§ 2. The Use of the Present Continuous

We use the Present Continuous to denote:

1. An action in progress

(a) at the moment of speaking

E.g. She is reading a rule now.

Don’t make noise. The child is sleeping.

(b) at the present period of time

E.g. I’m living in Uman now. (=not permanently)

Tom is working at his new invention.

• To emphasize that the action is in progress we can use the following adverbials: now, still, at this moment, currently (formal), at present, at the moment (BrE – spoken, AmE – formal), etc.

NOTE 1. We use the Present Indefinite in the sentences beginning with HERE and THERE to denote an action in progress at the moment of speaking.

E.g. Here comes the teacher. Here he comes.

There goes our bus. There they go.

2. A temporary characteristic of a person

E.g. Usually he is an obedient boy, but today he is being naughty.

NOTE 2. The verb TO BE is a stative verb and it cannot be used in the Continuous form except the cases denoting a temporary characteristic of a person. In this meaning it can be followed by adjectives referring to passing behaviour (awful, boring, friendly, etc.) and nouns (a baby, a bore, a fool, etc.). Adjectives denoting states (hungry, thirsty, etc.) cannot be used after TO BE in the Present or Past Continuous.

E.g.

I	am being	amusing, annoying, brave, careful, careless, difficult,
We	are being	foolish, frank, funny, helpful, impatient, kind, lazy,
You	are being	nasty, nice, obedient, patient, polite, rude, silly, etc.
He	is being	(a) bully, (a) coward, (a) fool, (an) idiot, (a) liar,
She	is being	(a) nuisance, (a) problem, (a) silly, (a) worry, etc.
They	are being

3. a current change, a development or a trend

E.g. Winters are getting warmer nowadays.

I’m beginning to realize how difficult is to be a good teacher.

4. a continual process

• with adverbs: constantly, continually, always, ever, forever, etc.

E.g. The Earth is always moving.

5. an action regarded as a continual process (criticism)

• with adverbs: constantly, continually, always, ever, forever, etc.

• with an element of irritation or exaggeration.

E.g. He is constantly thinking about you.

They are forever including me in their crazy schemes.

6. a future action due to a previous personal/impersonal arrangement or decision

E.g. She’s leaving on the New York flight at 14.20.

Our firm is opening a new office in Beijing on 7^th August.

7. a future action in progress in adverbial clauses of time and condition

• after the conjunctions when, while, if, etc.

E.g. I’ll be translating the text while you are doing your grammar exercises.

If she is sleeping tomorrow at 5, I’ll wake her up.

NOTE 3. The expression TO BE GOING TO + Infinitive denotes:

(a) an intention or a decision;

E.g. They are going to get married.

(b) a prediction based on present evidence;

E.g. The sky is overcast. It’s going to rain.

(c) a command or a refusal.

E.g. Ann, you’re going to take those pills whether you like it or not!

I’m not going to help you all the time.

In spoken informal English we often pronounce TO BE GOING TO + Infinitive as /gənə/. This can be shown in writing (especially in AmE) as GONNA. Mind that we use the Bare Infinitive after GONNA.

E.g. It’s gonna be easy.

You’re not gonna talk to me like that!

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRESENT INDEFINITE AND

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS EXPRESSING FUTURE ACTIONS

The Present Indefinite	The Present Continuous
denotes a future action due to a timetable, a schedule or a calendar that is outside people’s control;	denotes a future action due to a previous personal or impersonal arrangement;
E.g. The train arrives at 15.35.	E.g. We’re arriving on the 15.35 train.
denotes a future action in adverbial clauses of time and condition.	denotes a future action in progress in adverbial clauses of time and condition.
E.g. I’ll help Paul if he waits for me.	E.g. I’ll be doing the cleaning while he’s waiting for her at the airport.

Mind the difference between the sentences:

We leave tomorrow at 12.30 and arrive at 18.15. (Both actions are seen as a part of the schedule.)

We are leaving tomorrow at 12.30. (An action is seen as a fixed personal arrangement.)

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRESENT INDEFINITE AND

TO BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE EXPRESSING FUTURE ACTIONS

The Present Indefinite	TO BE GOING TO + Infinitive
denotes a definite prediction based on a timetable, a schedule or a calendar that is outside people’s control.	denotes a prediction based on present evidence that is outside people’s control.
E.g. The sun rises at 5.15 tomorrow.	E.g. Look at the sky. It’s going to snow.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS AND

TO BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE EXPRESSING FUTURE ACTIONS

The Present Continuous	TO BE GOING TO + Infinitive
denotes a fixed personal or impersonal arrangement.	denotes an intention or a decision;
	denotes a prediction based on present evidence that is outside people’s control.
E.g. They are marrying on 17^th August. (=Probably the date and the place have already been fixed.)	E.g. They are going to marry soon. (=An action expresses an intention to get married.)
We’re tracking the meteor this evening. There’re different ideas where it’s going to fall.	Astronomers tracked a large meteor using radar. It’s going to fall to Earth some time this afternoon.

THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

(THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE)