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Present Continuous Tense

We use the present continuous tense to show we are in the middle of an activity that is in
progress at this moment. The activity started in the past and will go on in the future.
Examples: I am reading / Im writing.
!o when we use the present continuous tense we are tal"ing a#out something that is still
not yet finished or complete at the time of spea"ing.

The present continuous tense of any ver# is formed with the simple present tense of the
ver# to be $%am& is& are' and the present participle of the main verb $ver# ( ing'
Example: I am eating a pie for lunch.
Example: )i"e is walking out after a row with his girlfriend.
Example: Police are looking through a pile of papers and still havent found what they
want.

We use the present continuous tense:
for an action that is still happening at the time of spea"ing.
Example: !he is cooking a meal now.

for an action that is still going on a#out this time #ut not necessary at the time of
spea"ing.
Example: *ac" is teaching at a secondary #oys school. $+e is not actually teaching now. +e
may #e watching television or playing with his cat at the moment of spea"ing.'

to tal" a#out an action that has #een planned or arranged to ta"e place at a
particular time in the immediate or distant future.
Example: We are performing magic tric"s on stage in two wee"s.

to descri#e a situation that is temporary and does not happen as usual.
Example: +e is usually the hero of the film& #ut he is playing the role of a villain.

for a changing or evolving situation.
Example: Pollution is causing glo#al warming.

to descri#e a repeated action that the spea"er finds irritating.
Example: +e is forever making unfavoura#le comments a#out his mother,in,law.

with always& very often& forever& constantly to descri#e an action that happens
many times or fre-uently.
Example: )y old car is always breaking down.
Example: I very often go to my mums for tea or coffee .
Example: +e told her that their love would last forever.
Example: !he is constantly reminding me to pay #ac" the money I owe her.

with time expressions such as now& at this moment& at present& in a minute& .ust
now& today& tonight& tomorrow& nowadays& this wee"& next wee"& these days& this
year.

With present continuous tense questions& we use: am/are/is + subject + ...ing
/m I angry0 What are your cats doing in my garden0 Is your dog #ar"ing at the postman0
We use the present continuous tense in the following ways:
1 Statement: I am shaving 2 we place the ver# to #e $am/is/are' after the su#.ect $I'.
1 Negative: +e is not sleeping 2 we place not after the ver# to #e $am/is/are'.
1 Question: /re they coming here0 2 we place the ver# to #e $am/is/are' #efore the
su#.ect $they'

Nonaction ver#s
There are verbs which are "nown as nonaction verbs. These ver#s do not descri#e actions
in progress& and so are not used in the present continuous tense. They are expressed in
simple present tense as they refer to states or conditions rather than actions. 3on,action
ver#s include the followings:
agree appear assume be believe belong consider consist contain cost depend deserve
dislike doubt envy e!ist fear feel find fit forget hate have hear hold hope imagine
include know like look love matter mean measure mind need notice owe own possess
prefer reali"e recogni"e regret remember resemble see seem smell sound suppose
taste think understand want weigh wish
!ome of the a#ove non,action ver#s $in #old'& however& may #e used in the simple present
tense and the present continuous tenses #ecause they have different meanings.

#erbs not used in continuous tense
We use the simple present tense for some ver#s which are not normally used in the
present continuous tense.
The parrot belongs to my grandmother. $N$%: The parrot is #elonging to my grandmother.'
!he hates homewor" and housewor". $N$%: !he is hating homewor" and housewor".'
!ue knows the secret to ma"ing good #read. $N$%: !ue is "nowing the secret to ma"ing
good #read.'
We understand how computers wor". $N$%: We are understanding how computers wor".'
I always want to participate in a #ullfight. $N$%: Im always wanting to participate in a
#ullfight.'

&ore e!amples:
'resent continuous tense
I am feeling a little #etter today. $experience emotion'
We are having a lot of difficulties with our new computer system. $experience something'
)r. 4ldegg is seeing a client at 5.67. $have a meeting'
They are thinking a#out #uying a flat in the city. $consider doing something'

8sing present continuous for short answers
We do not use contractions for positive short answers.
9es& I am / 9es& we are. $34T: 9es& Im / 9es& were'

We use contractions for negative short answers.
Is he your #ig #rother0 3o& he isnt.

