Present continuous

30 May, 2012Archive, Grammar

Present continuous

• The present continuous tense is used to express action that the subject is currently in the process of or in the middle of doing.

• The present continuous conveys a temporary sense; the action is expected to cease within a few minutes, a few hours, a week, month, a period, a term, a semester, etc.

• The present continuous tense`s form is

Subject + auxiliary be + -ing form of the verb (present participate)

EX. Compare:
Present Tense: Messi plays football.
Present Continuous Tense: Messi is playing football this season.

• Clues such as the following are often used with the present continuous:
Look! Listen! Right now, this period, today, this week, at the present time, currently, at this moment, for the time being, temporarily.

Ex.
1. Tom`s taking a coursed in chemistry this semester.
2. Is anyone using the telephone?
3. The students who are taking the test right now are being very careful not to make any errors.

EXCEPTION

The following verbs generally do not express an ongoing or continuous action. The express a state of mind, ownership or the senses:
Know, understand, believe, remember, think, love, hate, prefer, appreciate, need, want,
Own, have, possess, belong, cost, owe,
See, notice, recognize, perceive, seem, appear (seem), look like, resemble, hear, smell, taste,

• Modals (and other expressions) can be used in a continuous form to express the continuing, ongoing nature of action.

Modal + be + -ing form of the verb

EX.
1. Let`s go see the wild flowers. They should be blooming now.
2. The guard is supposed to be inside protecting the building.

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