PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT CONTINUOUS 

Formation

Affirmative: Subject + is/ am/ are + Ving  + Object.

Negative : Subject + is/ am/ are + not + Ving  + Object.

Interrogative: is/ am/ are + Subject + Ving  + Object ?

Wh- question : Wh- word + is/ am/ are + Subject + Ving  + Object ?

• In this tense in affirmative sentences with the singular subject use ‘is’, with the plural subjects use ‘are’, and with the subject ‘I’ use ‘am’. Use 1st form + ing with all the subjects 
• In negative sentences ‘not’ will take place just after the helping verb. 
• In interrogative sentences helping verbs ‘is’, ‘am’, ‘are’ will take place before the subject. 

Note: The Present Continuous Tense is often used with the words still, now, now- a- days, these days, at this time, at the moment, at present etc.

USES

1. To express an action going on at the time of speaking: 

• Sunil is reading a novel now. (action is continuous at the moment of speaking) 
• We are waiting for the school bus at the moment. (action is continuous at the moment of speaking) 

2. To express a temporary action which may not be actually happening at the time of speaking: 

• I am working on a project. 

You may say this in a conversation even though you are not working at the time of speaking. You cannot say – 'I work on a project' because this would give the false impression that you are a project worker by profession. As things stands in the given circumstances, the appropriate statement would be: 

• I am a doctor; I am working on a project. 

Other examples: 

• I am writing a play these days. 
• We are still exporting coal to Japan. 

3. To denote an action which is likely to happen in near future (definitely planned for the future) 

• He is going to Delhi tomorrow. 

But it is not good to use the present continuous for slightly distant future.

So don’t say- 

• He is going to Delhi next week. 

Instead, use the present simple. It is better if you say- 

• He goes to Delhi next week. 

4. To express an action that has become a habit but is annoying or unpleasant to others. When the reference is to a particularly obstinate habitual action, an action which continues in spite of warning or advice, the present continuous is used instead of simple present. An adverb like always, continually, constantly is also used, in other words we can say that continuous tense with ‘always, continually, constantly’ may express an idea which is not to the liking of the speaker: 

• Wrong : It is no use scolding him; he always does what is forbidden.

Note that his doing what is forbidden has become a die-hard habit. The habit persists in spite of advice or warning, so we should use the present continuous: 

• Right : It is no use scolding him; he is always doing what is forbidden.

See another example:

• Wrong: My daughter is very naughty; she teases the cat.

It is better to say- 

• My daughter is very naughty; she is always teasing the cat. 

5. The following verbs are used only in the simple present tense not in the present continuous:

Verbs of perceptions: see, hear, smell, notice, taste, recall, prefer, please, recollect, experience, watch, feel etc

Verbs of emotions: want, wish, desire, feel, like, dislike, regret, forgive, refuse, adore, doubt, hope, imagine, agree, love, hate, hope, admire, believe.

Verbs of thinking: think, mean, realize, suppose, suppose, believe, agree, consider, remember, forget, imagine, mind, understand, know

Verbs of appearing: look, seem, appear, affect, cost, resemble, require, stand, face, become, signify, concern, cost, and matter etc.

Verbs of showing possession: own, have, belong, possess, remain, contain, comprise, consist, and keep.

Look at these sentences:

Incorrect: He is owning a car. 

Correct: He owns a car.

Incorrect: We are hearing the bell.

Correct: We hear the bell.

Incorrect: I am not hating him. 

Correct: I don’t hate him.

Incorrect: This house is belonging to me. 

Correct: This house belongs to me.

Incorrect: Are you forgetting my name? 

Correct: Do you forget my name?