Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense
The Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now, temporary situations, or planned future events. It emphasizes that an action is currently in progress.
Formation
The present continuous tense is formed using the verb "to be" (am/is/are) + the -ing form of the main verb.
| Subject | Auxiliary Verb (to be) | Verb Example (to eat) |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | eating |
| You / We / They | are | eating |
| He / She / It | is | eating |
- Affirmative: I am eating, He is eating
- Negative: I am not eating, She is not eating (or She isn’t eating)
- Interrogative: Am I eating?, Is she eating?
Usage
- Actions Happening Now: To describe actions occurring at the moment of speaking.
- He is studying right now.
- Temporary Situations: Situations that are not permanent.
- I am living in London for the summer.
- Planned Future Events: To indicate arrangements or plans in the near future.
- We are meeting at 8 PM tonight.
- Trends or Changes: To describe situations that are developing or changing.
- The weather is getting warmer.
Examples:
- Affirmative: She is reading a book.
- Negative: They aren’t watching TV.
- Interrogative: Are you working today?
Notes
- For verbs ending in -e, drop the e and add -ing.
- come → coming, write → writing
- For one-syllable verbs ending with a single vowel and consonant, double the consonant before adding -ing.
- sit → sitting, run → running
