She is swimming faster than the others and passes the end line. These days most people are using email instead of writing letters. It may not be happening in this precise moment, but its happening in this general period of time. to talk about a planned event in the near future. They are not sleeping. When asking a question in the present continuous tense, use the formula: [am, is, are] + subject + present participle. We use the present continuous tense to give energy to something that is happening and combine this tense with a dynamic verb (a verb that shows action). In this lesson, we will learn more about them. Using Present Continuous to Talk about Ongoing Events. Facebook To make the tense negative add "not" before the verb + -ing. This article focuses on how to form and use the present continuous tense. With verbs ending withalong -e sound, add -ing as normal: If the verbhas one syllable and ends with CVC (a consonant + vowel + consonant), we double the final consonant before adding the -ing ending: Notice these verbs end in CVC (consonant vowel consonant). We use the present continuous tense to talk about something which is changing, growing, or developing. But sometimes like in this case we may also need information from the context (what we know about the situation) or from the words surrounding the example (called the cotext) in order to understand the more precise meaning. When is he working? Are you playing tennis now? Then, keep reading to see a more detailed explanation with examples! Jake records audio for his articles to help students with pronunciation and comprehension as he also works as a voice-over artist who has been featured in commercials and on audiobooks. This means that we swap around the position of the auxiliary verb and the subject. Present continuousis used to talk about something that is happening at the time of speaking.
Think of the present continuous as the answer to this question: Just make sure to use the right 'be' word. And we are talking about it at the moment. We use the present continuous tense to talk about something which we think is temporary. There are some exceptions though: Here are some examples of present continuous sentences using am/are/is and the present participle: We can use a contraction of the auxiliary verb in order to sound more natural in spoken English: To make present continuous questions we can use subject-auxiliary inversion. Thats because when were asking a question about the subject we dont yet know if the subject is in the first person, second person or third person. 
Present continuousis used with words such as ALWAYSto talk about things that happen repeatedly (sometimes to say that something is irritating or annoying). (Inverting simply means we change the order of the subject and verb form:), Affirmative statement: I am coming. We make world-class learning tools and resources so children of all learning abilities and backgrounds can develop to their greatest potential. TOEFL Blog The action is not finished. TEFL Courses Becoming a surgeon takes years of education and practice, but we say it in the present continuous tense. to talk about actions and situations in progress at the moment of speaking. For these verbs we use thepresent simple. Its useful to know how to ask for directions in English. We can get a clue from the other name for present continuous: present progressive. The individual doesnt have to be studying at the same time, but they can still use this tense. Once theyre comfortable with this, interrupt a stronger student whos just said, for example, I brush my teeth and ask him Are you brushing your teeth now?. Present continuous is used to talk about changing situations. LSAT Prep Les Miserables is a very long novel and would take most people many hours to get through the entire book (Maybe even a few years seriously, its a long novel!). For example. to refer to an ongoing long-term action. For example: Here, we are referring to an action that keeps on happening all the time. But the sentences with the stative verbs dont sound quite right. Using present progressive gives us a better idea of its meaning the word progressive suggests that something is in progress or changing. , Great job learning to use present continuous tense!
However, do not double the consonant for verbs that end in w, x or y. GRE Prep Click here if you'd like to learn how to USE the Present Continuous. Dont use the present continuous tense with stative verbs (verbs that describe a state but no action). We often use time expressions like for the time being and this week in this kind of sentence. No, What are you doing now? Let's begin. Here are the examples: Ellen cannot come to the phone since she is sleeping. Note that the "be" verb always comes before the present participle. Mixed Exercise 2 IELTS Fees in 2022, The 10 Best IELTS Preparation Books of 2022, How to Register for the IELTS: Step-by-Step Guide. It is usually one of the first tenses you start to learn when you first start studying English. Check out this video breaking down the present continuous tense. Rm. If a verb ends in "ie", change "ie to "y" then add "ing". SAT & ACT Prep for High Schools For example: Here, we are asking someone about their firm plans for the future. Shes getting better and better at English because she practices a lot. For example. It means that it will change, but you are not sure when it changes. It has to match the subject! Whats the Difference Between Simple Past and Present Perfect Tense? These are changing situations. Here, we are talking about an action that is happening right now and at the moment of speaking and it probably will not last longer than the sentence itself. 
Heres an example: Present progressive is another name for present continuous and so they are exactly the same. There are only three present tense "Be" verbs: The present participle is formed by adding "ing" to a base verb. WSE Hong Kong Ltd As you can see, we are referring to an action being done at the moment but this action will not last forever. Speaking activity after I have explained the present continuous, I play a movie and I stop it every now and then and ask students what is happening. Need more practice? Here are some examples of dynamic and stative verbs in present continuous: The two sentences with the dynamic verbs sound okay it looks like using these verbs in the progressive form works. Quick Reference Table: The Present Continuous Tense in All Forms. Let's learn them! He isn't reading. Mission You can also see how contraction is done in negative form. I use flashcards.
