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

Education Present Continuous

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

It should be remembered that:

1) the auxiliary verb am is used with 1st 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)

Present Continuous formation formula:

Noun + am / is / are + verb in 1st form with the ending -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 not to the auxiliary verb am / is / are, and verbs in the ing ending (-ing). Formula:

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

The auxiliary verb and the particle not can merge at the request of the one who writes or speaks. Examples of using negative sentences in the 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 the Present Continuous, the auxiliary verb must be placed at the beginning of the sentence. rule:

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

Examples of interrogative sentences:

Are you doing your homework? —Are you 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 in the club now?

Auxiliary words Present Continuous

Typically, when using the Present Continuous tense, the following marker words are used:

Cases, V which usedPresent Continuous

It is not enough to know the rules of tense formation; you need to know where it is appropriate to use the Present Continuous. Below are examples of using the present continuous tense in everyday life.
Use case I: the action is happening now

Most often, the Present Continuous is used to describe an action that is not happening right at this 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 don’t watch TV (in at the moment time).

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

Use case II: long-term actions in the present tense

Longer Actions in Progress Now

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

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

I am not studying to become a dentist. — I’m not studying to be a dentist.

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

Use case III: 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, it is necessary to indicate the time of the event. examples:

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

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

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

IV use case: repeating 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. In this case, it is typical to use the words always and constantly between the auxiliary verb and the verb with an ing (-ing) ending. examples:

She is always coming to class late. — She is always late.

He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up. — He talks constantly. I wish he would shut up.

I do not like them because they are always complaining. — I don’t like them because they constantly complain.

Affirmative form Present Continuous (present continuous tense) is formed using the auxiliary verb to be in the present tense (am, is, are) and an infinitive without to with ending -ing(Participle I - participle I or present participle). This can be represented as a formula:

to be (changeable part am, is, are) + infinitive without to (speak) + -ing speak+ink=speaking

I am speaking now.
She is speaking now.
They are speaking now.

Please note:
Verbs expressing feelings of perception and mental activity, as well as some other verbs, are not used in the Continuous tenses. This is: to want - want, to like - like, to love - love, to wish - want, to see - see, to hear - hear, to feel - feel, to notice - notice, to remember - remember, to recognize - learn, to forget - forget, to seem - seem, to be - be etc.

Negative form formed by adding a negation not to auxiliary verb to be.

I am not working. I don't work.
He is not working. It doesn't work.
We are not working. We are not working.
They are not working. They don't work.

a) the auxiliary verb to be (am, is, are) is reduced, the negation not remains unchanged.

I'm not working now. I'm not working now.
He's not working now. It's not working now.
You're not working now. You are not working now.

b) the negative particle not merges with the auxiliary verb, the letter o drops out:

Not isn't working now. It's not working now.
We aren't writing now. We are not writing now.

Question form formed by rearranging the auxiliary verb and the subject - auxiliary verb to be is placed before the subject.

Is he writing now? Is he writing now?
Are are they reading? Are they reading?

If there is a question word, it is placed before the auxiliary verb to be.

What are you doing now? What are you doing now?
Where is he working? Where does he work?

Please note:
If two verbs in the Present Continuous have the same subject and are joined by a conjunction and, then the auxiliary verb before the second, main verb in the Continuous is omitted.

She is sitting on the bench now and talking with Mr. Brown.
Now she is sitting on the bench and talking to Mr. Brown.

Writing rules

• If the verb ends in one letter -e, then before -ing this -e omitted: hat e-hat ing, so e- so ing.
• If the verb ends in -ee, then no changes occur. End -ing added to the main verb: see - see ing, agree - agree ing.
• If there is a short vowel before the final consonant, then when adding the ending -ing the final consonant is doubled: run - run n ing, swim - swim m ing.
• If the verb consists of two or more syllables and the stress falls on the last syllable, which consists of one vowel before the final consonant, then the final consonant is doubled: begin - begin n ing, admit - admit t ing.

