PRESENT CONTINUOUS or PROGRESSIVE TENSE

PRESENT CONTINUOUS or PROGRESSIVE

TENSE

Pattern

SUBJECT + VERB TO BE + VERB-ING

We are launching a new product
We use Present Continuous (also called Progressive)
1) For something that is in progress now, at this moment, at the moment

we are speaking . “Look. It’s raining!”
2) For a temporary activity or situation (which may not be in progress at
the moment). “I’m working on the TPS Project”
3) For arrangements we have made for the future “I’m having a meeting
next Monday”
4) With “always” to complain or express surprise/irritation about
something that happens frequently “He is always criticizing us”
BUT some verbs are almost never used in the present continuous. The most
common are:
agree hear own

be know remember
believe like seem
belong love suppose
care mean understand
forget mind want
hate notice wish
FORMATION
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I am working I am not/ ’m not working Am I working?

You are working You are not/aren’t working Are you working?
He/she/it is working He/she/it is not/isn’t working Is he/she/it working?
We are working We are not/aren’t working Are we working?
You are working You are not/aren’t working Are you working?
They are working They are not/aren’t working Are they working?
The continuous form is not used with stative verbs such as 'be', 'seem',
'taste', etc. Some stative verbs can be used as action verbs so there are some
exceptions. For example: 'smell' –
It smells good. (stative verb) /

He is smelling the roses. (action verb)
Examples:
He seems happy.
This tastes very sweet.
It doesn't appear to be difficult.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STATIVE AND ACTION VERBS
All verbs in English are classified as either stative or action verbs (also referred
to as 'dynamic verbs'). Action verbs describe actions we take (things we do) or
things that happen. Stative verbs refer to the way things 'are' - their
appearance, state of being, smell, etc. The most important difference between
stative and action verbs is that action verbs can be used in continuous
tenses and stative verbs can not be used in continuous tenses.
For example:
Action Verbs
“She's studying math with Tom at the moment”.
and… “She studies math with Tom every Friday”.
“They are playing football now”
and… “They play football every Sunday morning”.
Stative Verbs
“The flowers smell lovely”. NOT “Those flowers are smelling lovely”.
Common Stative Verbs
There are many more action verbs than stative verbs. Here is a list of some the
most common stative verbs:
be
hate
like
love
need
belong
believe
cost
get
impress
know
reach
recognize
taste
think
understand
You may notice that some of these verbs can be used as action verbs with
different meanings. For example, the verb 'to think' can either express an
opinion, or the process of considering. In the first case, when 'think' expresses
an opinion it is stative:
“I think she should work harder on her math”.
“She thinks he is a fantastic singer”.
'Think', however, can also express the process of considering something. In this
case 'think' is an action verb:
“They're thinking about buying a new house”.

“She's thinking of joining a health club”.
Generally, stative verbs fall into four groups:
1.-Verbs Showing Thought or Opinions

know
believe
understand
recognize
2.-Verbs Showing Possession
have
own
belong
possess
3.-Verbs Showing Senses
hear
smell
see
feel
4.-Verbs Showing Emotion

love
hate
want
need
If you are unsure of whether a verb is an action verb or a stative verb ask
yourself the following question:
 Does this verb relate some sort of process or a state?
If it relates a process, then the verb is an action verb. If it relates a state, the
verb is a stative verb.
Time Expressions with Present Continuous for
1.- Present Action

Now / At the Moment
'Now' and 'at the moment' refer to the moment of speaking. These two
expressions are often used with the present continuous. It's also possible to
use the present continuous without these time expressions to mean the same
thing based on the context of the situation.
Examples:
“She's taking a shower at the moment”.
“We're having dinner now”.

“Daren is studying for the test”.
2.- Temporary activity or situation

Currently / This Week - Month / Today
'Currently', 'this week / month' and 'today' are used to speak about what is
happening around the present moment. These forms are often used in work to
speak about a project in progress.
Examples:
“Jason's taking the day off today”.
“They're working on the Smith account”.

“Are you developing plans for the new project?”
3.- Time Expressions for Future Scheduled Actions, arrangements we

have made for the future
Next / On / At
The present continuous is also used for planned events in the future such as
meetings. Use future time expressions in this case:
Next week –Next month
On - with days of the week
At - with specific times
Present continuous spelling

rules
1.-To make continuous verbs add -ing to the base verb:
do becomes doing
ask becomes asking
2.-silent 'e'
When the verb ends with a silent e, drop the e and add -ing:
make becomes making

take becomes taking
3.-one-syllable verbs
For short, one-syllable verbs, that end with consonant + vowel +
consonant (CVC), we must double the last consonant and then add -ing:
swim becomes swimming

run becomes running
4.-w, x and y
For words that end w, x and y, do not double the last consonant; just add -
ing:
enjoy becomes enjoying

study becomes studying
5.-two-syllable words
When words have two or more syllables ending in CVC, you must double the
last consonant if the lastsyllable is stressed. When the last syllable is not
stressed, just add -ing.
The last syllable is stressed:

commit becomes committing
The last syllable is not stressed:

whisper becomes whispering
6.--ie verbs
For verbs that end in -ie, change the ie to y before adding -ing:
die becomes dying
Let’s have some practice!!!
 Let’s talk about now actions
WAIT CALL GO BUILD EXPAND

DEVELOP STAY GET SPEND
Philips………………………………………………….their activities in China.
Our research department…………………………………………….a new drug.
They…………………………………………………at the Dorchester Hotel.
Someone……………………………………………..for you in your office.
We…………………………………………………………………….a new factory in Barcelona.

