY

 

The affirmative

SUBJECT	EXAMPLE
I	I am doing my homework now.
YOU	You are listening to music right now.
HE	He is watching TV right now.
SHE	She is eating a sandwich at the moment.
IT	It is happening at the moment.
THEY	They are currently talking on the phone.
WE	We are currently reading the newspaper.

 

Contractions

SUBJECT	EXAMPLE
I	I’m doing my homework now.
YOU	You’re listening to music right now.
HE	He’s watching TV right now.
SHE	She’s eating a sandwich at the moment.
IT	It’s happening at the moment.
THEY	They’re currently talking on the phone.
WE	We’re currently reading the newspaper.

 

The negative

SUBJECT	EXAMPLE
I	I am not doing my homework now.
YOU	You are not listening to music right now.
HE	He is not watching TV right now.
SHE	She is not eating a sandwich at the moment.
IT	It is not happening at the moment.
THEY	They are not currently talking on the phone.
WE	We are not currently reading the newspaper.

 

Contractions

SUBJECT	EXAMPLE
I	I’m not doing my homework now.
YOU	You aren’t listening to music right now.
HE	He isn’t watching TV right now.
SHE	She isn’t eating a sandwich at the moment.
IT	It isn’t happening at the moment.
THEY	They aren’t currently talking on the phone.
WE	We aren’t currently reading the newspaper.

 

Questions

AUXILIARY	SUBJECT	EXAMPLE
AM	I	Am I doing my homework correctly?
ARE	YOU	Are you learning English at the moment?
IS	HE	Is he playing the piano now?
IS	SHE	Is she eating fruit now?
IS	IT	Is it working correctly?
ARE	THEY	Are they looking for a job?
ARE	WE	Are we driving to work right now?

 

Practice questions:

1. What are you doing right now?
2. Are you studying at university?
3. What are you doing at the moment at work?
4. Where are you currently living?
5. Are you thinking of changing job soon?

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(NEW) GRAMMAR: PRESENT CONTINUOUS (A1-B2)