This document provides an overview of the present continuous tense in English grammar. It begins with the aims of understanding and being able to use the present continuous form. It then covers the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms of the present continuous. Three main uses of the present continuous are described: 1) for actions happening at the time of speaking, 2) for actions happening in a period around now, and 3) for describing changes that are occurring. Exercises and references are also listed.

1. English Grammar
By
Kosrat H. Mustafa

2. Plan
 The Aim
 Sources
 Present Continuous
• Form
•Use
 Exercises

3. The Aim
 General Aims
• To know English tenses.
• To be familiar with Present Continuous.
 Specific Aims
• To control the form of Present Continuous.
• To understand the situations in which Present Continuous is used.

4. Present Continuous (progressive)
Affirmative
I am (= I’m) driving
He/she/it is (=he’s, etc.) working
We/you/they are (we’re, etc.) playing etc.
Negative
I am not (= I’m not) driving
He/she/it is not (=He’s not/isn’t) working
We/you/they are not (=’re not/aren’t) playing etc.
Interrogative
Am I driving?
Is he/she/it working?
Are we/you/they playing?

5. USE 1
PresentContinuous
1- We use the present continuous when the action is happening at
the time of speaking.
• (at a party) Hello, Tom. Are you enjoying the party?
• Please don’t make so much noise. I’m Studying. (not I study.)

6. • Where’s Jane? ‘She is having a bath.’
(not she has a bath.)
• Look! The plane is flying over the city.
 The floor is moving! It is an earthquake!
 Take an umbrella! It is raining now.

7. • Really ! • Well, Alan’s drawing in his room
• TWhehya’tr ea rweatthceh icnhgilda rneenw d oviidnego?.
and Sophie’s watching TV with me.

8. PresentContinuous
USE 2
2-We use present continuous when we talk about things happening
in a period around now. (today, this week, this evening, etc.)
The action is not actually happening at the moment of speaking.
• I’m reading an interesting book this week.
(I’m not reading at the time of speaking.)

9. • Is Susan working today?
(outside the class) What are
you doing in science?
• We’re learning
about the universe.

10. PresentContinuous
3-We use present continuous to describe things which are changing.
(changes happening around now):
• British summers are getting hotter and
winters are getting wetter.
USE 3
• The population of the world is rising very fast.

11. • The earth is becoming warmer.
• Is you English getting better?
• More and more people are leaving the
countryside.

12. References
 Raymond Murphy English Grammar in Use.2nd ed. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press
 Martin Hewings (1999) Advanced Grammar in Use. 1st ed. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press
 Michael Vince (2007) Macmillan English Grammar in Context.
 Michael Swan & Catherine Walter The Good Grammar Book.
 Mark Foley & Diane Hall (2003) Longman Advanced Learner’s Grammar.
 Jonathan Lewis (2007) Free English Grammar.