Present continuous

Level: beginner

The present continuous is made from the present tense of the verb be and the –ing form of a verb:

I am	working
You are	playing
He is	talking
She is	living
It is	eating
We are	staying
They are	sleeping

We use the present continuous to talk about:

activities at the moment of speaking:

I'm just leaving work. I'll be home in an hour.
Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.

Present continuous 1: Matching_MTYyNzM=
Present continuous 2: GapFillTyping_MTYyNzQ=

future plans or arrangements:

Mary is going to a new school next term.
What are you doing next week?

Present continuous 3

Plans for next month

2nd (Sat.) – my birthday. Party!
4th – day off
10th (Sun.) – flight OS462 15.40
11th, 12th, 13th – conference, Vienna
15th – dentist 3 p.m.
22nd – Mum & Dad arrive, evening
23rd – Toni's Restaurant (make reservation!)
25th – Mum & Dad > home
29th – payday

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Present continuous 4

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Present continuous questions

We make questions by putting am, is or are in front of the subject:

Are you listening?
Are they coming to your party?
When is she going home?
What am I doing here?

Present continuous questions 1: ReorderingHorizontal_MTYyNzg=
Present continuous questions 2: GapFillTyping_MTYyNzk=

Present continuous negatives

We make negatives by putting not (or n't) after am, is or are:

I'm not doing that.
You aren't listening. (or You're not listening.)
They aren't coming to the party. (or They're not coming to the party.)
She isn't going home until Monday. (or She's not going home until Monday.)

Present continuous negatives 1: GapFillDragAndDrop_MTYyODA=
Present continuous negatives 2: GapFillTyping_MTYyODE=

Stative verbs

We do not normally use the continuous with stative verbs. Stative verbs include:

verbs of thinking and feeling:

believe
dislike
know
like

love
hate
prefer
realise

recognise
remember
suppose
think (= believe)

understand
want
wish

verbs of the senses:

appear
feel

look
seem

smell
sound

taste

others:

agree
be

belong
disagree

need
owe

own
possess

We normally use the simple instead:

I understand you. (NOT I ~~am understanding~~ you.)
This cake tastes wonderful. (NOT This cake ~~is tasting~~ wonderful.)

Level: intermediate

We also use the present continuous to talk about:

something which is happening before and after a specific time:

At eight o'clock we are usually having breakfast.
When I get home the children are doing their homework.

something which we think is temporary:

Michael is at university. He's studying history.
I'm working in London for the next two weeks.

something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:

These days most people are using email instead of writing letters.
What sort of clothes are teenagers wearing nowadays?
What sort of music are they listening to?

something which is changing, growing or developing:

The children are growing up quickly.
The climate is changing rapidly.
Your English is improving.

something which happens again and again:

It's always raining in London.
They are always arguing.
George is great. He's always laughing.

Note that we normally use always with this use.

Present continuous 5: Matching_MTYyNzc=

Level: advanced

We can use the present continuous to talk about the past when we are:

telling a story:

The other day I'm just walking down the street when suddenly this man comes up to me and asks me to lend him some money. Well, he's carrying a big stick and he looks a bit dangerous, so I'm wondering what to do …

summarising a book, film or play:

Harry Potter is a pupil at Hogwarts school. One day when he is playing Quidditch he sees a strange object in the sky. He wonders what is happening …

Average

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Hi Sophia,

It's a good question! These sentences are all grammatically correct, but there are slight differences in the meaning.

It always rains in London.
It's always raining in London.
He always laughs.
He's always laughing.

The present simple is used to express facts, so the present simple sentences sound like you are describing the repeated action factually or objectively.

The present continuous sentences don't have this factual meaning. Instead, they suggest more subjectivity in the description, giving more of a sense that this is how the speaker experiences or feels about the repeated action. The present continuous is often used with always, for example, to complain about things, e.g. He's always making noise when I'm trying to sleep. Saying He always makes noise ... (present simple) is also possible, but sounds more like a factual description and less like a complaint.

Does that make sense?

Best wishes,

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

Yes, thank you so much for the answer and it does make sense. I have gained more understanding now. Hope you have a nice day!

Hello, The LearnEnglish Team, Jimmy was riding on a donkey with his father walking alongside. In the light of recent incidents, we are asking our customers to take particular care of their personal belongings. In each of these two sentences, why is the continuous tense used instead of the simple tense (in the 1st) and the present perfect (in the 2nd)? Appreciate your help.

Hello LilyLinSZ,

Remember that the choice of aspect (continuous or perfect) is often context dependent, so it can be hard to identify the reason with decontextualised examples.

