PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

To express an action going on at the time of speaking

Example:

·         It is raining heavily.

 Note: It rains heavily. The example does not refer to the falling of the rain at the moment of speaking, but to a phenomenon which occurs regularly; as in “It rains heavily in equatorial regions and hilly areas.

·         They are playing.

·         The baby is crying now.

·         I am writing a letter now.

·         The baby is still sleeping.

To express a temporary action which may not be actually happening at the time of speaking. For example, if you are a teacher but work on a project temporarily, you say:

·         I am working on a project.

You cannot say “I work on a project” because this would give false impression that you are a project worker by profession.

Examples:

·         I am reading a play by Shaw.

·         He is teaching French and learning Greek.

·         I am reading ‘David Copperfield’.

·         I am doing research.

·         I am writing a novel.

To express an action that is planned or arranged to take place in the near future.

Example:

·         He is going to the city tomorrow.

But it is not good to use the present continuous for slightly distant future. So don’t say: ‘He is going to the city next week. So it is better if you say:’ He goes to the city next week.

·         I am going to the cinema tonight.

·         He is leaving for America tomorrow.

·         My father is coming soon.

·         The Prime Minister is arriving this afternoon.

·         I am meeting Peter tonight. He is taking me to the theatre.

Note: When two continuous tenses having the same subject are joined by and, the auxiliary may be dropped before the second verb, as in the following example:

·         She was knitting and listening to the radio.

The Present Continuous with words such as “always” “constantly” or “forever” expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happens. Notice that the meaning is like Simple present but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words “always” or “forever” or “constantly” between “be” and “verb+ing”.

·         I hate my brother. He is always wearing my shirt without asking me.

·         She is constantly speaking. I wish she would shut up.

·         Please change the subject! You are forever talking about your father-in-law.

Form of the Present Simple Tense

Positive Statements

Word order: subject +am/is/are + verb3

Example:

·         I am playing

·         He is playing

·         They are playing

Negative statements

Word order: subject+ am/is /are +not+verb3

Example:

·         I am not playing

·         He is not playing

·         They are not playing

Wh-questions

Word order: question word+ am/is/are+ subject+verb3

Example:

·         What I am playing?

·         What is she playing?

·         What are you playing?

Yes/No questions

Word order: am/is/are + subject + verb3

Example:

·         Am I playing?

·         Is he playing?

·         Are you playing?

Reference: English is Easy by Chetananand Singh

                   A practical English grammar by A.J. Thomson & A. V. Martinet