Note:

• enter - entering (the stress on the last syllable does not fall);
• last letter -l after a vowel (if there is only one vowel) in the British version it is always doubled, regardless of the stress: travel - traveling, signal - signaling.

Conjugation of the verbs to work, to write in the Present Continuous

Use

Present Continuous is used:

• 1. To express an action that occurs in present moment speech, what is implied from the context or expressed by words such as now - Now, at (the) present (moment) - at present, at this moment - at the moment etc.

What are you doing (now)? - What are you doing (now)?
I am cooking. Come and have supper with us. I'm cooking (in the kitchen). Come and have dinner with us.

Please note:
In principle, the presence of words denoting the moment of speech in English sentence not necessarily, since the form of time itself shows that the action occurs at the moment of speech. In Russian, the coincidence of an action with the moment of speech is either clear from the context, or is specified by the words now, at the moment, etc.

• 2. To express a continued action that does not necessarily occur at the time of conversation, but is of a permanent nature.

I am reading a novel by K. Simonov.
I am reading a novel by K. Simonov. (Action in progress, extended over time.)
They are learning two foreign languages ​​at the new gymnasium.
In the new gymnasium they study two foreign languages.
Not teaching English and learning French. He teaches English and studies French.

• 3. To express a predetermined, planned action that will take place in the future, often in the near future.

Are you doing anything tonight? Are you doing anything tonight?
Yes, I am going to my judo class and (I’m) meeting my friends afterwards.
Yes, I go to judo class, then meet my friends. (This is planned.)
She is leaving at the end of the week. She's leaving at the end of the week. (It’s planned, it’s decided.)

• 4. With an adverb always to express a constantly repeated action that causes irritation, condemnation and even indignation in the speaker.

Not always going away for weekends. He's always going away for the weekend.

Compare:
Not always goes away for weekends. He always goes away on weekends.

The use of Simple Present/Present Indefinite instead of Present Continuous changes the speaker’s emotional attitude to what is happening and is perceived by the latter as an ordinary normal phenomenon, as a fact of action.

Present Continuous, as a rule, not used:

• 1. With verbs expressing feelings of perception: to see - see, to hear - hear, to notice - notice, to smell - smell, to feel - feel, to recognize - learn, to listen (to) - listen, to watch - observe.

But: Present Continuous is used:

a) with the verb to see in the meaning of “meet on business”, in the meaning of “visit” some places related to tourism, as well as in the meaning of “take care”.

The director is seeing the applicants this morning. The director is meeting with the applicants this morning.
Not seeing the sights. He'll be back later. He is sightseeing. He'll be back later.
Not seeing about tickets for tonight. He gets tickets for tonight.

b) with the verbs to listen, to look, to watch and sometimes to smell, if an intentional action is expressed.

Why are you looking at this furcoat? Why are you looking at this fur coat?
It's far too expensive. I see one in the corner that would suit you much better. She's too expensive. I see a fur coat in the corner that would suit you better.
Don’t disturb him now, he is listening to the “radio-fact”. Don't bother him, he's listening, "radio fact."

c) with the verb to hear meaning “to receive information about something or from someone.”

I’ve been hearing all about this accident.
I heard (learned) everything about this accident.

• 2. With verbs expressing emotions: to want - want, to desire - want, to refuse - refuse, to forgive - forgive, to wish - want, to hate - hate, to like - like, to love - love.

BUT: The Present Continuous is used with the verb to like in the meaning of “like”.

How are you liking this hot weather? How do you like this heat?
Are you enjoying this nice trip on the sea? Do you enjoy this magnificent journey by sea?
Yes, I love it. Yes (I really like it).
(No, I hate it). (No, I don't like it.)

