Present Continuous: Form and Uses

Form of Present Continuous

The Present Continuous or Present Progressive is formed from the present tense of the verb be and the present participle (-ing form) of a verb.

be verb + -ing

Uses

Below are other uses of present continuous. Typically, we use the present continuous to talk about the present.

• Firstly, present progressive is used for something that is happening at the moment of speaking:

Please be quiet. The baby is sleeping.
I‘m just leaving work. I’ll be home in an hour.

• Moreover, present progressive is used for something which is happening before and after a given time:

At nine o’clock we are usually watching our favourite TV program.
When I get home, my mom is making dinner in the kitchen.

• In addition, we can also use present continous for something which we think is temporary:

John is at university. He’s studying Management.
I’m working in London for the next two months.

• Additionally, it is used for something which is new and contrasts with a previous: state:

These days most people are using email instead of writing letters.
What sort of clothes are teenagers wearing nowadays? What sort of music are they listening to?

• Another use of present continuous tense is to show that something is changing, growing, or developing:

The children are growing quickly.
The climate is changing rapidly.
Your English is improving.

• Lastly, present progressive is used for something which happens again and again:

It’s always raining in London.
They are always arguing.
Philip is funny. He’s always telling jokes.

Note: We normally use always with this use.

Present Continuous Exercise

Answer this exercise on present continuous tense.

1. In my country, many people ______ Spanish.

a. are speaking

b. speak

c. is speaking

2. Some old traditions _____ very fast. 

a. disappear

b. are disappearing

c. have disappeared

3. You can’t play with the baby now; she _____ a nap.

a. takes

b. is taking

c. has take

4. Please be quiet, I ______. You know I _____ the paper in the mornings.

a. reads … am reading

b. read … read 

c. am reading … read

5. What time _____ ?

a. does the first class start

b. is the first class starting

c. the first class start

6. I ______ a coat because it’s unusually cold today.

a. am wearing

b. wear

c. wears

7. I finished listening to the podcast you recommended. Now I _____ another one.

a. listen to

b. am listening to

c. listens to

8. What _____ this afternoon?

a. are you doing

b. do

c. you are doing

9. Nobody _____ she will marry him.

a. is thinking

b. thinks 

c. think

10. You look like you are having fun. What _______ ?

a. you are watching

b. are you watching

c. do you watch

Find the answers to this exercise here.

See also: Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous.

For additional information on this topic, check out this British Council lesson.

For other English grammar lessons, go to this page.