PRESENT_CONTINUOUS_theory

PRESENT CONTINUOUS (PRESENT PROGRESSIVE)

FORMATION:

to be (am/ is/ are) + present participle

Why are you sighing? I am thinking about my coming exams.

Kelly is planning to take up tennis.

Fred and George are playing snowballs. Why don’t you join them?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS IS USED:

1. for actions taking place now, at the moment of speaking, e.g.

What are you doing, Jack? Are you reading a book? – No, I’m getting ready for tomorrow’s grammar test.

2. for temporary actions; that is, actions that are going on around now, but not at the actual moment of speaking.

My older sister is looking for a new job these days. (She is not looking for a job at the moment of speaking.)

3. to express annoyance, irritation or anger for actions, which happen very often, usually, with adverbs such as: always, constantly, continually, etc.

I'm always meeting Sara when I go shopping, (action which happens very often and the speaker is displeased with it)

You're constantly interrupting me when I'm talking, (expressing annoyance, irritation)

4. for already arranged future actions, especially when the time and place have been decided.

They're moving into their new house next week. (The time has been decided.)

5. for changing or developing situations, e.g.

More and more species are becoming extinct.

More and more forest are disappearing because of fires.

6. The present continuous is used with the following time expressions (adverbial modifiers of time:

now	at the moment	these days	still
today	nowadays	tonight	at present