The Present Tense Continuous

Present Continuous Tense Affirmative (Positive) Form I You He She It We You They am are is is is are are are reading reading reading reading reading reading reading reading I You He She It We You They

Negative Form am are is is is are are are not not not not not not not not reading reading reading reading reading reading reading reading Am Are Is Is Is Are Are Are

Question Form I you he she it we you they reading? reading? reading? reading? reading? reading? reading? reading?

Contracted forms: I am = I'm he/she/it is = he's/she's/it's you are = you're I am not = I'm not he/she/it is not = he isn't/she isn't/it isn't you are not = you aren't Positive Conjugate the helping verb "be" + verb + -ing. I'm (I am) You're (You are) He's (He is) She's (She is) It's ( It is) We're (We are) You're (You are) They're (They are) Negative Conjugate the helping verb "be" + not + verb + -ing. I'm not You aren't He isn't She isn't (I am not) (You are not) (He is not) (She is not) coming this evening. coming this evening. coming this evening. coming this evening. working today. working today. working today. working today. working today. working today. working today. working today.

It isn't We aren't You aren't They aren't Questions

(It is not) coming this evening. (We are not) coming this evening. (You are not) coming this evening. (They are not) coming this evening.

Question word + conjugate the helping verb 'be' + subject + verb + -ing What What What What What What What are you is he is she is it are we are you are they doing this afternoon? doing this afternoon? doing this afternoon? doing this afternoon? doing this afternoon? doing this afternoon? doing this afternoon?

Este folosit cu: Actiuni care au loc in momentul vorbirii (nu este necesara, dr este posibila adaugarea unor cuvinte si expresii precum: now, right now, just now, at this moment etc.): John is taking a bath (right now). It is raining. Actiuni neterminate care nu au loc neaparat in momentul vorbirii, dar care sunt percepute de vorbitor ca continue 10510w2217k pe o perioada de timp mai indelungata: She is reading a novel by Henry James. I am teaching geometry this year. Cu verbe de stare pentru a face diferenta intre o actiune limitata in timp fata de o actiune de mai lunga durata: I am living in Paris (= this year, for a while). I live in Paris (= my permanent residence is there) Cu actiuni de foarte scurta durata care se rapeta in momentul vorbirii: He is jumping. Somebody is knocking at the door. Pentru a exprima un plan imediat (este intotdeauna asociat cu expresii temporale): They are leaving tomorrow. She is meeting Tom at the station at 7 o'clock. Cu actiuni care au inceput inainte de un anumit moment in timp si care vor continua si dupa aceea: At 8 we are having breakfast. (We have breakfast at 8 =we start breakfast at 8). Pentru a exprima un eveniment dramatic (de obicei in asociere cu Present Tense Indefinite): When they get there and unlock the door they see a girl sitting at the desk in the dark room. She seems very preoccupied and does not see the two men entering the room. Nota 1: Singurul adverb de frecventa care poate fi folosit cu Present Tense Continuous este always, dar numai in urmatoarele cazuri: Cand o actiune il deranjaza sau I se pare nerezonabila vorbitorului: My husband is always going to footbal matches on Sunday. (=ceea ce inseamna ca sotul nu se duce

neaparat in fiecare duminica la meci, dar aceasta actiune se intampla prea des in opinia sotiei si acest lucru o deranjaza) Cu o actiune aparent continua, pentru a arata aprobarea sau dezaprobarea vorbitorului (depinde de context): That girl is always reading. Nota 2: Exista anumite verbe care nu pot fi folosite la Present Tense Continuous: Verbe ale simturilor (numai cand exprima actiuni involuntare): feel, hear, see, smell, notice, observe (=notice), si feel, look, taste folosite ca verbe de legatura ( - The water feels cold) Verbe care exprima sentimente sau emotii: admire, adore, appreciate, care for (=like), desire, detest, dislike, fear, hate, like, loathe, love, mind, respect, value, want, wish etc. (Totusi, unele dintre aceste verbe pot fi folosite cu aspectul continuu atunci cand au un alt inteles: admire=look at with admiration, appreciate=to increase in value, care for=look after etc.) Verbe care exprima o activitate mentala: agree, appreciate(=understand), assume, belive, expect, feel(=think), feel sure/certain, forget, know, mean, perceive, realize, recall, recognize, recollect, remember, see(=understand), suppose, think(=have an opinion), trust(=belive/have confidence), understand. Verbe de posesie: belong, owe, own, possess. Auxilialele, cu exceptia lui be si have (in anumite situatii). Cu: appear(=seem), concern, consist, contain, hold(=contain), keep(=continue), matter, seem, signify, sound(seem/appear). *** Verbul feel nu se foloseste la Present Tense Continuous cand are sensul de "try to find something by touching" sau cand e urmat de adverbe precum "angry/pleased, happy/sad, hot/cold, tense/relaxed, nervous/confident etc.

Common present continuous time expressions include: at the moment, now, today, this week, this month, tomorrow, next week (for future arrangements ), currently