The Continuous Forms

The Present Continuous

The Formation of the Present Continuous

auxiliary verb to be (is/are) + Participle I (the present tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.)

Affirmative I am walking. He is walking. She is walking. It is walking. We are walking. You are walking. They are walking.

Interrogative Am I walking? Is he walking? Is she walking? Is it walking? Are we walking? Are you walking? Are they walking?

Negative I am not walking. He is not walking. She is not walking. It is not walking. We are not walking. You are not walking. They are not walking.

The Present Continuous is used to denote: 1) an action going on at the present moment. Key example: Children are going to school now. For study: Look out of the window in the morning! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Cars are running along the street. People are hurrying to work. Children are going to school. Some are crossing the street. A milkmaid is pouring milk into a jug. A man is selling newspapers. A woman is approaching the grocery.

Look out of the window in the morning! 1. Children are not running across the street.

2. They are not playing in the street. 3. They are not riding their bicycles. 4. It is not raining.

What are people doing in the street? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Are people hurrying to work? Are children hurrying to school? Are boys playing football? Are people going shopping? Are street sweepers cleaning the street?

2) an action going on for a certain period of time. Key example: My uncle is writing a new book. 1. John is reading stories by OHenry. 2. Mary is working at her thesis. 3. They are finishing evening courses.

3) an action which is planned for the near future (often with the verbs to go, to come, to leave). Key example: I am going to the country on Saturday. We are leaving for London tomorrow. Jack is going to Dublin in 2 days. Mary is coming to see us next week. John is taking his exam next Monday.

The Past Continuous

The Formation of the Past Continuous

auxiliary verb to be (was/were) + Participle I (the past tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb) Affirmative I was working. Interrogative Was I working? Negative I wasnt working.

He was working. She was working. It was working We were working. You were working. They were working.

Was he working? Was she working? Was it working? Were we working? Were you working? Were they working?

He wasnt working. She wasnt working. It wasnt working We werent working. You werent working. They werent working.

The Past Continuous is used: 1) to denote an action which was going on at a definite moment in the past. Key example: They were leaving a coffeehouse at 8 p.m. For study: What were you doing yesterday at 5 oclock? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. We were having dinner at 5 oclock. I was pouring wine into the glasses. Father was cutting the stewed meat. The family were chatting and laughing. Granny was simply resting.

2) to denote an action thought of as continual process. In this case the adverbs always, often, constantly are used. For study: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Ann was always adjusting her head-scarf in front of the mirror. She was always dressing with special care. She was often wearing a broad-brimmed hat. She was constantly smoothing the lap of her silk dress. She was often talking about her dresses.

The Future Continuous

The Formation of the Future Continuous

auxiliary verb to be (shall/will be) + Participle I (the future tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb)

The Future Continuous is used: to denote an action which will be going on at a definite moment in the future. Key example: I shall be cooking dinner at 12. Affirmative I shall be resting at 5. He will be resting at 5. She will be resting at 5. It will be resting at 5. We shall be resting at 5. You will be resting at 5. They will be resting at 5. Interrogative Shall I be resting at 5. Will he be resting at 5. Will she be resting at 5. Will it be resting at 5. Shall we be resting at 5. Will you be resting at 5. Will they be resting at 5. Negative I shant be resting at 5. He wont be resting at 5. She wont be resting at 5. It wont be resting at 5. We shant be resting at 5. You wont be resting at 5. They wont be resting at 5.

Stative (state) verbs in the continuous form

Some verbs used in the simple form can also be used in the continuous form. That's typically when they have an active meaning or emphasize change. Very often these sentences have a completely different meaning: Verb Form Simple Continuous Simple Continuous Simple Continuous Simple Continuous Simple Continuous Simple Continuous Verb to think to be thinking to love to be loving to smell to be smelling to have to be having to see to be seeing to taste to be tasting Example I think you should see a doctor I'm thinking of changing my flat I love going to the cinema You look great in this hat. I'm loving it, man! I smell something burning My baby was smelling a flower He's really rich he has 3 cars When you called me, I was having a bath I can see you have a big garden I'm seeing him later I could taste a lot of sugar in the wine He was tasting the cake and said it was OK Meaning opinion trying to reach a decision feeling emphasis or gradual process sense activity possession activity sense appointment sense activity

Keep in mind there is a group of verbs that can be used in both the continuous and simple forms with no difference. These are, for example, the verbs "to hurt" and "to feel":

How is Maryfeeling after the accident? How does she feelafter the accident?

The Continuous forms

The Continuous forms also describes the very act, but while its in progress, but we are not interested in its beginning or end. FORM: be + -ing (present participle) MEANING: The progressive tenses give the idea that an action is in progress during a particular time. The tenses say that an action begins before, is in progress during, and continues after another time or action.

Present Continuous / Present Progressive

He is sleeping right now. He went to sleep at 10:00 tonight. It is now 11:00 and he is still asleep. His sleep began in the past, is in progress at the present time, and probably will continue.

Past Continuous / Past Progressive

He was sleeping when I arrived. He went to sleep at 10:00 last night. I arrived at 11:00. He was still asleep. His sleep began before and was in progress at a particular time in the past. It probably continued.

Future Continuous / Future Progressive

He will be sleeping when we arrive. He will go to sleep at 10:00 tomorrow night. We will arrive at 11:00. The action of sleeping will begin before we arrive and it will in progress at a particular time in the future. Probably his sleep will continue.