We use pronouns in answers to replace nouns.
/re those dogs yours0 9es& they are.

We do not repeat the main ver# in short answers.
/re you coming in0 9es& we are / 3o& we are not.
Present Perfect Tense
The 'resent 'erfect %ense connects the present to the past. It descri#es an action that
happened in the past and goes right to the present moment. The time of occurrence of the
action is not mentioned. 8sually& the time is not important or is not necessary to "now. It is
the result of the action that matters. It tells us the outcome to date of the action. E.g.&
:;ran" has gone: tell us that ;ran" is no longer with us.

To express something in the present perfect tense& .oin the present simple
tense of have/has with the past participle of the main ver# $which can #e a regular ver#
or irregular ver#'.
have/has + past participle
Statement: subject + have/has +
past
participle
He has broken a glass.
Question
form:
have/has + subject +
past
participle
Has he broken
a
glass?

%he 'resent 'erfect tense is used:
for an action that happened in the past and the time of occurrence is not stated or
implied.
Example: I have written a #oo" a#out spider we#s.

for an action or situation that #egan in the past and continues to the present.
Example: +e has been in prison since 5777.

to express repetition of an action at unspecified time in the past.
Example: !he has already had a few -uarrels with her neigh#our.
Example: I have been to the circus a few times.

for an action occurring within a specific time period that is not over
Example: I have had three cups of tea this morning. $It is still morning and I may have
another one
or more cups of tea #efore the morning is over.'

in news reports
Example: 3egotiations with the insurgent forces have broken down.

with phrases #eginning with :This is the first/second/third ....time:
Example: This is the first time I have won the .ac"pot.
Example: This is the fifth time I have lost my .o#.

to answer -uestions that are as"ed in the present perfect tense.
Example: :Where have you been0: :I have been to <ondon to see the =ueen.:
Example: :What have they bought0: :They have bought a couple of rifles.:

with ever and never. (ver is used to as" if any things have or have not happened at
any time up to now. It is also used in negative statements and together with the
phrase :The first time ...: Never is used mainly in negative statements. Their
position is .ust #efore thepast participle ver#.
Example: )ave you ever lost your temper in a pu#lic place0
Example: Thats the #iggest lie I have ever heard in my whole life.
Example: This is the first time we have ever listened to such a dirty .o"e.
Example: We have never been to a circus.

with other time expressions such as:
always: +e has always believed everything he reads.
how long: )ow long have you waited for the #us0
recently: I have only recently started learning English.
lately: I have met her a lot lately.
so far: We haven*t had any trou#le with the new tenant so far.
+p to now: +p to now we have not come up with a solution to the pro#lem.

*,or* and *since
When an activity #egan in the past and is still going on& we use the present perfect tense
+ for/since.
We often use for and since with the present perfect tense. Since can only #e used with
perfect tenses $present perfect and past perfect tenses'> forcan also #e used with the past
simple tense.
We use for ( a period of time as an indication of how long an activity has lasted up
to the present moment.
Example: We have been tennis partners for three years. $N$%: We are tennis partners for
three years.'

We use since ( a point in time in the past to show when in the past the activity
#egan.
Example: I have been her tennis partner since early )ay this year. $N$%: I am her tennis
partner since early )ay this year.'
Examples:
+e has lived here for five years. $he is still living here'
+e has lived here since 5777. $he is still living here'
-N.$//(.%: +e lived here since 5777./+e lives here since 5777./+e is living here since
5777.

0ust& already and yet
We often use some words with the present perfect tense. These wordsinclude:
0ust: if something has .ust happened& it happened only a short time ago. 0ust is
usually placed after have/has and #efore the main ver# in a sentence.
Example: !ister *ane has just been out shopping.
Example: I have just finished painting the ceiling.
Example: +e has just drawn a picture of an owls eye.

