CONTINUOUS

TENSES
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
STRUCTURE FOR STATEMENTS:

S+ am/is/are + Verb-ing (Present participle)

PRESENT CONTINUOUS USAGES
• To describe an incomplete action which is in progress at the moment
of speaking; usually with time expressions such as: now, at the
moment, right now.
• To describe a plan or arrangement in the near future; usually with
time expressions such as: tonight, tomorrow, this week, this Monday.
• To express actions that are repeated regularly; usually with a negative
meaning and with the time expressions: always or forever.
• We can use the present continuous for temporary or new habits
We are producing high-end plastic pipes.

We produce high-end plastic pipes.

STRUCTURE FOR QUESTIONS:

Am/is/are+ S + Verb-ing

WH Questions+ Am/is/are + S + Verb-ing

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
STRUCTURE FOR STATEMENTS:

S+ was/were + Verb-ing (Present participle)

USAGE

• To describe an action that started in the past and was

interrupted by another action
• To describe actions that were in progress at the same time
in the past.
• to describe the background in a story written in the past
tense
Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.
Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
STRUCTURE FOR QUESTIONS:

WAS/WERE+ S + Verb-ing

WH Questions+ WAS/WERE+ S + Verb-ing

FUTURE CONTINUOUS
TENSE
STRUCTURE FOR STATEMENTS:

S+ will be + Verb-ing
USAGE

indicates that something will occur in the

future and continue for an expected length
of time.
I will be being stressed tomorrow during my science test.

I will be stressed tomorrow during my science test.

When the sun comes out tomorrow, winter will be seeming like a distant
memory.
When the sun comes out tomorrow, winter will seem like a distant
memory.

After I study, I will be knowing all the answers for the test.

After I study, I will know all the answers for the test.
STRUCTURE FOR QUESTIONS:

WILL+ S + be Verb-ing

WH Questions+ WAS/WERE+ S + Verb-ing

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

• used to show that an action started in the past and has

continued up to the present moment.
• emphasizes duration, or the amount of time that an action has
been taking place.
S + has/have + been + present participle.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
• We use both of these tenses for finished and unfinished actions.
we don't use the present perfect continuous with stative verbs)
• The present perfect continuous can be used to emphasise the length of time that has passed.
• present perfect simple is often used when we're talking about how much or how many. This isn't
possible with the present perfect continuous:She's drunk three cups of coffee this morning.
• She's drunk at least a litre of coffee today.
• NOT: she has been drinking 3 cups of coffee today.
• The present perfect continuous often focuses on the action itself, while the present perfect simple
focuses on the fact that the action is completed
• used to show that an action started in the past and continued up to another point in the past.
S + had + been + present participle.