Present Continuous Tense

• A verb which is used to show

• an ongoing action is happening now
• an action is going to take place in the near future
• time expressions: now, at the moment, at present, currently, still,
always, forever, constantly, and presently.
• Joe is still watering the plants.
• What are you doing presently?
• Her husband is forever misplacing his keys.
• Currently, Zain is working as an architect.
To show an action that are in progress at the
time of speaking
• Although it is still raining, the students are playing football in the
field.
• Farid is writing while his roommate is studying.
• While Jane is designing a new bridge, her sister is designing some
shoes.
An action which is a trend or is going on
during this period of time
• More and more people are becoming environmentally conscious.
• Please be quiet. The baby is sleeping.

An action or event in the future (already been

planned or prepared)
• We are going to Bangkok next month.
• What are you doing next week?
Describe a temporary event or situation
• He usually plays the violin, but he’s playing the cello tonight.
• We were promised sunny skies, but it is raining at the moment.

Something which is happening before or after

a specific time
• At half past seven, we are usually having dinner.
• When I get home, the children are doing their homework.
Something which we think is temporary
• Mimah is studying geology at a university.
• I am working in Kuantan for the next three months.

Something which is new and contrast with a

previous state
• These days most people are shopping online instead of going to
shops.
• What sort of clothes are teenagers wearing nowadays?
Something which is changing, growing or
developing
• The children are growing up quickly.
• The climate is changing rapidly.

Something which happens again and again

• They are always making excuses.
• Nadhira is great. She is always smiling.
Verbs that are not usually used in the present
continuous form
State Verb
Sense/perception feel, hear, see, smell, taste
Opinion assume, believe, consider, doubt, think, suppose
Mental states forget, imagine, know, mean, notice, recognise, remember, understand
Emotions / desires envy, fear, dislike, hope, like, hate, wish, want, regret, love, prefer, mind
Measurement weigh, measure, contain, cost, hold
Others seem, look (resemble)