Present continuous tense verbs describe what's happening right now. Practise making 'wh' and 'yes / no' questions (exercise 2), Mixed Exercise 1 (includes positive, negative, and questions) Hong Kong Present continuous is used to talk about temporary situations. But with these sentences we have the added meaning that something (Alexs height, house prices) is changing. You've also learned that present tense verbs describe things that are generally true. The present continuous tense is a basic tense. Contact Us, Follow Magoosh The present continuous (also called the present progressive) is a grammatical tense used in modern English that indicates an action is happening now. GMAT Blog (e.g., believe, bake, take, love). Here are some examples: We understand when we hear these sentences that as soon as Janes car is repaired she will stop driving her husbands, and that some time soon I will find a place of my own to live.
So lets look at how to use this important form in detail. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. MCAT Blog To make affirmative sentences in the present continuous we use the subject followed by the appropriate form of theauxiliary verb to be and the main verb in the -ing form. Magoosh blog comment policy: To create the best experience for our readers, we will only approve comments that are relevant to the article, general enough to be helpful to other students, concise, and well-written! Here are some examples: We can contract these negative present continuous sentences, like this: Now that weve seen how to make a present continuous sentence, lets have a look at why we use it its meaning. For 'wh questions,' we just put the question word at the front, then make the yes/no question. When you feel theyre ready, start using negative build-up: Are you brushing your teeth now? He is being the president of America for the next four years. For the auxiliary verb be we use its present forms am, are and is: The present participle form of all verbs ends in ing, and to make it we normally simply need to add ing to the base form of the verb. For example: He is working in the morning. Emphasize the now, and then accept just a No as an answer.
In the second example the speaker is annoyed at Bobs constant complaining. Now that you've learned how to form the present continuous, click here to learn how to use it. Just like we made the question with 'be' in the present simple, here we also put 'am', 'is', or 'are' before the subject to make a 'yes / no' question: For 'wh' questions, just put the question word at the front: Practise making 'wh' and 'yes / no' questions (exercise 1) (Click here if you'd prefer to learn how to USE this tense). Remember, this sentence conveys a 'past tense.'. Present Continuous Tense: How and When to Use It, 1-Month General Training IELTS Study Schedule, 1-Week General Training IELTS Study Schedule, IELTS General Training Writing Practice Test, IELTS Reading Practice Tests and Resources, IELTS Writing Task 2: Academic & General Training, IELTS Listening Section One Tips and Practice. If instead he chooses to say Im staying with a friend in London he gives the impression that its only temporary hes staying with his friend now but expects to find his own place soon. The actions of getting taller and going up are both in progress at the time of speaking and are probably temporary too. If we knew this, we wouldnt need to ask the question in the first place. The future continuous tense is used by native English speakers quite often and this is your chance to learn and understand this tense so you can start using it. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. The past continuous tense is used quite often in English, so lets understand exactly when to use it and how to use it. So we think of these situations as temporary and expect them to end soon. Very often just the verb form itself (choosing present progressive rather than present simple, for example) gives us enough information about the meaning of what is said. Language Schools, Classroom Resources All rights reserved. LanGeek is a language learning platform that helps you learn easier, faster and smarter. Past simple tense is one of the most exciting and important tenses in English. ACT Blog For example. With a lot of repetition and a little prompting, students will get comfortable with this, at which point you can start to introduce negatives and eventually questions. However, when the last syllable is not stressed, just add -ing as usual. David Kedwards delivered a keynote address at the EducationInvestor Global Asia Summit 2019, outlining the value and future potential of adult ELT. In this lesson, you will learn to talk about the future in English using 'will.'. We are meeting them at six. We can use the present continuous tense to talk about an action that is taking place around now but not at the exact moment of speech. IELTS Academic vs PTE Academic Which should I take? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); New to TEFL? She thinks what is happening We can use the main verbs 'to be' and 'to have' in the 'continuous form' to refer to a special occasion. IELTS Blog If we compare these sentences to the present simple we can see the difference in meaning: Now we simply have two facts. Sally is always complaining about her job. Practise making the positive and the negative forms (exercise 2). He has been a teacher and teacher trainer for over 20 years, in Indonesia, Australia, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Poland, France and now in the UK. Partner With Us This means that the action has started some moments ago, it is still happening, and it probably continues happening some moments more. But how do we describe things that are happening right now, this very moment? Negative sentences in the Present Continuous. IELTS Prep MCAT Prep
When indicating something that will (or will not) happen in the near future, especially when talking about plans. Present Simple They can give us clues about which tense to expect or to use. Im studying English.. Take a practice test, learn about scoring, download a study schedule, and more! 2022 Magoosh Blog IELTS Exam. I have read and agree to the Eslbase Privacy Policy When verbs ending in ending in CVC (consonant vowel consonant) have two or more syllables,double the last consonant if the last syllable is stressed. They may or may not be actually playing tennis at this particular moment. How Much Does the IELTS Cost? Twitter Lets compare one of these sentences to the present simple: If the speaker chooses to say I stay with a friend in London he wants to give the impression that its fairly permanent he doesnt have any intention of finding a place of his own in the foreseeable future. The Present Continuous, which is used to describe actions in progress, is one of the most regularly used tenses in English. Praxis Prep, Our Blogs For example: The other day I'm just walking down the street when suddenly Sam calls me and asks me to come visit her. No, Im not playing tennis now.