What are you thinking about?

What do you think of the book?

Angela is nice.

I know Clara hates me, but why is she being so nice to me now?

The Past Progressive vs. The Past Simple Tense.

1. The simple past tense is used to talk about many kinds of past events: short, quickly finished actions, repeated events, permanent actions.

I met John yesterday morning. He told me …

He spent all his childhood in Scotland.

2. The present progressive is used to say that something was going on around a particular past time.

When I saw Bill he was talking to Linda.

Another use of the past progressive is to stress that an action was in progress at every moment during a period of time.

I was painting all day yesterday.

3. The past progressive: special uses.

The past progressive is often used to talk about something that is a ‘background’, not the main ‘news’, thus we can make something seem less important by using this tense.

I was talking to the President last night, and he said …

(It sounds as if there was nothing special for the speaker about talking to the President.)

The past progressive can be used with ‘always, continually’ and similar words to talk about things that happened repeatedly and unexpectedly, or that annoyed the speaker.

Aunt Lucy was always turning up without warning and bringing us presents.

I didn’t like him – he was continually borrowing money.

The Future Simple vs. Future Progressive Tense.

1. The future simple is used to predict future events (to say what we think will happen). The construction ‘going to’ is also used in this meaning, but generally it implies that there is some outside evidence for what we predict. Compare:

Look out! We are going to crash! (There is outside evidence.)

He’s a terrible driver – he’ll crash some day. (It’s the speaker’s opinion.)

Next year will be different. (That’s what the speaker thinks.)

Next year is going to be different. (The speaker bases this statement on some present facts.)

2. The future simple is used to express decisions (which haven’t been calculated before), promises and strong intentions and threats.

The phone is ringing. I’ll answer it.

I’ve forgotten to buy the tickets. But don’t worry I’ll buy them later.

I will stop smoking. I really will!

3. The structure ‘Will you …?’ is used to express firm instructions or orders.

Will you get me a newspaper when you are out?

Will you be quiet, please?

4. Questions with ‘Shall I/we …?’ are used to ask for instructions, to offer services and to make suggestions.

What time shall we come and see you?

Shall I carry your bag?

Let’s go and see Lucy, shall we?

5. The future progressive is used to express an action that will be going on at a particular moment in the future.

This time tomorrow I’ll be lying on a beach.

6. The future progressive is also used (without a progressive meaning) to refer to future events that are fixed or decided, or which are expected to happen in the normal course of events (outside the will or intention of the speaker).

Professor Baldwin will be giving a lecture on Roman culture next week.

Fill in your immigration form. We’ll be landing soon.

7. The future progressive can be used to make polite enquiries about people’s plans. By using this tense, the speaker shows that he doesn’t want to influence the listener’s intentions. Compare:

Will you be staying in today? (Polite enquiry, suggesting ‘I simply want to know your plans’.)

Are you going to stay in this evening? (Pressing for a decision)

Will you stay in this evening? (request or order)