English Grammar: Present Continuous. We use the Present Continuous for: (1) things happening in the moment, (2) ongoing actions that are happening around the current time (3) annoying habits and (4) future plans.
FORM
The form of Present Continuous is the following:
- Positive statements.
- Subject + verb to be + gerund
- Negative statements.
- Subject + verb to be + not + gerund
- Questions.
- Verb to be + subject + gerund
USES
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE MOMENT
- Use Present Continuous to talk about something you are doing at the moment that you are saying it.
- I‘m writing this blog post right now.
- I‘m looking out the window.
ONGOING EVENTS/TEMPORARY SITUATIONS/HABITS
- Present Continuous is also used for ongoing events or temporary situations. I may not be doing them at this very moment, but at this time in my life.
- I‘m learning to paint. (Not right now, but I go to a class twice a week.)
- She‘s not going to class this month. (She’ll go again next month.)
ANNOYING HABITS
- Use Present Continuous to show you are annoyed with someone’s habits.
- You are always watching the TV!
- He‘s always complaining.
DEFINITE FUTURE PLANS
- For definite future plans, we also use Present Continuous.
- After work I’m going to the gym.
- Next month we are going to Malaga.
English Grammar
Now that you have seen ‘English Grammar: Present Continuous’, take a look at our other English Grammar posts:
English Grammar: Second Conditional
English Grammar: Regret + gerund/infinitive
