2. PresentContinuous
• We use Present continuous to talk about actions
that are happening right now
I am working. He is carrying the boxes. They are talking. We are
writing.
Examples:
She is sleeping.
They are eating.
Temporary situations/actions, not necessarily in progress at
the moment of speaking:
My daughter is studying English at Durham University.
Planned actions(+ future adverbial reference): We’re
spending next winter in Australia.
Repeated actions with adverbs like always, forever:
She’s always helping people.
3. Formation of Present Continuous
Subject + to be + verb+ing
Negative
Statement
Yes/no
question
Wh- question
I am eating. Am I eating? What am I eating?
You are crying. Are you crying?
Why are you
crying?
He is going. Is he going? Where is he going?
She is arriving. Is she arriving?
When is she
arriving?
It is sleeping. Is it sleeping? Why is it sleeping?
We are leaving. Are we leaving?
When are we
leaving?
They are
arguing.
Are they
arguing?
Why are they
arguing?
I am not eating.
You are not crying.
He is not going.
She is not arriving.
It is not sleeping.
We are not leaving.
They are not
arguing.
4. Past Continuous
We use the past continuous
• To provide the background scene to an action or event(usually
in the past simple). We often use words like when, while and as:
It happened at five in the afternoon while she was watching TV.
• When we want to emphasize the activity without
focusing on its completion. Compare:
For a while last year I was working at the cinema, studying for my degree and
writing a column for the local newspaper.(we don’t know if the actions were
completed or not, or whether they happened at the same time)
5. Formation of past continuous
+ was/were +verb+ -ing
She was watching TV.
- was/were+not+verb+ - ing
They weren’t watching TV.
? Was/were….+verb+ -ing?
Were you watching TV?
6. Future continuous tense
We use the future continuous:
To describe or predict an activity in progress at a
particular time in the future:
This time next week I’ll be flying to Mexico.
To describe a future action or event that is already
organised, decided or known. Compare: Don’t worry,
I’ll be picking Karen up at 8.00(already decided)
OK, I’ll pick Karen up at 8.00.(decision at the time of
speaking)
To describe something we know is happening now
somewhere else: I mustn’t phone my father now. He’ll
be watching the football.
7. Formation of future continuous
+ S+ Will/shall +be +verb+ -ing
I’ll be sleeping at this time tomorrow
- S+will/shall+not+be+verb+ing
He won’t be sleeping at this time tomorrow
? Will/shall+S+be+verb+ -ing?
Will she be sleeping at this time tomorrow?
