Present Continuous Tense

Dear students. How are you? I have checked some of your answers for Quiz 2. I believe many did better than Quiz 1, well done and congratulations :).

Today we are going to look at another tense --> Present Continuous Tense.

First thing first. Let's see how to form it.

am/is/are + base verb + ing

E.g. is + cook + ing

She is cooking at the kitchen.

As long as you stick to this, you would have no problem to form Present Continuous Tense. However, you also need to understand how to use this tense to be able to use whenever necessary.

Present Continuous Tense (PreCoT) is used:

1) to show that something is happening right now, at the moment of speaking. It can also be used to show something is NOT happening right now.

Positive statement:

- Selfi and Ariff are arguing right now.

- At the moment, I am choosing the best outfit for the dinner tonight.

Question form:

Is Darshini sleeping?

Negative statement:

Darshini is NOT sleeping.

2) to show an action which is in progress and it may take a longer time (we might not do it at this exact time)

Positive statement:

They are studying to become lawyers.

Negative statement:

I am NOT reading any book nowadays as I am busy with work.

Question form:

Are you studying in the university now?

Note: All these sentences can be uttered during a conversation over dinner, for instance. Thus, the actions of studying and reading do not have to happen at the exact moment of you having the conversation and dinner. It suggest that you are in the process of the actions and they take longer time to be completed.

3) to indicate something will or will not happen in the near future.

Positive statement:

She is working this Saturday.

I am going to my mother's place for lunch tomorrow.

Negative statement:

Qayyum is not playing for Harimau Muda next season.

They are not going to the class tomorrow.

Question form:

Is she coming to work next week?

Is she not coming to work next week?

4) When you use PreCot with words like always and constantly, you would tend to show repetition and irritation.

E.g. She is always nagging and that annoys me!

They are always arguing about silly things!

He and his wife are constantly bragging about their new house and car.

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Let's try some exercises at these following links:

1) English Club - Present Continuous Tense Quiz

2) Jennifer Eckerly's Present Continuous Quiz

3) English Page - Simple Present / Present Continuous Tense Quiz


I hope this note will help you to understand PreCot better. If you have any question, do not hesitate to contact me at aliazul@gmail.com.

Good luck! ^__*

Source: English Page - Present Continuous Tense