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Present Continuous (I am doing)

 


 Grammar in use intermediate



Present  Continuous (I am doing)

A)  Studing this example situation:

Ann is in her car. She is on her way to work.
She is driving to work.
This means: she is driving now, at time of speaking. The action is not finished.

Am/is/are -ing the present continuous:

            I                  am       (= I'm)                   driving
            he/she/it      is         (= he's , etc.)            working
we/you/they/          are        (= we're, etc.)        doing, etc.
                                                                                                                                    

B)
       I am doing something = I'm in the middle of doing something; I've started doing it and I haven't finished yet. Often the action is happening at the time of speaking:

  • Please don't make so much noise. I'm working. (not I work)
  • Let's go out now. It isn't raining anymore. (not It doesn't rain)
  • "Where's Lauren? " "She's taking a bath." (not She takes a bath)
  • ( at a party) Hello, Lisa. Are you enjoying the party? (not Do you enjoy)
  • I'm tired. I'm, going to bed now. Goodnight!
But the action is not secessarily happeing at the  time of speaking. For example

       Tom and Anna are talking. Tom says:
                                       
                                       I'm reading an interesting book at the moment.
                                       I'll lend it to you when I've finished it.
                                 

                                Tom is not reading the book at the time of speaking.
                                He means that he started it but has not finished it yet.
                                He is in the middle of reading it.

Here are some more examples:
  • Maria wants to work in Itly, so she is studing Italian. ( but perhaps she isn't studing Italian exactly at the time of speaking)
  • Some friends of mine are building their own house.

                                                                                                         

 

C)     We use the present continuous  when we talk about things happening in a period around now (for example, today / this week / tonight, etc.):

  • "You're working hard today." Yes, I have a lot do ." (not You work hard today)
  • "Is Sarah working this week?" No,she's on vacation,

We use present continuous when  we talk about changes happening now or around now:

  • The population of the world is rising very fast.(not rises)
  • Is your English getting better? (not your English get better?)

                                                                                                                 








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