I…………………………………………………………………………about order no. AJ/2496.
These products……………………………………………………….near the end of their life cycle.
The dollar……………………………………………………………………..up.
The IT department………………………………………………………..a lot of money on new

equipment at the moment.
 Current projects
Match the two halves of these sentences
1.- The British Airports Authority are a.- a joint venture agreement.
building…
2.- NCC is strengthening their b.- from Grosvenor House to the
position in Europe by making… Barbican Centre.
3.- BAT Industries and Pecs are c.- new financial products.
negotiating…
4.- Due to the shortage of space, the d.-a new passenger terminal at London
Lonrho Group is moving their AGM Heathrow.
(Annual General Meeting) …
5.- SKF is establishing manufacturing e.- a number of strategic acquisitions.
operations…
6.- Crédit Agricole, a leading French f.- in Eastern Europe.
banking group, is diversifying to
provide
Now write two sentences about your company’s current activities:
1.-____________________________________________________
2.-___________________________________________________
 Write the questions and the short answers

1. your dad / work / today /?
_____________________________
Yes, _________________________
2. you / have a good time / on holiday / ?
_____________________________
Yes, _________________________
3. your mum / cook dinner / now / ?
_____________________________
Yes, _________________________
4. your friends / play football / ?
_____________________________
Yes, _________________________
 Complete the dialogues

1. a. I´m going on holiday.
b. Where __________________________________ ?
2. a. He´s cooking dinner.
b. What ______________ _____________________?
3. a. My sister is going to England.
b. Who ____________________________________ ?
4. a. We aren´t staying in a hotel.
b. Where ___________________________________?
5.- a. We are investing in cutting edge technology.
b.-What____________________________________?
 Future arrangements
The Prime Minister will be in Torquay tomorrow. These are the
arrangements that have been made for this visit.
7.30 Arrival at Torquay station.

8.00 Breakfast with local party officials.
9.00 Visit to Technicom electronics factory.
11.15 Town hall. Meet the mayor.
12.15 Lunch with a local family.
14.00 Open the new shopping centre.
16.30 Helicopter leaves Imperial Hotel.
Complete the questions and answers about the Prime Minister’s visit.
1.- How/travel/ to Torquay?...................................................................................

He……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2.- What/do/ at 8.00?...............................................................................................

He……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3.- he/do/ anything at 9.15?..................................................................................

Yes, he………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4.- Where/he/meet/ the mayor?............................................................................

He………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5.- Who/he/have/lunch with?...................................................................................

He………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6.- he/be/free/at 14.00?............................................................................................

No, he……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7.- How/return to London?..........................................................................................

He………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

PRESENT CONTINUOUS or PROGRESSIVE TENSE

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PRESENT CONTINUOUS or PROGRESSIVE TENSE

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PRESENT CONTINUOUS or PROGRESSIVE

SUBJECT + VERB TO BE + VERB-ING

We use Present Continuous (also called Progressive)

1) For something that is in progress now, at this moment, at the moment

agree hear own

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I am working I am not/ ’m not working Am I working?

It smells good. (stative verb) /

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STATIVE AND ACTION VERBS

Common Stative Verbs

“They're thinking about buying a new house”.

Generally, stative verbs fall into four groups:

1.-Verbs Showing Thought or Opinions

2.-Verbs Showing Possession

3.-Verbs Showing Senses

4.-Verbs Showing Emotion

Time Expressions with Present Continuous for

1.- Present Action

“We're having dinner now”.

2.- Temporary activity or situation

“They're working on the Smith account”.

3.- Time Expressions for Future Scheduled Actions, arrangements we

Present continuous spelling

make becomes making

swim becomes swimming

enjoy becomes enjoying

The last syllable is stressed:

The last syllable is not stressed:

die becomes dying

Let’s have some practice!!!

 Let’s talk about now actions

WAIT CALL GO BUILD EXPAND

Philips………………………………………………….their activities in China.

Our research department…………………………………………….a new drug.

They…………………………………………………at the Dorchester Hotel.

Someone……………………………………………..for you in your office.

We…………………………………………………………………….a new factory in Barcelona.

These products……………………………………………………….near the end of their life cycle.

The IT department………………………………………………………..a lot of money on new

Now write two sentences about your company’s current activities:

 Write the questions and the short answers

2. you / have a good time / on holiday / ?

3. your mum / cook dinner / now / ?

4. your friends / play football / ?

 Complete the dialogues

2. a. He´s cooking dinner.

b. What ______________ _____________________?

3. a. My sister is going to England.

4. a. We aren´t staying in a hotel.

5.- a. We are investing in cutting edge technology.

7.30 Arrival at Torquay station.

1.- How/travel/ to Torquay?...................................................................................

2.- What/do/ at 8.00?...............................................................................................

3.- he/do/ anything at 9.15?..................................................................................

4.- Where/he/meet/ the mayor?............................................................................

5.- Who/he/have/lunch with?...................................................................................

6.- he/be/free/at 14.00?............................................................................................

7.- How/return to London?..........................................................................................

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b. What _______?