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Каушанская В.Л. - A Grammar of the English Lang...docx
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§10. The use of the Present Continuous.

I. The Present Continuous is used to denote an action going on at the present moment. It should be borne in mind that the term 'present moment' is not limited to the actual moment of speaking. The Present Continuous is used when in Russian we can say сейчас (теперь), which refers not only to the moment of speaking, but has a wider meaning.

"My dear," said Jolyon with gentle exasperation, "you are talking nonsense." (Galsworthy)

Robert is just now speaking to my uncle and they are shaking hands. (Ch Bronte)

How is Dartie behaving now? (Galsworthy) — Как Дарти ведет себя сейчас?

Katya is in Britain for three months. She is learning English.

Note. The Present Indefinite, not the Present Continuous, is used to denote actions going on at the present moment when the fact is important and not the process.

He did such a mean thing and you defend him.

Why don't you read your examples?

Why do you look at me as if you had never seen me?

Why don't you answer? Good God, John, what has happened? (Thackeray)

The Present Continuous can be used to denote a certain state or quality peculiar to the person at a given moment.

You are being a nuisance.

"You are being bitter," said Karen. (Heym)

2.When there are two actions one of which is in progress and the other is a habitual action, the first is expressed by the Present Continu­ous and the second by the Present Indefinite.

You never open your lips while you are painting. (Wilde)

I never talk while I am working. (Wilde)

3.The Present Continuous is used when people are talking about their future arrangements. The Future Indefinite is not used in such cases.

I'm leaving tonight. (Abrahams)

He is coming to us tomorrow to stop till next month. (Collins)

I'm playing golf tomorrow.

What are you doing tonight?

If not personal arrangements, but timetables, programmes, etc. are described, the Present Indefinite should be used:

What time does the film begin?

The train leaves Bracknell at 10.03 and arrives in London at 11.05.

4.The Present Continuous is used to express a continual process. In this case the adverbs always, constantly, ever are used.

The earth is always moving.

The sun is ever shining.

5.The Present Continuous is used to express an action thought of as a continual process (with the adverbs always, ever; constantly). The action is represented as going on without any interval.

She is always grumbling.

"She is constantly thinking of you," I said. (Wells)

The difference between case 4 and case 5 is as follows: what is said in No. 4 is literally true, whereas in No. 5 there is an element of exag­geration, because the action in this case cannot go on without intervals. The exaggeration is generally called forth by emotion.

The Past Continuous

§11. The formation of the Past Continuous.

                    1. The Past Continuous is formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to be and Participle I of the notional verb.

                    2. In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.

In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.

Affirmative

Interrogative

Negative

I was reading

He was reading

She was reading

We were reading

You were reading

They were reading

Was I reading?

Was he reading?

Was she reading?

Were we reading ?

Were you reading?

Were they reading?

I was not reading

He was not reading

She was not reading

We were not reading

You were not reading

They were not reading

The contracted negative forms are:

He wasn't reading

They weren't reading

The negative-interrogative forms are:

Was he not reading?

Wasn't he reading?

Were they not reading?

Weren't they reading?