The continuous forms

to be + v-ing

The present continuous tense

Утвердительная форма	Отрицательная форма
I am reading We are reading (I’m reading) (We’re reading) You’re reading He’s reading They’re reading	I’m not reading We aren’t reading You aren’t reading He isn’t reading They aren’t reading
Вопросительная форма
Am I reading? Are we reading? Are you reading? Is he (she, it) reading? Are they reading?

Present Continuous Tense используется для передачи:

действия, которое происходит в момент речи или в настоящий период времени. Временными маркерами при этом выступают выражения: at the moment, now, these days, at present, tonight, nowadays, still, etc	She is reading a newspaper now. He is working hard these days.
будущего действия, которое уже запланировано	Melanie is getting married soon.
действия, которое рассматривается как постоянное (с долей преувеличения). Такие действия сопровождаются наречиями always, constantly	She is constantly laughing.

Группа глаголов, которая не употребляется во временах группы Continuous

Есть глаголы (так называемые статические глаголы), которые не передают действие как процесс и, соответственно, не употребляются во временах группы Continuous:

1. глаголы чувственного восприятия: to see, to hear, to feel, to smell, taste, etc . Например: The soup tastes good.

2. глаголы ментальной деятельности: to know, to believe, to think (=to have an opinion), to feel (= to think), to guess, to mean, to realize, to remember, to understand, to suppose, etc. Например: I don’t understand a word he’s saying.

3. глаголы предпочтения: to love, to like, to dislike, to hate, to prefer, to want, to wish, etc. Например: Cathy likes romantic films.

Exercise 72. Answer the questions using the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous Tense.

Model:

Is mother very busy now? (cook dinner ) - Yes, she is. She is cooking dinner.

1. Is Jerry very busy now? (study)

2. Are your friends very busy now? (read)

3. Is Susan very busy now? (have breakfast)

4. Is Dr. Green very busy now? (talk to the patient)

5. Is Henry very busy now? (perform the operation)

6. Are the girls very busy now? (wash up)

Exercise 73. Answer the questions using the words in brackets.

Model:

What are you doing? – I’m daydreaming.

1. Why is father making such a terrible noise? (teach the dog to bark)

2. Where are you going? (go to the movies)

3. Why are children listening so attentively? (listen to a favorite story)

4. What are you doing in this shop? (buy milk)

5. Where are you running? (run to catch a bus)

6. What are you typing? (type a report on animal diseases)

Exercise 74. Continue in the negative using verbs in the brackets.

Model:

Mother is talking on the phone. (sleep) – She isn’t sleeping

1. The boys are playing. (fight) 2. We are dancing. (jump) 3. Mary is running. (walk)

4. The teacher is speaking. (read) 5. They are speaking. (shout) 6. Father is shaving. (wash)

Exercise 75. Answer the questions using the words in the brackets.

Model:

Are you drawing? – No, I’m not. I’m writing a story.

1. Is he writing a letter? (watch television)

2. Is he listening to the music? (talk to a friend)

3. Are they going to work? (go home)

4. Are you reading a book? (do homework)

5. Is Dad talking on the phone? (surf the Internet)

6. Are you working on your report? (work on the presentation)

Exercise 76. Answer the questions about the near future. Use the words in the brackets.

Model:

Are you busy tonight? – Yes, I’m meeting a friend.

1. Is Fred busy tonight? (go to the concert)

2. Are you busy tomorrow? (go to the dentist)

3. Are you busy next week? (go to Moscow)

4. Are you busy after lunch? (meet a friend)

Exercise 77. Open the brackets using the verbs in the Present Continuous Tense.

Model:

Please, be silent for a while. I am listening (listen) to the news. 1. Please, be quiet. I … (try) to sleep. 2. Look, it … (rain). 3. Why … (you /look) at me like that? Is there something wrong? 4. You… (make) a lot of noise. Calm down. 5. Why … (you /wear) your coat today? It’s very warm. 6. Listen to the girls! What language … (they /speak)?

Exercise 78. Translate from Russian into English.

1. На кого вы сейчас смотрите? - Мы смотрим на наших друзей, они играют сейчас в футбол. 2. С кем разговаривает ваш друг? – Он разговаривает с нашим преподавателем. 3. Вы сейчас пишете контрольную работу? – Нет, мы делаем упражнение. 4. Куда вы идете вечером? – Мы идем в цирк. 5. Когда они приезжают в Москву? – Они приезжают рано утром. 6. Эти студенты делают упражнения или переводят текст? 7. Куда вы идете? – Мы идем на выставку. 8. Вечером мы уезжаем в Минск.

Сравните употребление Present Simple и Present Continuous

Exercise 79. Open the brackets using the verb in Present Simple or Present Continuous Tense.

I (read) now. He (sleep) now. She (not drink) coffee now. They (go) to the Academy now. We (not watch) TV now. My mother (not work) now. You (work out) now? What they (eat) now?

I (read) every day. He (sleep) well every night. We (drink) coffee every morning. They (go) to the Academy every day. We (not watch) TV in the morning. My mother (not work) at the office. You (work out) every day? What they usually (eat) for breakfast?

Exercise 80. Open the brackets using the verb in the Present Simple or Present Continuous Tense.

1. I can’t understand him. What language … (he / speak)?

2. What language … (they / speak) in Switzerland?

3. It’s too late now. What … (you / write)?

4. I … (write) letters to my parents twice a month.

5. Shut the window. The wind … (blow) hard.

6. Strong winds often … (blow) here in winter.