Present Continuous Tense

Identification of the Tense: - The event is still happing. Ex:-

1. Rajiv is going to school.
2. I am playing football.
3. He is not studying.
4. Are they living here?

There is continuity in the happening of all the events given in the above examples.

Usage:- In Present Continuous Tense we usually use 

1. First form of the verb + ing and
2. is (with singular subject/are (if the subject is plural)/am(if the subject is represented by I)

Explanation:-

In first sentence "Rajiv is going to school."
Rajiv is a singular noun thus carrying first form of verb go with ing and helping verb is preceeding it.

In second sentence "I am playing football."
I the singular pronoun is carrying am along with first form of the verb play + ing.

In third sentence "He is not studing."
This is a negative sentence thus not is inserted in between helping verb is and first form of the verb studying prefixed ing.

In the fourth sentence "Are they living here?."
Being an interrogative sentence plural pronoun they is preceeded by the helping verb are followed by firstform of verb + ing.

Use of Present Continuous or Present Progressive Tense:- 

to express an action happening now at time of speaking.

• I am writing a letter.
• She is reading a book.

to express an action in progress about this time but not necessarily at the time of speaking.

• She is teaching English at the High School.
• They are building a new house.

to express a definite arrangement in the near future.

• I am going to America next week.
• I am meeting him tonight.

The time of action must be mentioned in this case.

to express an action which begins before a given time and continuous after it.

• At 4 a.m. I am having my breakfast.

to express some undesirable habit.

• She is always wasting her time in gossips.

Important:

• Verbs of senses: see, hear, smell, notice, recognize.
• Verbs of emotions: want, desire, love, hate, forgive, like, dislike etc.
• Verbs of thinking: think, feel, know, mean, realize, understand, suppose, believe, remember, forget, expect etc.
• Verbs expressing possession: have, own, belong, possess.
• Verbs like seem, appear, contain, consist, keep etc.
  These verbs are used in the simple present tense.
  

They may, however, be used in the continuous tense with a changed meaning.The Headmaster is seeing the students in the afternoon. (meeting)
The Judge is hearing the case tomorrow. (conducting the trial)

Practice Exercise for Present Continuous Tense

• Conversation 1
• Exercise 1

Present Tense

• Present Indefinite Tense/ Simple Present Tense
• Present Perfect Tense
• Present continuous Tense
• Present Perfect continuous Tense

Past Tense

• Past Indefinite Tense/ Simple Past Tense
• Past Perfect Tense
• Past continuous Tense
• Past Perfect continuous Tense

Future Tense

• Future Indefinite Tense/ Simple Future Tense
• Future Perfect Tense
• Future continuous Tense
• Future Perfect continuous Tense