• 3. With verbs expressing thought processes etc.: to understand - understand, to know - know, to remember - remember, to believe - believe, to expect - expect, to suppose - believe, assume, to recollect - recall, to trust - trust.
• 4. With verbs expressing ownership: to own - have, to belong - belong to possess - own.
• 5. With verbs to seem - seem, to signify - express, to appear - appear, to contain - contain, to consist - consist, to keep - keep, to concern - worry, to matter - mean.

Modal verbs in English do not express the action itself (therefore they are not used independently), but the attitude towards the action. In combination with an infinitive, they express the possibility, necessity or desirability of performing an action and act as a compound verbal predicate.

Hello my wonderful readers.

Didn't you know that I absolutely love grammar? Yes, for some it seems like a complete nightmare, but I love analyzing 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, to describe 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 preparing 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 learn grammar is to understand this particular rule. This is the basics that will be easy to handle at first.

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

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

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

She is having a very important meeting tomorrow. - Tomorrow she has a very important meeting.

• It is not uncommon to see this tense used to describe actions that do not occur specifically at a given 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 studying hard. He has an exam next week.

“Doing” in this context does not mean doing something right now. The time period of the action covers a whole month, but it is very important for us to show that this was a direct process.

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

• Very often Present Continuous used with adverb always-always to express your irritation about something.

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

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

• Moreover, this time is often used when you need 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 information about verbs!

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

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 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 there are also some nuances here. And I dedicated a separate article to them. This is how the English language is - 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 verb) baking (verb) a cake (object) . - It's preparing a pie.

He is repairing a car. - He is fixing 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. – note that often, especially in colloquial speech, it is shortened, 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 doesn’t paint the door because he’s run out of paint.

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 simply 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?- Is he 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 for any person is minimal. Right now you can practice the new rule in or on my website. And in what I recommended, you will find even more useful tasks. For full review times of the English language, you can always refer to this table and to

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

We continue to study times. Present Continuous is the simplest tense of all tenses in English.

Important for beginners!

Don't overwhelm yourself with a list of 40 verbs, which are not used in the present continuum. Why, more on this at the end of the article.

So, in simple language:

— rules for using Present Continuous,
- how to say a regular sentence in this tense,
- how to ask a question,
- sentences with negation - “He doesn’t do, doesn’t sleep, etc.”
— video from native speakers about Present Continuous,

Present Continuous - education

be + verb + ing

I'm driving. I'm going /now/.
He is sleeping. He's sleeping.

She is working. She's working.
You are drinking. You are drinking. You're drinking.

We are eating. We are eating.
They are sitting. They are sitting.

Sentences with negation in the Present Continuous

Before the verb in the -ing form, the particle -not is added.

I'm not sleeping. I'm not sleeping.
He is not working. It doesn't work.

She is not driving. She's not driving now.
You are not playing. You're not playing.

We are not walking. We don't go.
They are not reading. They don't read.

Interrogative sentences in the Present Continuous

be + verb + ing

Am I working? I am working?
Is he driving? Is he coming?
Is she smoking? Does she smoke now?

Are you listening? Are you listening?
Are they cooking? Are they cooking?
Are we speaking? Are we talking?

Possible answers to the question

Yes, I am. No, I'm not. Yes, I'm working. No, I smoke.

When to use Present Simple - 5 cases

For beginners learning English, to begin with, it is enough to remember the very first basic rule.
All the other four, you will not use anywhere for now.

1. We speak in the Present Continuous when we perform an action right now.

A friend calls you and asks: What are you doing? What are you doing? Now.

Your Answer:

I'm watching Youtube videos. I watch videos on YouTube.
I'm eating now. I'm eating now.

I'm driving. I'm going.
I'm not stadying. I don't teach.

2. Actions that continue for some time.
Indicator words: still, only.

I signed up for belly dancing.
A friend asks me: Are you still practicing dancing?
“Do you still go dancing?”

My answer: Yes, I am. Yes, I still go there.

