Present ContinuousTense

When and how to use the Present Continuous tense | What is the structure of the Present Continuous | Learn the Present Continuous tense

Present Continuous Tense - When and How to use the Present Continuous Tense:

We use the Present Continuous Tense

when we are in the middle of doing something. We often say ‘now’, ‘ at the moment’, ‘right now’.

'What are you doing? '‘I’m doing some workout '

I'm doing the washing up at the moment.

when something is happening for a limited period of time, just a temporary thing and perhaps it’s not happening at this very moment but it is happening around the time of speaking:

Susan’s working on the Advertising department this month.

'I’m reading such an interesting book about Queen Victoria. would you like it when I finish?'

And finally, there’s a funny usage of present continuous. We must use it when something happens again and again, repeatedly and it’s irritating or annoying, something like:

My husband is always leaving his used coffee mug on his desk. - (normally we use the present simple with habitual actions)

Susan is always listening the music loudly.

What is the structure?

It’s a continuous verb structure so we use ‘to be’ in present plus the Verb with an ‘ing’ at the end.

am / is / are + verb + ing

In questions and negatives:

'Is Gina working this week?' 'No, she is off sick.'

I have my exam period this week. I'm not sleeping much as I'm studying day and night.

Learn with videos, further examples, funny situations - Tenses in the English Language | Visual Learning Course