Present Continuous Review

The Present Continuous tense, is a verb tense used to describe actions that are happening at the moment of speaking or actions that are in progress around the current time. It’s used to emphasise the ongoing nature of an action.

This tense is formed using the: present tense of the verb “to be” (am, is, are) + the present participle (the base verb + -ing).

Here’s how you form the Present Continuous tense:

1. Positive Sentences:
   • I am eating.
   • She is reading a book.
   • They are playing football.

The Present Continuous tense is commonly used in the following situations:

1. Actions in Progress: To talk about actions that are happening right now or around the current time.
   • “I am studying for my exam.”
   • “He is working on a project.”
2. Temporary Situations: To describe temporary situations that might change in the future.
   • “She is staying with us for the weekend.”
   • “We are currently living in a rented apartment.”
3. Future Plans: To talk about future plans that are definite and arranged.
   • “I am meeting my friend tomorrow.”
   • “They are flying to Paris next week.”
4. Complaints or Annoyances: To express annoyance about a repeated action.
   • “He is always interrupting me during meetings.”
   • “She is constantly talking on her phone.”
5. Trends and Developments: To discuss trends, changes, or developments that are happening over a period of time.
   • “The company is expanding its operations globally.”
   • “More people are becoming interested in sustainable living.”

Negative Sentences:

Negative sentences in the Present Continuous tense are formed by adding the negative form of the auxiliary verb “to be” (am not, is not, are not) before the main verb in its present participle form (-ing). Here’s how you create negative sentences:

1. I am not (I’m not) + present participle
   • I am not eating.
   • I’m not eating.
2. He/She/It is not (He’s/She’s/It’s not) + present participle
   • She is not reading a book.
   • She’s not reading a book.
3. You/We/They are not (You’re/We’re/They’re not) + present participle
   • They are not playing football.
   • They’re not playing football.

Question Sentences:

Question sentences in the Present Continuous tense are formed by placing the auxiliary verb “to be” (am, is, are) before the subject, followed by the main verb in its present participle form (-ing). Here’s how you create question sentences:

1. Am + subject + present participle
   • Am I eating?
2. Is + subject + present participle
   • Is she reading a book?
3. Are + subject + present participle
   • Are they playing football?

In question sentences, the subject and the auxiliary verb “to be” are inverted. This is a common structure for forming questions in English.

Remember, the Present Continuous tense is used to describe actions happening at the moment or around the current time. When creating negative and question sentences, pay attention to the order of the words and the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb “to be” for each subject. This will help you accurately convey the ongoing nature of the actions in different contexts.