1lready: if something has already #een done& its done #y or #efore now or a
particular time. It is usually positioned in the middle $afterhave/has and before the
main ver#' or at the end of a sentence. It can also appear in questions.
Example: They have already built the tallest sandcastle on the #each.
Example: What did he say0 I*ve forgotten already.
Example: )ave you already made a police report of the accident0
3otice no mention of when an action too" place.

2et: if something is not done yet& it is not done until now or until a particular time.
We usually use yet at the end of a negative sentence or a question.
Example: They have not come yet.
Example: )as the train arrived yet0
It is possi#le for yet to appear in the middle of a sentence.
Example: /s yet& weve had no word from them. $4?: Weve had no word from them
as yet.'

have/has gone > have/has been
!ee the difference of meaning:
They have gone to Tim#u"tu. $They are still there or on the way there.'
They have been to Tim#u"tu. $They are not there now. They have come #ac" or are
somewhere else.'

%he present perfect tense and the simple present tense
We use the present perfect tense& not the simple present tense& to show an activity that
#egan in the past and has continued up to the present.
Example: They have .ust finished their wee"ly po"er session. $finished the session not long
ago'
Example: We have stayed at the hotel for four nights. $N$%: We stay at the hotel for four
nights.'
Example: I*ve known him for a long time. $N$%: I "now him for a long time.'
Example: Ive written nine letters this morning. $N$%: I write nine letters this morning.'
Example: !elena and I have become friends since we met at the #us stop. $N$%: !elena
and I
#ecome friends since we met at the #us stop.'

%he present perfect tense and the present perfect continuous tense
I have looked for the car "eys for the last half,hour.
I have been looking for the car "eys for the last half,hour.
*ac" has dated *ill since last month.
*ac" has been dating *ill since last month.
+e has taken photos of panda #ears in the @oo.
+e has been taking photos of panda #ears in the @oo.
3otice that either of the two tenses can #e used for each of the sentences. Each pair of
sentences conveys the same meaning.

%he present perfect tense and the simple past tense
We do not mention the time of an action when we use the present perfect simple.
We usually do it when we use the past simple tense.
'resent perfect tense: I have eaten two pi@@as. $N$%: I have eaten two pi@@as yesterday.'
Simple past tense: I ate two pi@@as yesterday.

Since3 for
We use since only with present perfect tense& not with past simple.
Example: !he has grown fatter since last year. $N$%: !he grew fatter since last year.'

,or can #e used with #oth present perfect and simple past tenses.
'resent perfect tense: +e has stayed with us for nine months. $% hes still staying with us 2
an activity or event that #egan in the past and continues to the present.'
Simple past tense: +e stayed with us for nine months. $% hes not staying with us now 2 an
activity or event that #egan in the past and ended in the past.'

4e use the present perfect tense in the main clause3 and past simple tense in the *since
clause* of a sentence as follow5
MA! "#A$S% S!"%&"#A$S%
'e have
becomefrien(s
since )e became
neighbours.

We use the present perfect tense when the period of time is not over and the
simple past tense when it is over.
I haven*t finished writing the article. $It is still afternoon.'
I finished writing the article this afternoon. $It is evening.'

%he present perfect tense and the past perfect tense
We are #usy. We haven*t had our lunch. $present perfect'
We were #usy. We hadn*t had our lunch. $past perfect'
The house is on fire. !omeone has already called the fire #rigade. $present perfect'
The house was on fire. !omeone had already called the fire #rigade. $past perfect'
+e is in hospital. / sna"e has bitten him. $present perfect'
+e was in hospital. / sna"e had bitten him. $past perfect'
The floor loo"s clean. I have .ust swept it. $present perfect'
The floor loo"ed clean. I had .ust swept it. $past perfect'

%he passive form
The passive form of the present perfect tense is used when the action is not done #y the
su#.ect #ut rather to the su#.ect. 4ften& it is not "nown who has done the action.
Example: The politician has been accused of lying again.
Example: / woman has been chosen as leader of the party.
Example: +is missing car has been found.

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