ThePresentContinuousTense:AnOverview
Thepresentcontinuoustense,alsoknownasthepresentprogressivetense,isusedtodescribeanactionthatiscurrentlyhappeningatthetimeofspeakingorwriting.Inthistense,theverbisformedbycombiningthepresenttenseoftheverb"tobe"(am,is,are)withthepresentparticipleofthemainverb(-ingform).
FormationofthePresentContinuousTense
Toformthepresentcontinuoustense,followthesesteps:
1.Startwiththepresenttenseoftheverb"tobe"(am,is,are).
2.Addthepresentparticiple(-ingform)ofthemainverb.
Examples:
-Iamstudyingformyexam.
-SheiswatchingTV.
-Theyareplayingbasketball.
UsageofthePresentContinuousTense
Thepresentcontinuoustenseisusedtodescribeanactionthatiscurrentlyhappeningatthetimeofspeakingorwriting.Itcanalsobeusedtodescribeanactionthatishappeningaroundthecurrenttime,evenifitisnothappeningattheexactmomentofspeakingorwriting.Additionally,thepresentcontinuoustensecanbeusedtodescribeaplannedfutureaction.
Examples:
-Sheiscookingdinnerrightnow.(Currentlyhappening)
-Heisstudyingforhisexamthisweek.(Happeningaroundthecurrenttime)
-WeareflyingtoParisnextmonth.(Plannedfutureaction)
SignalWordsforthePresentContinuousTense
Therearecertainsignalwordsthatarecommonlyusedwiththepresentcontinuoustense.Thesewordscanhelpyoutoidentifywhenthistenseisbeingused.
-Currently:Iamcurrentlyreadingabook.
-Now:Heisnowplayingsoccer.
-Atthemoment:Theyareatthemomentdiscussingtheproject.
-Look:Look,sheisdancing!
Conclusion
Thepresentcontinuoustenseisausefultensetodescribeactionsthatarecurrentlyhappening,happeningaroundthecurrenttime,orplannedforthefuture.Byfollowingthestepsforformationandunderstandingtheusageandsignalwords,youcanconfidentlyusethistenseinyourwritingandspeaking.