The Present Continuous

affirmative

negative

interrogative

Inter.-negative

I am working

I am not/I’m not working

Am I working?

Am I not working?

He is working

He is not, he’s not, he isn’t working

Is he working?

Is he not/isn’t he working?

She is working

She is not, she’s not, she isn’t working

Is she working

Is she not/Isn’t she working?

It is working

It is not, it’s not, it isn’t working

Is it working?

Is it not/ Isn’t it working?

We are working

We are not, we’re not, we aren’t working

Are we working?

Are we not/ Aren’t we working?

You are working

You are not, you’re not, you aren’t working

Are you working?

Are you not/ Aren’t you working?

They are working

They are not, they’re not, they aren’t working

Are they working?

Are they not/Aren’t they working?

We use the Present Simple:

• - for permanent situations:

e.g. I live in a flat.

She works for an insurance company.

• for repeated actions or habits: (with adverbs or adverbial phrases: always, usually, sometimes, often, seldom, generally, occasionally, frequently, every week/year, twice a day/a month, hardly ever, rarely, from time to time, as a rule)

e.g. I use my mobile phone every day.

• for general truths; a statement of fact:

e.g. The sun rises in the East.

Cats don’t eat sweets

- To tell stories, or summarise the plot of a film or book:

e.g. Our hero goes off to search for treasure, which he eventually finds after many adventures.

• When we use always with the Present Simple, it usually means ‘ every time’:

e.g. I always complain if the service is bad in restaurants.

• When we tell а story or joke we often describe the main events using the present (or past) simple and longer, background events using the present (or past) continuous:

e.g. She goes (or went) up to this man and looks (or looked) straight into his eyes. She's carrying (or was carrying) а bag full of shopping...

• We can also use the present simple and present continuous like this in commentaries (for example, on sports events) and in giving instructions:

e.g. King serves to the left hand court and Adams makes а wonderful return. She's playing magnificent tennis in this match...

• For events in the future which are part of a prearranged program (for cinemas, public transport, a journey, a timetable)

e.g. The exhibition opens at 10 p.m.

When does your train leave? – In 15 minutes.

• In demonstrations, descriptions, step-by-step explanations; often used in newspaper headlines:

e.g. Peace Talks Fail.

Now I take an apple, wash it, then peel and cut into pieces.

- in subordinate clauses of time, condition and concession when the action refers to the future.

• Clauses of time: when, while, till/until, before, after, as soon as, once

e.g. When he comes, he will help you. Will you wait while I look through the manuscript? Before I go out, I’ll do the washing up. I’ll wait till he comes. (…пока он не придет). As soon as she comes, tell me about it. Once she comes, she’ll help you.

• Clauses of condition: if, unless, on condition that, provided, providing, in case:

e.g. If he comes, he’ll help you. I’ll be on time unless something happens. (если ничего не случится).

• Clauses of concession: even if, even though, no matter how, whenever, whatever, whichever, however, etc.

e.g. I'll have dinner whenever it's ready. No matter what he says, we'll do it.

Remember! In object clauses Future Indefinite is used:

e.g. I don’t know if he will come. I don’t know when he will come. (pay attention to the direct word order) Cf. When he comes, he will help you.

I don’t know when he will come.

• We do not usually use certain verbs in the Present Continuous:

Appearanсe: appear, resemble, seem

Composition: consist of, contain, have

Connection: come from, cost, fit, suit

Existence: be, exist

Likes and dislikes: dislike, hate, like, love, prefer

Needs and wants: need, want, wish

Opinion: believe, doubt, imagine, suppose, think

Possession: belong to, have, own, owe (быть в долгу), possess

Senses: feel, hear, notice, see, smell, sound, taste

• We can use the verbs that describe the way we feel physically in a

I feel sick I am feeling sick.

My feet ache. My feet are aching.

My leg hurts. My leg’s hurting.

We use the Present Continuous:

-for temporary situations existing for a period at the present time:

e.g. I’m staying with a friend at the moment.

She’s working very hard nowadays.

- For situations which are changing during the present time:

e.g. The weather’s getting hotter and hotter.

-For actions, or repeated actions or habits, occurring at the moment of speaking:

e.g. I am using John’s mobile phone because I’ve left mine at home.

You’re eating too fast.

• To express annoying habits with words like always.

e.g. You’re always borrowing money.

-to express an action going on at the present period; the precise time limits of the action are not known either. Besides, the action may or may not be going on at the actual moment of speaking. Indications of time are not necessary here either.

e.g. What are you crying for?

- denotes actions which occur continually:

e.g. The earth is always moving. The sun is ever shining

• When we use always with the Present Continuous, it means ‘all the time’ or “too/very often”:

e.g. You’re always complaining that waiters are rude.

• We cannot use never .... again with the Present Simple:

e.g. I’m never speaking to you again.

• We can use some of the verbs in the Present Continuous when they have different meanings.

e.g. She is having an operation/ a good time/a meal/a bath (=actively involved in)

And She has (got) a big car (=possession)

e.g. They are thinking of buying a cheaper car (=considering) .

I’m just thinking (=at this moment)

And They think it’s too expensive (=opinion)

e.g. I’m feeling exhausted (=physical reaction)

And I feel what we did was wrong (=opinion)

e.g. Are you seeing a lot of Mary nowadays? (=spending time with)

You’re seeing things – there’s nobody at the window. (=imagining)

And Do you see what I mean (=Knowledge; understand

e.g. He is tasting the milk to see if it’s OK. (=checking the quality)

And This juice tastes good (senses)

e.g. The Blues Band is appearing at the Odeon on Saturday (=performing)

And She appears to be very upset (=appearance)

Simple or Continuous form with no change of meaning: