Present Continuous Tense

The Present continuous Tense is used to express an activity that is in progress (is occurring, is happening) right now. The event is in progress at the time the speaker is saying the sentence.

When you say ‘she is writing’, it means you are telling someone that she is writing at that time. Someone may ask you a question ‘what is she doing?’ and you answer ‘she is writing’. Well, to make to it more clearly, look at the table below!

Patterns	Examples
(+) I am + V-ing (- )I am not + V-ing (?) Am I + V –ing? (+) You/ They/ We + are+ V-ing (- ) You/ They/ We + are not+ V-ing (?) Are + you/ they/ we + V-ing? (+) She/ He/ It + is + V-ing (- ) She/ He/ It + is not+ V-ing (?) Is + He/ She/ It + V-ing?	I am reading a letter now. I am not reading a letter now. Are you reading a letter now?      Yes, I am/ No, I am not They are reading a letter now. They are not treading a letter now. Are they reading a letter now?     Yes, they are/ No, they aren’t She is reading a letter now. She is not reading a letter now. Is she reading a letter now?      Yes, she is/ No, she isn’t

When you talk about present continuous, you also talk about V-ing. There are some rules to put –ing after V1. But remember –ing adding just can be added in the end of V1 (base form).

Generally V1 can be added by –ing directly

·        Eat = eating

·        Speak = speaking

·        Study = studying

·        Call = calling

·        Cook = cooking

·        Wash = washing

If the verb ends in ‘e’, you drop the ‘e’ and put –ing

·        Type = typing

·        Smoke = smoking

·        Drive = driving

·        Take = taking

·        Bite = biting

·        Write = writing

If verbs ends in-ie, change the-ie to-y.

·        Die = dying

·        Lie = lying

·        Tie = tying

If the verb ends in CVC (consonant, vocal, consonant), double the end of the verb and put –ing.

·        Dig = digging (D; consonant, i: vocal, and g: consonant)

·        Put = putting

·        Sit = sitting

·        Swim = swimming

·        Begin = beginning

·        Wrap = wrapping

·        Shop = shopping

Exception

·        Travel = traveling

·        Open = opening

·        Buy = buying

·        Listen = listening

How to differ between simple present and present continuous easily?

The tense always relates with the time. Therefore, if you want to distinguish between simple present and present continuous, you can see the time signal. In the previous posting I have already posted about simple present and there was also the time signal in it such as always, often, seldom, everyday and so on. Present continuous has different time signal. Some of them are:

·        Now

·        Right now

·        At present

·        At this time

·        At the moment

·        Today

·        Still

·        This semester

If you find one of the time signal above, it means it is present continuous and you should make the sentence by using present continuous pattern.

Look at these examples.

·        Benny drives his motorcycle everyday. (Simple present)

·        Benny is driving his motorcycle right now. (Present continuous)

·        Jenifer seldom washes her own clothes. (Simple present)

·        Jenifer is washing her clothes today. (Present continuous)

Can you see the difference among those examples above? Look at the bold words in the examples above seriously, you will understand the difference.