Present Continuous

Present Continuous

(Present Progressive)

Construction

1) The present continuous tense is formed with the present tense of the auxiliary verb "be" + the present participle (-ing form):
Example: to work
Affirmative
 - I am working
 - You are working
 - He is working
 - We are working
 - You are working
 - They are working
Negative
 - I am not working
 - You are not working
 - He is not working
 - We are not working
 - You are not working
 - They are not working
Interrogative
 - Am I working?
 - Are you working?
 - Is he working?
 - Are we working?
 - Are you working?
 - Are they working?
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   a) Contractions: the verb "be" can be contracted, so the present continuous of any verb can be contracted:
Examples:
Affirmative
 - I'm working
 - you're working
Negative
 - I'm not working
 - you're not (you aren't) working
 - he's not (he isn't) working
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   b) Interrogative contractions: "am, is, are" may be contracted:
Examples:
 - Why's he working
 - Where're you working?
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The spelling of the present participle
1) When a verb ends in a single "e", this "e" is dropped before "ing":
Examples:
 - argue, arguing
 - hate, hating
 - love, loving
   a) except after "age", "dye" and "singe":
 - ageing
 - dyeing
 - singeing
   b) and except in verbs ending in "ee":
 - agree, agreeing
 - see, seeing
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2) When a verb of one syllable has one vowel and ends in a single consonant, this consonant is doubled before "ing":
Examples:
 - hit, hitting
 - run, running
 - stop, stopping
3) Verbs of two or more syllables whose last syllable contains only one vowel and ends in a single consonant double this consonant if the stress falls on the last syllable:
Examples:
 - admit, admitting
 - begin, beginning
 - prefer, preferring
but:
 - budget, budgeting
 - center, centering (stress not on the last syllable).
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4) A final "l" after a single vowel is, however, always doubled (except in American English):
Examples:
 - signal, signalling
 - travel, travelling
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5) "ing" can be added to a verb ending in "y" without affecting the spelling of the verb:
Examples:
 - carry, carrying
 - enjoy, enjoying
 - hurry, hurrying
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When to use

1) For an action happening now: 

Examples:
 - It is raining.
 - I am not wearing a coat as it isn't cold.
 - Why are you sitting at my desk? 
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2) For an action happening about this time but not necessarily at the moment of speaking:

Examples:
 - I am reading a play by Shaw. (This may mean 'at the moment of speaking' but may also mean 'now' in a more general sense.)
 - He is teaching French and learning Greek. (He may not be doing either at the moment of speaking.)

Note: When two continuous tenses having the same subject are joined by "and", the auxiliary may be dropped before the second verb, as in the above example. 
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3) For a definite arrangement in the near future (the most usual way of expressing one's immediate plans):

Examples:
 - I'm meeting Peter tonight. He is taking me to the theatre.
 - Are you doing anything tomorrow afternoon? ~ Yes, I'm playing tennis with Ann.

Note that the time of the action must always be mentioned, as otherwise there might be confusion between present and future meanings. However, "come" and "go" can be used in this way without a time expression.
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4) Other possible uses of the present continuous:

   a) With a point in time to indicate an action which begins before this point and probably continues after it:

Example:
 - At six I am bathing the baby. (I start bathing him before six.)
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   b) With "always" (This form is used, chiefly in the affirmative):

Example:

 - He is always losing his keys.
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     b1) For a frequently repeated action, usually when the frequency annoys the speaker or seems unreasonable to him: 

Examples:
 - Tom is always going away for weekends.
 - I'm always making that mistake. 
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     b2) For an action which appears to be continuous:

Examples:
 - He's always working. (= He works the whole time)
 - He's always reading. (= He reads a lot)
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Verbs not normally used in the continuous tenses

The continuous tenses are chiefly used for deliberate actions. 

1) Verbs of the senses (involuntary actions):
 - feel, hear, see, smell,
 - notice and observe (= notice),
 - feel, look, taste (used as link verbs).
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2) Verbs expressing feelings and emotions:
 - admire (= respect),
 - adore,
 - appreciate (= value),
 - care for (= like),
 - desire,
 - detest,
 - dislike,
 - fear,
 - hate,
 - like,
 - loathe,
 - love,
 - mind (= care),
 - respect,
 - value,
 - want,
 - wish.
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3) Verbs of mental activity:
 - agree,
 - appreciate (= understand),
 - assume,
 - believe,
 - expect (= think),
 - feel (= think),
 - feel sure/certain,
 - forget,
 - know,
 - mean,
 - perceive,
 - realize,
 - recall,
 - recognize,
 - recollect,
 - remember,
 - see (= understand),
 - see through someone (= penetrate his attempt to deceive),
 - suppose,
 - think ( = have an opinion),
 - trust (= believe/have confidence in),
 - understand. 
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4) Verbs of possession:
 - belong,
 - owe,
 - own,
 - possess.

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