present continuous

We use the Present Continuous to talk about an action that is happening now - at the exact moment of speaking. The action is not permanent and not complete.

Examples:

Look at that dog! He's running after your cat!
What's wrong? Why are you crying?
Look! It's snowing.

We use the Present Continuous to talk about something that is happening in our lives in the present time generally. It may or may not be happening now - at the exact moment of speaking.

The action is not permanent and not complete.

Note: If the action continues for long enough, we will see it as a habit and must then use the Present Simple to talk about it.

Examples: The action is not happening now.

I'm sorry I'm late again. I'm not sleeping very well at nights.
I don't go out so much now because I'm saving up to buy a flat.
I'm exhausted. We're working on a new project at work.

Examples: The action is happening now.

I'm looking after my friend's flat while he's on holiday.
(I'm in the flat)
John isn't home yet. He's doing a lot of overtime this month.
(John's working overtime now)
The photocopier still isn't working. It broke down last night.
(It isn't working now)

We use the Present Continuous to talk about changing or developing situations - slowly or quickly and perhaps over a long period.

The action began before now, it is happening in the general present (including now), and it may (or may not) come to an end in the future.

The action is not permanent and not complete.

Examples:

e-learning is becoming increasingly popular.
People today are living longer.
My English is improving.

We use the Present Continuous to talk about something that we have already PLANNED or ARRANGED to do in the future. In other words, everything is ready for something that will happen - we planned the action in the past, we talk about it now, and we will do the action in the future.

An expression of future time - the time, date or place of the action - is always said or understood.

Examples:

A: Are you busy next Saturday?
B: Yes, sorry. I'm spending the weekend with my brother.

A: What are you doing tonight?
B: Dave's got that video I like, so we're staying in and watching it.

A: It's you birthday next weekend. Why don't we go to Paris?
B: I'd love to, but I told you yesterday that my parents are coming.

When there are two actions in the present - but not a sequence of actions (i.e. not one action after the other) - we use the Present Continuous for the action that begins, continues through, and (often) ends after the other (Simple Present) action.

The Simple Present action can happen at any time during the Present Continuous action, and the two actions can both happen at exactly the same time - parallel actions.

Examples:

I often buy a paper while I'm waiting for the bus.
The phone sometimes rings when I'm having a meeting.
He never listens to me when I'm talking. (Parallel actions)

We can also use the Present Continuous to talk about what is happening at a particular time we are thinking of.

Examples:

At seven, when the post comes, I'm usually having breakfast.
She doesn't like to be disturbed if she's working.
You look really attractive when you're smiling.

We can use the Present Continuous for the background situation when we tell stories or jokes or we give summaries of plays, books and films, and in commentaries, demonstrations and instructions.

We use the Present Simple for the actions that happen one after the other in the story.

This use of the two Present Tenses can make stories sound more dramatic, and makes the listeners feel that they are experiencing the story as we tell it.

Example:

In the film, this man called Kevin is going out with a girl called Stacy and they're living together. One day, Kevin meets his girlfriend's father who is working for the CIA, and Kevin tries to show him that …

Haynes is looking around and he's signalling to Richards to move forward. Richards runs to the edge of the box. Haynes passes to O'Connell. O'Connell to Richards, who beats Girard and pushes the ball through to Williams, and Williams shoots, but it's a great save from the French goalkeeper.

We can use the Present Continuous with always, forever, and constantly for actions that happen but are not planned. There is usually quite a strong emotion connected to this use - surprise, interest, pleasure, annoyance.

Examples:

Not again! I'm always losing my keys!
They're always giving me little presents.
I'm forever bumping into Mrs Roberts in the supermarket.

There are a number of verbs (sometimes called 'State Verbs') that are normally used in the Present Simple - not the Present Continuous - even when we are talking about an action the moment of speaking.

Examples:

This wine tastes horrible.
I don't understand what you mean.
I think you're right.
Do you agree with me?
I don't know what to do.
I love this song. Let's dance.

We also use the Present Continuous to talk about the future (instead of the Simple Future) after question words and relative pronouns.

Examples:

I'll be happy when I'm sitting at my own desk in my own office.
I'll think of you next week while I'm lying on a beach.
When you arrive, give this to the person who's checking people's names.

The Present Continuous can be used in newspaper headlines for future actions. In normal spoken or written language we would usually use a full future verb form.

Examples: Newspaper headlines

BT announcing half-year profits
Internet giants merging

Spoken/Written language

BT will tomorrow announce its half-yearly profits, which …
Two major American Internet companies are planning to merge forces …