3. Cases when there are precise plans for the near or distant future.

What are you doing tomorrow? What are you doing tomorrow?
We're going to New York city ​​tomorrow. We're going to New York tomorrow.

I'm seeing a movie tomorrow. Tomorrow I will watch a movie.
I am meeting some friends after work. I'm meeting with friends tomorrow after work.

I'm not going to the party tonight. I won't go to the party in the evening.
Is he visiting his parents next weekend? Will he go to his parents next week?

We are going to Cuba in November. We are going to Cuba in November.
We are traveling to AU next year. IN next year we will go to Australia.

4. Temporary state or behavior of a person.
In life he doesn’t do this, but now/today he has changed his actions.

Why are you being so selfish?
Why are you so selfish?

Normally Tom eats soup, but today he is wanting milk. Usually Tom eats soup, but today he wants milk. /about the child/

5. Repetitive actions in human behavior- both negative and positive, which you like or DO NOT like.
Indicator words: always, constantly.

He is always complaining. He complains constantly.
She is constantly helping people. She always helps people.

I’m always coming to class late. I'm always late for classes.
He is constantly talking. She talks incessantly.

Well, and finally,

List of verbs supposedly “not used” in the Present Continuous form"

Guys, don't waste your time learning all these verbs.
Three reasons.

1. The most significant. 70% of them, oddly enough, are not often BUT used by speakers in Present Continius. Take a look below at the list and examples I've collected.

2. While you're at initial stage learning English, believe me, you will have nowhere to use these verbs.
Don’t burden yourself, and don’t let Russian teachers burden you. Everything will come in time.

3.The media themselves, certified English teachers - no one mentions these verbs in their materials. Why do you think? see first two points.

I provide a list of these unfortunate verbs solely for the benefit of beginners.
And below are examples from the natives themselves.
As you can see, all words are in the Present Continuous form.

I'm seeing thinner.
I’m trusting you more than I trust most people.

It’s taken some study, but I’m just understanding the basics now.
Am I losing muscle if I’m weighing less?

Children not resembling mother.
Oh, I’m remembering that now.

Ok, I am recognizing that the voice inside my head.
If you're realizing, you already have an inkling about where you can improve.

Are you suggesting that my friend Benny is a liar?
You're insisting too much on that!
Are they refusing my offer?
I'm preferring now
Are you advising me?
Are you seeing me?
Are you hearing them?

I'm feeling that..

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

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

Using the Present Continuous Tense

So, we use “Present Continuous” in the following cases:

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

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

• when the action occurs in the present, but not at a specific moment of speech.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Present Continuous Forms

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

Affirmative	Negative	Questions
I am working now.	I am not working now.	Am I working now?
You are working now.	You are not working now.	Are you working now?
He is working now.	He is not working now.	Is he working now?
She is working now.	She is not working now.	Is she working now?
It is working now.	It is not working now.	Is it working now?
We are working now.	We are not working now.	Are we working now?
They are working now.	They are not working now.	Are they working now?

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

Also, don’t forget about “ insidious verbs» ( state verbs), which are not used in Present Continuous Tense. They can be divided into 6 groups:

• Senses and perception: to feel, to hear, to see, to smell, to taste.
• Opinion: to assume, to believe, to consider, to doubt, to feel (= to think), to find (= to consider), to suppose, to think.
• Emotions and desires: to envy, to fear, to dislike, to hate, to hope, to like, to love, to mind, to prefer, to regret, to want, to wish.
• Mental states: to forget, to imagine, to know, to mean, to notice, to recognize, to remember, to understand.
• Measurement: to contain, to cost, to hold, to measure, to weigh.
• Others: to look (= resemble), to seem, to be (in most cases), to have (= to possess).

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

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

Conclusion

So, we have looked at the main features of using “Present Continuous”. It is used quite often in situations, for example, when we talk about the present, the future, our plans, and temporary events.

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

We invite you to familiarize yourself with other tenses of the English language

Big and friendly EnglishDom family