In your first example, the two events happen simultaneously and provide a background for another (shorter) event. This could be something stated (when I arrive) or implied (when I looked at them / at that moment). I can't be sure without seeing the sentence in context.

In your second example, the sentence is aimed at customers. In other words, the sentence itself is the way in which the company (presumably) is asking its customers to take care. The continuous is used because it is an action in progress.

If the sentence were not aimed at customers, then the present perfect (...we have asked...) might be appropriate. For example, it could be director explaining company policy to his or her colleagues.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

At eight o'clock we are usually having breakfast. When I get home the children are doing their homework. I'm unable to understand the above sentences so can you elaborate this in east language what does it mean 2) and I have also a question while telling story to my son can I say like that "once upon a time I am walking alone on the road" Examples two.

Hello Aquibjamal,

We're happy to help you with this, but please explain to us more specifically what it is that you do or don't understand. 'get home', for example, means 'arrive home'.

It's not correct to use the present continuous in a story that begins with 'once upon a time'. In such a context, we always use some kind of narrative past tense such as the past simple, past continuous or past perfect.

It is possible to use present tenses to speak about past events -- it's just unusual after the phrase 'once upon a time'. We don't usually use this phrase to speak about our personal lives -- instead it's typically used at the beginning of traditional stories.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi, May I know why is the present continuous tense is used in the following sentences? Computer City has announced that it is opening four new shops next month. (How about simple future or future continuous?) The changes that have been introduced are being seen as a step backwards. (How about are seen or have been seen?) the team concluded that third parties receive information about the device people are using, their locations, and possibly even when they are interacting with it. (How about 'the device people use'; 'even when they interact with it'?) Keeping taxpayers in the dark about how their money is being spent is not how government should operate. (How about '...money is spent...'?) Many thanks.

Hi LubNko525,

Interesting questions! Let me try to explain.

The first example (Computer City) uses present continuous (is opening four new shops) to show a planned future action. It's used when the action is already arranged, organised or scheduled. It gives a sense of this 'plannedness' of the action. Yes, future continuous is possible too: ... will be opening ... It also conveys this 'plannedness'. You could use will here too: ... will open four new shops. But the meaning's a bit different. This is a simple factual statement, and doesn't contain that 'plannedness' in its meaning.

In your other sentences, the using the present continuous gives a sense that the actions are ongoing. That is, they are not momentary actions or finished actions, but ones that are still continuing.

All the alternatives you suggested are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. They don't have the 'ongoing action' meaning. For example, in sentence 2:

If you use are seen, it presents the action ('be seen') as a general fact that is unlikely to change.
If you use have been seen, it presents the action as a completed one.

So, by using are being seen, the speaker presents the action as something going on now, which suggests that it that can end or change at some point.

Does that make sense?

Best wishes,

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello admins, Sometimes I'm confused between future tense and present tense. For example, "For a while, I will work from home/ I work from home/ will be working from home". Which one is correct??

Hello Rafaela1,

There is no future tense in English. What you are using here is will, which is a modal verb like may or should. It often refers to the future, but can have other uses too.

In your example, will (a prediction or statement about the future) and will be working (an expectation) are possible. You could also use am working (a temporary state).

Work is not possible because it would describe a permananet or normal state, not something temporary.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you Peter for the clear explanation. I go it! ;)

Hi teacher, 1. We now have a broader set of users who are utilising our product in various unexpected ways. - I would like to ask why the present continuous tense is used here. Would the simple present tense be equally acceptable? 2. The company has announced that it is cutting prices. - Why is the present continuous tense used here? I am confused about the use because I think the action of cutting prices is short. Could I say "it will cut prices" or "it has cut prices" instead?

Hello AsahiYo20,

1. The simple present is also correct here. I'm not familiar with the writer's reasons for using the present continuous, but I suppose it's to speak about something developing and changing.

2. Both of the alternatives you suggest are possible, though they all describe the action in different ways. I suppose the idea behind the present continuous is that it's something new (which you can also find on the page I previously linked to).

