Present Continuous1
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[00:00:00] Hi everyone. Welcome to this week's verb tense tutorial. So I'm going to talk about the present continuous and the ways that we use it. Now it's very common in English to use a tense in more than one way, with slightly different context and situations, but. Even if the context and situations are a little different in that tense, the structures and rules and forms are still the same.
So it's kind of good to understand these different contexts and situations. But first we're gonna look at the structures and forms of the present continuous, and then we will look at four ways that we can use this tense in everyday English. So let's look at present continuous. We can also call it present progressive.
As I mentioned before, sometimes you'll hear both continuous or progressive, but basically, uh, this tense expresses an activity [00:01:00] that is in progress or continuing at the moment of speaking. So it began in the past. It could be a very, very recent past. Usually it is begun, began in the past. It is continuing into the present as we are speaking, and it's probably going to continue into the future, but we usually expect it to stop at some point in the future.
Now its form is b. Am is or are plus verb ING or the present part is simple. It can have the form of statements, questions, or a negative. So a statement would be, you are trying to sleep now. I am trying to sleep. Now a question. Are you trying to sleep now? So just notice that the verb and the subject switch for a question instead of you are, it's, are you trying to sleep now?
Uh, a negative. [00:02:00] You are not, or you aren't trying to sleep now. So what are some ways that we can use the present continuous? Okay, number one, something that is happening right now as we're speaking, it's happening. Number two, actions of a general nature. Number three, talking about the near future. Yes, I know even though this is present, continuous, sometimes we can use them to talk about the near future.
And then number four, repetition and irritation with the words always and constantly. So, number one, happening now, talking about events or state of bee happening now. Number one, John is sleeping right now it's raining and I just washed my car now also, you know. As we look at these, we need to remember that most of the time you're going to hear these sentences in [00:03:00] contracted form.
So , for number one, John is sleeping Right now, you're gonna hear John's sleeping. Right now, Ron and Linda are having lunch at the cafe. It will sound like Ron and Linda are having lunch at the cafe. So instead of, and it's gonna sound like N Ron and Ron and Linda. Ron and Linda. Okay. Instead of are, you'll hear her, Ron and Linda are having lunch at the cafe.
So that's what you will hear in In connected speech. Reduced in connected speech. But just so you know, this is what you will hear. She's talking on the phone, you know, or is talking. I am trying to study. I'm trying to study. Lisa is waiting for her ride. Or Lisa's waiting for her ride. Another use with present continuous is with general nature, which [00:04:00] means something is generally in progress this week, this month, or this year.
For example, I'm taking physics this semester. Okay. It's something I'm currently engaged in and involved in. I might not be in class at this moment, but. This is in gen. Generally what I'm doing, Mary is trying to improve her English. This is something she's doing presently. It's ongoing. She is writing another book.
This year we are singing in the community choir. This month he is learning French. Another use. Is the near future, which sounds kind of unusual for this tense, but sometimes, um, speakers use the present continuous to indicate that something will or will not happen in the near future. For example, I'm meeting my friend for [00:05:00] coffee later today instead of saying I am going to meet my friend for coffee.
Sometimes you'll hear I am meeting my friend for coffee later today. Another example question. Are you visiting your sister next weekend? You know, instead of saying, are you going to say, are you visiting your sister next weekend? Now, this is actually quite common in this tense. He is singing in the talent show tonight.
We aren't leaving for our trip yet. A fourth way that you can use this tense is with repetition and irritation with the words always and constantly. So the present continuous, um, with words such as always and constantly expresses the idea that something irritating or surprising often happens. For example, Betty is always organizing her room.
Okay. It's [00:06:00] something that she does repeatedly. Another example, I don't like sitting next to John in class because he is constantly talking. Okay? He may not be talking now, but this happens a lot. You know, it's repetition and it involves irritation. Another example, my assistant is always running late. Now remember to put the words always and constantly between the verb of be.
And the verb ING or, or present part of. So it's is always running late or he is constantly talking, not constantly is talking. It's usually right in between the verb of B and the past, or excuse me, present part is simple. Now with this type of tense or with the continuous tenses, um, we need to keep in mind that there are some verbs that are non-continuous.
In other words, there are some verbs that we [00:07:00] don't use in the continuous tenses. Okay. These verbs, um, describe states or conditions that exist. Um, they don't describe activities that are actually in progress. Okay, here's two sentence examples. Number one, Kim is reading about grammar. Okay, so Kim is reading.
That's an activity that is in progress, okay? Continuous tenses can be used with the verb read. Now, here's a second example. Rob knows his grammar. We cannot say Rob is knowing his grammar. So here's a chart that, uh, is going to compare some verbs that are non-continuous, that are in an existing state with those that are continuous and show an activity in progress.
So the first one is think you could say, I think he is a nice man that's kind of an existing state, something that you think or feel [00:08:00] compare with. I am thinking about this class. This is an activity in progress. You are thinking, I am thinking has or have she has a dog. You would not say she is having a dog.
No, that's not correct. If you own something, you say she has a dog. Now you could say, I am having trouble. You could use it that way though. Next one, feel the wool feels soft. It's an existing state. Compared to he is feeling the wool. He's doing something. The next one, smell the flowers. Smell sweet.
Describes the flowers. She is smelling the roses. This is an actual activity. Look, she looks cold or we are looking at the picture. Then we have be a state [00:09:00] of be I am happy. Now sometimes we can have a sentence like this, Joe is being foolish. Now, the verb B plus an adjective is used in the continuous to describe a temporary characteristic.
We don't see this very often. Very few adjectives are used with B in their continuous. Some of the most common ones that are used this way are foolish. Nice, kind, lazy, careful, rude, patient, polite, impolite, silly. You know, you could say stop being so foolish, or he is being very polite. So those are acceptable.
In those cases, I. Now another reminder for this tense is that there are some verbs that can use both the continuous and the simple form with no change in meaning. The four most common words that do this are live, [00:10:00] work, teach, and study. You can use these both in the continuous or simple form, and there is no change.
It means the same thing. You could say, I am living in Texas, or I live in Texas. No change. Mr. Smith teaches night class. Mr. Smith is teaching night classes. Both are acceptable and mean the same thing. She works at home. She is working at home. I am studying at night. I study at night so you can commit these four words to your memory.
All right. I hope this tutorial was helpful for the present, continuous. If you found something helpful and you enjoyed it, please give a like and subscribe. If you'd like to test your knowledge of the present continuous, there is a link in the description below. Click on that and you can take a digital quiz.
Happy learning everyone.
