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The Continuous Form

The Continuous form denotes an action in progress at the present moment or at a given moment in the past of future. It is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the required tense and Participle I of the notional verb.

The Present Continuous

§ 4. The Present Continuous is used:

1. To express an action going on at the present moment. The term present moment is not limited to the actual moment of speaking. The Present Continuous is used when in Russian we can say теперь, сейчас, which refers not only to the moment of speaking, but has a wider meaning.

You can switch off the TV. I’m not watching it.

She is looking for a job at the moment.

Robert is on holiday this week. He’s staying with his aunt.

2. To denote a certain state or quality peculiar to the person at the moment of speaking.

You are being a nuisance.

3. To talk about planned future arrangements.

We are leaving at ten o’clock on Friday.

I am meeting Jennet later this evening.

I’m having lunch with Helen tomorrow.

4. To express a continual process.

The Earth is always moving.

The Sun is ever shining.

5. 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

§ 5. The use of the Past Continuous.

The Past Continuous is used:

1. To talk about an action that was in progress at a definite moment in the past.

«What were you doing at six o’clock last night?»

«I was watching the news on television.»

Between ten and eleven this morning I was reading.

2. To talk about actions that were in progress when something else happened.

When I was leaving, the phone rang.

3. To denote a certain state or quality peculiar to the person at a given moment in the past.

He knew he was being restrained.

4. To denote an action thought of as a continual process (with the adverbs always, ever, constantly).

She was constantly complaining of being lonely.

5. Both the Past Continuous and the Past Indefinite can be used after such phrases as the whole day, all day long.

They were working in the garden all day long.

They worked in the garden all day long.

The Past Continuous is rendered in Russian by the past imperfective.

When I came home, mother was cooking dinner.

Когда я вернулся, мама готовила обед.

The Future Continuous

§ 6. The use of the Future Continuous.

1. The Future Continuous is used to denote an action which will be going on at a definite moment in the future.

I’ll be having dinner at seven o’clock.

What will you be doing this time next week?

2. We use the Future Continuous for planned actions. In this meaning will be doing is similar to am doing.

I’ll be going to the city center later.

I am going to the city center later.

3. The Future Continuous is often used in Modern English in the same meaning as the Future Indefinite.

But my dear Ann, you will be getting into debt. (Wells)

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