Present Continuous

am/is/are + present participle, eg Verb + ing

Current action

Peter is sleeping at the moment.

An activity that is happening during a specific time period.

She is studying English at University this year.

Temporary action.

I am working in a restaurant during the school holidays.

To express the near future

I am meeting some friends after school.

Repeating irritating situation

She is always late for work.

1. Current action

To explain something that is happening at the time of speaking.

  • Peter is sleeping at the moment.
  • They are watching television.

2. An activity that is happening during a specific time period.

To explain that a situation or activity is true, but does not have to be happening at the time of speaking.

  • She is studying English at University this year.
  • I am reading a book by William Shakespeare.

3. Temporary action.

The present continuous can be used to express a temporary action or activity that is happening during a current time period.

  • I am working in a restaurant during the school holidays.
  • She is livingwith her grandmother while they paint her house.

4. To express the near future

The present continuous can be used to express that something will or will not happen in the near future.

  • I am meeting some friends after school.
  • I am not going to work tomorrow.
  • They are going on holiday this week.

5. Repeating irritating situation

The present continuous can be used with word like "always" "constantly" to express a repeating irritating situation.

  • She is always late for work.
  • He is constantly talking. He annoyes everyone.
  • I don’t like her because she is always complaining.

6. Active / Passive voice

  • Right now, David is painting the wall. Active
  • Right now, the wall is being painted by David. Passive
 

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