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello, The LearnEnglish Team, I´m confused about something, can you help me? We use Presente simple with adverbs of frequency like always, never, etc. At the same time we use presente continuous when something happens again and again, normally with the adverb always. So what is the difference between those two? The same goes for the advanced level, telling a story or summerising a book. What is the difference in use of this two tences? Thank you! Kind regars

Hello Alibel,

Generally, when we use the present continuous with an adverb of frequency such as always, forever or continually, it suggests that we find the habit irritating. For example:

He always parks the car behind the house. [a habit or typical behaviour]

He's always parking the car behind the house. [this habit irritates me]

However, we can also use the present continuous with an adverb of frequency when we want to emphasise or make clear that the action is in progress:

He always has a shower when I get up. [his shower starts when or after I get up]

He's always having a shower when I get up. [his shower is in progress when I get up]

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello, The LearnEnglish Team, If something happens regularly at a certain time (I leave the office at 6 p.m., We have breakfast at 7.30), Is it the only way to think and speak about it as ‘something is happening regularly at a certain time’, (I am leaving the office at 6 p.m. every workday., We are having breakfast at 7.30 every day)? Is present simple for regular actions totally impossible and unthinkable here? Thank you in advance!

Hello message100,

When something is a regular action then the present simple is appropriate. The continuous would suggest something that is not part of a regular pattern. For example:

I have my first meeting at 9.00 every morning, but this week I'm seeing my boss at 8.30 because she's got a lot of other meetings later on.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Also, in the "future plans or arrangements": Mary is going to a new school next term. since it is future plans, why aren't the sentence is "Mary will be going to a new school next term."(future continuous tense) or What are you doing next week? what will you be doing next week? (future continuous tense)

Hello cherly chia mei ying

The two sentences in the future continuous that you propose could also be correct. It depends on how the speaker sees the future event. We often use the future continuous when we are imagining a particular point in time or a situation in the future, but we can also refer to that same time with a form like 'be going to'.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi sir! I have two confusion here. Would like to seek for you opinions ^^ 1. The other day I'm just walking down the street when suddenly this man (came)comes up to me and (asked)asks me to lend him some money. Well, he's carrying a big stick and he looks a bit dangerous, so I'm(have been)wondering what to do … since it was saying about something in the past, why is the word i bracket is not past tense or the last one as present perfect continuous? 2. They are eating at Scott’s favorite restaurant today, Polly’s Pancake Diner. (some sentences i found online) - Why aren't "they are eating at.." is : "they have been eating at..." (as it sound like something already happened on today before this words spoken)

Hello cherly chia mei ying

Regarding your first question, as it says at the end of the explanation above, you can use present tenses to speak about the past, particularly when telling a story. This can have the effect of making the story more present.

Regarding your second question, you could also say that. The present continuous form would be better in, for example, a news report in which the reporter is on the scene at the time the report is made.

As you can see, verb tenses can be used in a variety of ways!

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Good afternoon Sir, I want to ask He and she is plucking flowers or are pluking flowers which one is correct ? Next People is smoking or are smoking nowadays and another one Children are running fast or is running fast . kindly answer me I will be grateful . please sir

Hello Shilpa Dutta,

The correct spelling is plucking, but I think for flowers a better verb is picking.

Both people and children are plural nouns so you need to say are smoking and are running.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi everyone. I would like to know the difference bettewen - Is she living in London? - Does she lives in London? And the stative verbs in present continuous Saying: "She is understanding everything" is correct? or we can just say "she is understand everything"

Hello Pats,

The correct sentences would be as follows:

Is she living in London?

Does she live in London? [not ~~lives~~]

The difference is how the speaker sees the situation. The first sentence (present continuous) sees living as a temporary thing which will change. You might ask this if a person is studying in a city but will at some point leave, or is working on a short-term contract. The second sentence (present simple) sees living as a permanant thing. You might ask this if you think London is the person's home.

Stative verbs are usually not used with continuous forms. The correct form here is understands.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello "She is over-sensitive, often getting offended for seemingly no reason." I read this sentence in a book and now I wanna understand "geting" is present continuous here or not? if yes or no, please tell me the reason. thanks a lot for your response

Hello atya,

Getting here is a present participle. We can use these to join sentences which have the same subject:

She is over-sensitive.

She often gets offended for seemingly no reason.

> She is over-sensitive, often getting offended for seemingly no reason.

You can read more about this use of participles on this page:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/participle-clauses

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Thanks a lot Peter I got it

The other day I'm just walking up the tropical forest when slowly this sloth comes up to me and asks me to give some fruits. Well, he's having big claws and he looks a bit like a mascot, so I'm wondering what to do …

" Hot water makes me to feel tired " is it correct or wrong ? Let me know, you explain all the grammer about this sentence,please.

Hello Ridg Wick

I'm afraid that is not correct. When we use 'make' in this way, it is followed by an infinitive without 'to': 'Hot water makes me feel tired'.

You can read more about how to use 'make' this way on our Verbs followed by the infinitive page (see the section called make and let).

