Present continuous tense affirmative form

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Affirmative form

Subject + am/is/are + present participle (Ving)

I + am + watching TV.
He
She + is + looking nice at this moment.
It
We
They + are + playing football.
You

Negative form

Subject + am/is/are + not + present participle (Ving)

I + am + not + watching TV.
He
She + is + not + looking nice at this moment.
It
We
They + are + not + playing football.
You

Interrogative form

Is/are + subject + present participle (Ving)

he
Is + she + looking nice at this moment?
it
we
Are + they + playing football?
you
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Past
Present
Future

The present continuous is used:

• to describe an action that is going on at this moment: You are using the Internet. You are studying English grammar.
• to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend: Are you still working for the same company? More and more people are becoming vegetarian.
• to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared: We're going on holiday tomorrow. I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight. Are they visiting you next winter?
• to describe a temporary event or situation: He usually plays the drums, but he's playing bass guitar tonight. The weather forecast was good, but it's raining at the moment.
• with "always, forever, constantly", to describe and emphasise a continuing series of repeated actions: Harry and Sally are always arguing! You're constantly complaining about your mother-in-law!

Examples

You are learning English now.

What is he doing?

Why aren't you doing your homework?

I am studying to become a doctor.

Aren't you teaching at the university now?

We are not going to the party tonight.

Is he visiting his parents next weekend?

She is always coming to class late.

I don't like them because they are always complaining.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Present Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Present.

• Examples:

She is loving this chocolate ice cream. Not Correct

She loves this chocolate ice cream. Correct

Verbs that are not usually used in the continuous form

• Senses / Perception

to feel*

to hear

to see*

to smell

to taste

• Opinion

to assume

to believe

to consider

to doubt

to feel (= to think)

to find (= to consider)

to suppose

to think*

• Mental states

to forget

to imagine

to know

to mean

to notice

to recognise

to remember

to understand

• Emotions / desires

to envy
to fear
to dislike
to hate
to hope
to like
to love
to mind
to prefer
to regret
to want
to wish

• Measurement

to contain
to cost
to hold
to measure
to weigh

• Others

to look (=resemble)
to seem
to be (in most cases)
to have (when it means "to possess")

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

• Examples:

You are still watching TV.

Are you still watching TV?

Passive Voice – Present Continuous Tense

Object of the active sentence + is/are/am + (not) + being + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of the active sentence.