Present Continuous
Verbs
The present continuous (or progressive) is the tense used to express situations that are happening now (before, during and after the moment of speaking).
Affirmative
The present continuous, in the affirmative form, is used to confirm situations that are going on around the moment of speaking.
The structure is: Subject + to be + [verb + -ing] + …
For example:
— “You are eating.” = We use the present continuous to express an action that takes place while talking (in that moment).
♦ “You eat.” = We use the present simple to express an action that happens repeatedly or always in the present.
There are some irregularities, depending on the ending of the verb.
For example:
— Suffix -e: drop -e and add -ing. “Shake” ⇒ “This winter is so cold, I am shaking.”
— Vowel after a consonant, verbs with the accent on the last syllable and verbs ending in -l: double the consonant. “Put“ ⇒ “He is putting his grandson to sleep.”
— Suffix -ie: drop -ie and add -ying: “Tie“ ⇒ “My cousin has problems with tying his shoes.”
Negative
The present continuous, in the negative form, is used to deny situations that are going on around the moment of speaking.
The structure is: Subject + to be + not + [verb + -ing] + …
For example:
— “You aren’t eating.” = We use the present continuous to express an action that takes place while talking (in that moment).
♦ “You don’t eat.” = We use the present simple to express an action that happens repeatedly or always in the present.
Interrogative
The present continuous, in the interrogative form, is used to ask about situations that are going on around the moment of speaking.
The structure is: To be + subject + [verb + -ing] + …?
For example:
— “Are you eating?” = We use the present continuous to ask about an action that takes place whilst talking (in that moment).
♦ “Do you eat?” = We use the present simple to ask about an action that happens repeatedly or always in the present.