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi Sir, Would you please help me. I'm confused with stative verbs. Are we not allowed to use stative verbs with 'ing' form, like in an example 'we are loving this moment'? Or can we still use it for spoken words? Thank you,Sir

Hello Risa warysha

Most of the time, we don't use stative verbs in a continuous form, but it is possible to do this. It usually depends on the specific context and meaning. For example, when we use a continuous form to talk about a temporary situation, it's OK to do this with a stative verb: 'I'm being stubborn because I really don't want to go'.

There's a fuller explanation in the State and action verbs section of this page ('state verb' is another way of saying 'stative verb'). Please have a look and then if you have any questions about a specific sentence or two, please feel free to ask us.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi, i from india. this post is really helpful...thank you so much

Hi Sir I understand the form of continuous tenses is be-verb and V-ing. But I'm wondering that why is it form like this? Why do we use "Ving" to describe a progressive action? Is there any explanation? Or is it just been formulated like this and no reason? Regards Ivan

Hello Ivan

Natural languages develop from the way people use them over time and I'm sure that is also the case with the continuous forms in English. You could read a little more about this in the Wikipedia or consult an expert in historical linguistics to find out more.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

What is the diferrent the following sentenes? My son is going to ten next month. My son will be ten next month. Thx!

Hello Montri, The first sentence has a small error: it should be '...is going to be ten...' (you omitted the 'be'). ~ Generally, we use 'going to' to describe things we have reason to expect to be true, and we use 'will' to describe things that we believe will happen. In this case, both forms work perfectly well and there is no real difference between them. ~ You can read more about these forms on this page: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/talking-about-future ~ Peter The LearnEnglish Team

D second one is of future continous time and d first is of present continuous

Hi, I have to be in the same room as my router to get a faster speed. I am having to be in the same room as my router to get faster speed. are there any cases where the above sentences can be used interchangeably?

Hello sam61, The continuous form ('am having to') is quite rare. We use it when it is important to emphasise that a certain obligation or requirement is temporary. For example: I have to travel 10 km to get to work. [this is necessary] I'm having to travel 10 km to get to work. [this is necessary at the moment but is not a normal state of affairs] ~ The simple form ('have to') can be used instead of the continuous form, though unless it has a time expression such as 'at the moment' it will not carry quite the same meaning. Of course, the context may make the temporary or permanent nature of the obligation clear. ~ Peter The LearnEnglish Team

Hi. I was wondering whether I could use present simple or continuous interchangeably in the next dialogue: "Which band is playing at the club tonight?" 'The X.' "What time does the concert start/is the concert starting?" In my opinion, they are both correct because they are part of an arrangement, but I need a second opinion. Thx.

Hello Marua, Yes, both 'What time does the concert start?' and 'What time is the concert starting?' are possible here. The concert can be seen as a scheduled event or as a particular arrangement. Peter The LearnEnglish Team

Hi Sir Please let me know which is correct ? 'A' is meeting 'B' after a long time after greeting or saying how are you ? Which is correct way of asking? What do you do?/ What are you doing? Regards Lal

Hi Lal,

'What do you do?' is a question about a person's occupation which we generally use when meeting them for the first time.

If we are meeting someone we know or once knew then we would say one of these:

Are you still working as a journalist?

Are you still a journalist?

If we could not remember what they used to do then we could say:

What are you up to now?

What are you doing at the moment?

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

To describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared, can we use both case, i.e. Simple present tense and present continuous tense. For example, I will meet my boyfriend tonight. I am meeting my boyfriend tonight. I thought they are the same meaning in English, but in different tense. Can you tell me do we make sentences in English at same meaning but different tense? thanks a lot.

Hello Maimaitiyiming,

English has many ways to talk about the future and all of the following are possible:

I meet my boyfriend tonight.
I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight.
I will (might/may/should etc) meet my boyfriend tonight.
I'm going to meet my boyfriend tonight.
I'll be meeting my boyfriend tonight.

Which you use depends upon the context and the speaker's intention. We have several pages which explain the various forms and when they can be used:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar/talking-about-future

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/intermediate-grammar/future-plans

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello, Mr. Peter! First thanks for your in time reply. Second, can I conclude one rule that is to same situation we can make sentence in different tense depend on your examples and explanation ?

Hello Maimaitiyiming,

I'm afraid I don't understand what rule you are suggesting here. If you want to post another example we'll be happy to comment on it for you.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Why some sentences having 'has' are present continuous tense like - "She has a large house to live in.."