The present continuous tense

Last updated on July 8th, 2021 at 07:56 am

The present continuous tense/present progressive tense is a tense which is used to express actions which are taking place now. It indicates the actions which are taking place at the the time of speaking.

Formation

This tense is formed by conjugating the auxiliary verb “to be” in simple present plus the present participle (verb+ing)

 AM/ARE/IS+VERB(-ING)

Examples:
Maria is wearing a blue blouse.
I am revising my English notes.
Aren’t they buying other shoes?

Note: Most of the time we double the last consonant of the verb before adding -ing. It is when the verb ends in “consonant-vowel-consonant”.

Examples:
Beg→ begging
Plan→ planning
Wrap→ wrapping

Other verbs include: admit, acquit, blur, begin, bet, bid, brag, chap, clap, commit, control, cut, dig, dim, drag, drop, excel, equipping, fan, fag, fit, flip, get, grab, hit, hop, hug, jam, jog, kid, knit, knot, lap, let, map, mob, mop, nag, nod, occur, peg, pin, pet, pit, plod, plot, prefer, prop, pun, put, quit, quit, refer, rag, rid, run, rob, rub,  sap, scam, scan, set, ship, shop, shut, sin, sit, skim, skip, slap, slim, sob, span, spin, spit, stab, step, stop, split, submit, stir, tag, tap, thin, transfer, trap, trot, up, web, wet, whip, win, yap, zap, zip,…

Exception: *Never double the verbs ending in -w, -x, -y.

 Examples:  
Mix→ mixing
Play→ playing
Show→ showing

*When the verb ends in -e, drop “e” and then add -ing.

Examples:  
Come → coming
Hide→ hiding
Write→ writing.

*When the verb ends in -e, preceded by “i”, drop the “e” and then change the “i” into “y” before adding -ing.

Examples: 
Die→ dying                Untie→ untying
Tie→ tying                  Underlie→ underlying
Lie→ lying                   Vie→ vying

The use

*We use this tense to talk about something which is happening at the time of speaking.

Examples:
The teacher is speaking to the students in Kinyarwanda.
I am waiting for my friends.
You are cutting down the trees.

*We also use the tense when we talk about something which is happening around the time of speaking.

Examples:
We are learning about clothes and fashion.
She is not admitting what she is being accused of.
Why are you lying to your parents?

*Present continuous (progressive) tense is used to talk about changing situations.

Examples:
Is your wound getting better?
The Internet is making it easier for people to stay in touch.
The price of coffee is rising quickly.
Those monkeys are dying due to the poisonous fruits.

Note:  Remember that some verbs are not put in present continuous tense. Those verbs include the ones that indicate the senses, feelings, among others. Some of them are see, taste, smell, hear, be, like, love, hate, seem, believe, want, remain, belong, feel, mean, realize, want, think, understand, etc.