Introduction

The Present Continuous (also called the Present Progressive) is one of the most versatile tenses in English. While beginners learn it primarily for actions happening "right now," at B2 level, you need to master its more sophisticated uses, including describing temporary situations, changing trends, and even expressing annoyance. This comprehensive tutorial will take you through all aspects of the Present Continuous, from formation to advanced usage.

PART 1: Form and Structure

Affirmative Form

The Present Continuous is formed using the present tense of the verb "to be" (am/is/are) + the present participle (verb + -ing).

Examples:

• I am working on a new project.
• You are studying English grammar.
• He/She/It is running in the park.
• We are planning our summer holiday.
• They are watching a documentary.

Negative Form

To form negatives, we add "not" after the verb "to be."

Full forms:

• I am not driving to work today.
• You/We/They are not working this week.
• He/She/It is not coming to the party.

Contractions (more common in speech):

• I'm not driving...
• You/We/They aren't working... OR You/We/They're not working...
• He/She/It isn't coming... OR He/She/It's not coming...

Question Form

Questions are formed by inverting the subject and the verb "to be."

Examples:

• Am I disturbing you?
• Are you listening to me?
• Is he still sleeping?
• Are we meeting at 6 pm?
• Are they coming to dinner?

Wh- Questions:

• What are you doing?
• Where is she going?
• Why are they laughing?
• Who is he talking to?
• How are you feeling?

PART 2: Spelling Rules for -ING Forms

Understanding how to correctly add -ing to verbs is essential for accuracy.

Rule 1: Most verbs

Simply add -ing to the base form.

• work → working
• play → playing
• read → reading
• watch → watching

Rule 2: Verbs ending in -e

Drop the -e and add -ing.

• make → making
• write → writing
• come → coming
• take → taking

Exception: Verbs ending in -ee, -ye, or -oe keep the -e:

• see → seeing
• agree → agreeing
• dye → dyeing

Rule 3: One-syllable verbs ending in consonant-vowel-consonant

Double the final consonant and add -ing.

• run → running
• sit → sitting
• stop → stopping
• swim → swimming

Exception: Don't double w, x, or y:

• show → showing
• fix → fixing
• play → playing

Rule 4: Two-syllable verbs with stress on the second syllable

Double the final consonant if the verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant.

• begin → beginning
• prefer → preferring
• admit → admitting

But if the stress is on the first syllable, don't double:

• open → opening
• listen → listening
• visit → visiting

Rule 5: Verbs ending in -ie

Change -ie to -y and add -ing.

• lie → lying
• die → dying
• tie → tying

PART 3: Uses of the Present Continuous

Use 1: Actions Happening Now

This is the most basic use—describing actions in progress at the moment of speaking.

Examples:

• "Shh! The baby is sleeping."
• "I can't talk right now. I'm driving."
• "Look! It's snowing!"
• "They're having lunch at the moment."

Use 2: Temporary Series of Actions

We use the Present Continuous for actions that are happening around now, but not necessarily at this exact moment. These are temporary situations.

Examples:

• "Taxi drivers aren't stopping at the train station because of the roadworks." (This week/these days, but not necessarily right this second)
• "I'm reading a fascinating book about climate change." (I'm in the middle of it, but not reading it right now)
• "She's working at a café while she looks for a permanent job."
• "We're staying with friends until we find our own apartment."

Use 3: Temporary Situations

Similar to Use 2, but emphasizing the temporary nature of a situation or arrangement.

Examples:

• "Are they staying in a hotel near the Olympic stadium?" (just for the duration of the Olympics)
• "I'm living with my parents while my house is being renovated."
• "He's using his brother's car this week."
• "The company is operating from temporary offices during the refurbishment."

Use 4: Changing and Developing Situations

The Present Continuous is perfect for describing trends, changes, and situations that are evolving over time.

Examples:

• "Holidays abroad are becoming increasingly popular."
• "The climate is changing faster than scientists predicted."
• "More and more people are working from home."
• "The population is getting older."
• "Technology is advancing at an incredible rate."

Use 5: Annoying Habits (with "always," "constantly," "forever")

When we use the Present Continuous with adverbs of frequency like "always," "constantly," "continually," or "forever," we express annoyance or criticism about repeated actions.

Examples:

• "Dad is always cleaning the car when I want to use it!"
• "You're constantly interrupting me when I'm trying to work."
• "He's forever losing his keys."
• "My neighbor is always playing loud music late at night."
• "She's continually complaining about something."

Use 6: Future Arrangements (Advanced)

The Present Continuous can also be used for fixed future arrangements, especially with verbs of movement and when the time is mentioned.

Examples:

• "I'm meeting Sarah for coffee tomorrow."
• "We're flying to Barcelona next Friday."
• "What are you doing this weekend?"
• "They're getting married in June."

PART 4: Present Continuous vs. Present Simple

Understanding when to use Present Continuous versus Present Simple is crucial at B2 level.

Present Simple: Permanent, habitual, general truths

• "I work in a bank." (permanent job)
• "She drinks coffee every morning." (habit)
• "Water boils at 100°C." (general truth)

Present Continuous: Temporary, happening now/around now

• "I'm working on a special project this month." (temporary)
• "She's drinking coffee right now." (happening now)
• "The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?" (happening now)

Comparison Examples:

1. "I live in London." (permanent) vs. "I'm living in London for six months." (temporary)
2. "He teaches mathematics." (his job) vs. "He's teaching my class today." (temporary arrangement)
3. "They play tennis every weekend." (habit) vs. "They're playing tennis right now." (at this moment)

PART 5: State Verbs (Non-Continuous Verbs)

Some verbs are rarely or never used in continuous forms because they describe states rather than actions. These are called state verbs or stative verbs.

Categories of State Verbs:

1. Verbs of thinking and opinion:

know, believe, understand, think (= believe), doubt, suppose, remember, forget, mean, realize

2. Verbs of emotions and feelings:

like, love, hate, prefer, want, wish, need, desire

3. Verbs of possession:

have (= possess), own, belong, possess

4. Verbs of perception:

see, hear, smell, taste, sound (when describing qualities)

5. Verbs of being:

be, seem, appear (= seem), look (= seem)

6. Other state verbs:

contain, consist, include, depend, matter, weigh, cost, owe

Examples:

• ✓ Correct: "I know the answer."
• ✗ Incorrect: "I'm knowing the answer."
• ✓ Correct: "She loves chocolate."
• ✗ Incorrect: "She's loving chocolate."
• ✓ Correct: "This bag belongs to me."
• ✗ Incorrect: "This bag is belonging to me."

State Verbs with Different Meanings

Some verbs can be both state and action verbs, depending on their meaning:

THINK:

• "I think you're right." (= believe - state) ✓
• "I'm thinking about changing my job." (= considering - action) ✓

HAVE:

• "She has three children." (= possess - state) ✓
• "She's having a shower." (= taking - action) ✓
• "We're having a great time!" (= experiencing - action) ✓

SEE:

• "I see what you mean." (= understand - state) ✓
• "I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow." (= meeting - action) ✓

TASTE:

• "This soup tastes delicious." (= has a flavor - state) ✓
• "The chef is tasting the soup." (= testing the flavor - action) ✓

SMELL:

• "The flowers smell wonderful." (= have a scent - state) ✓
• "Why are you smelling the milk?" (= sniffing - action) ✓

BE:

• "He is very tall." (= permanent characteristic - state) ✓
• "He's being very rude today." (= behaving - temporary action) ✓