and

TOPIC TWO
Bahena Rodríguez Evelyn
Present Progressive

The Present Progressive is mainly used to

express the idea that something is happening at
the moment of speaking, another use of the
present continuous is to talk about future plans.

2
Actions is progress

EXAMPLES EXPLANATIONS

Am sitting and are cooking are present

progressive forms.
1) Right now, I am sitting on the couch and my brothers are cooking dinner.
Use the present progressive to describe
2) It is raining and Oscar is waiting for the bus.
an action that is in progress and
happening at the time of speaking.
Use the present progressive for an action
3) This semester, I am taking three math classes. that is happening around the time of
4) Their baby is waking up very early these days. speaking, but not happening exactly at
that time.
At time of speaking: Around time of speaking:

• Right now • This year These time expressions are often used
• At the moment • This semester withthe present progressive.
• Today • This week
• At present • These days
Uses
1. Present actions
2. Temporary actions
3. Longer actions in progress
4. Future (personal) arrangements and plans
5. Tendencies and trends
6. Irritation or anger
1. Present actions

Most often, we use the Present Progressive tense

to talk about actions happening at the moment
of speaking.

Examples:

• We are spelling that word.

• She is making noise.
2. Temporary actions
This tense is also used for activities continuing only for a limited period of time.

Examples:

• I am riding my bike to work, because my car is broken.

• Nicole is working at Starbucks.
3. Longer actions in
progress
We also use the Present Progressive when we are in
the middle of doing something time-consuming.
An example of such an activity is writing a book,
saving money or studying for an exam.

Examples:

• My dad is working hard to earn

money.
• They are training to become soccer
players.
4. Future (personal)
arrangaments and plans
Sometimes we use the Present Progressive to
show that something is planned and will be
done in the near future.

Examples:

• We are not going anywhere

tomorrow.
• I am meeting Fernanda in the
evening.
• He's flying to Rome in January.
5. Tendencies and trends
This tense is also used for expressing tendencies or trends.

Examples:

• Our country is getting richer.

• The Internet is becoming less of a novelty.
• The Universe is expanding.
6. Irritation or anger
And the last use of this tense is to express irritation or anger over
somebody or something in the present with adverbs such as:
always, continually or constantly.

Examples:

• She is continually complaining about everything!

• Johnny is always asking stupid questions!
• My boss is constantly criticizing me!
The three forms

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

(Subject + verb to be + verb- (Subject + verb to be (negative) (Verb to be + subject + verb–ing +

ing) + verb-ing) ?)

Examples: Examples: Examples:

▪ Molly is dancing with my ▪ He isn’t joking. ▪ Is she eating my apple pie?
brother.
▪ I am not going to school ▪ Are you meeting Ariana
▪ We are studying for the tomorrow. tomorrow?
English exam.
“
Short answer for
questions

Yes, I am.
No, I’m not.
Yes, she/he/it is.
No, she/he/it isn’t.

Yes, they/we/you are.

No, they/we/you aren’t.
 Simple Present or Present Progressive?
SIMPLE PRESENT PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
1. Philippe watches six TV programs a day. For an action that happens
regulary, again and again.
2. A: Where’s Philippe?
B: In his room. He’s watching TV.
For an action that is in progress
at the time of speaking.
3. Leanne can’t come to the phone right now because she’s
taking a shower.
4. Philippe is watching more TV than usual these days
because he’d rether do then study for his final exams. For an action in progress around
the time of speaking.
5. Audrey is learning Greek this semester.
6. Carmina lives in Mexico City.

7. The sun rises in the east. For facts, situations, and states
that we do not expect to change.
8. Mark always reads the sports section of the newspaper
first.
9. Angela is living with her mother for the time being.
(Someday she will move into a house of her own.) For situations and actions that
are temporary and that we
10. Matt will start college next year. Until then, he is expect to change.
working at Fat Burger.
Verbs not usually used in the
progressive
EXAMPLES EXPLANATIONS
A. He loves me, but he hates my cat.
Some verbs are not usually used in the progressive. The
B. NOT: He is loving me, but he is hating my cat.
reason is that they describe states or situations that we
C. I know your sister. don’t expect to change, they do not describe actions.
D. NOT: I am knowing your sister.

E. Hugo likes opera, but his girlfriend prefers ballet. Common nonprogressive (stative) verbs:

F. Those flowers smell wonderful! ▪ Verbs that express feelings and emotions: love,
G. I think the President has some interesting ideas about prefer, hate, like, appreciate, want, and dislike.
▪ Verbs that describe the senses: see, hear, taste, and
health care, but many people belive he is wrong. smell.
H. Please be careful with that vase. It belongs to my ▪ Verbs that express knowledge, opinions, and
beliefs: think, belive, know, and understand.
aunt. ▪ Verbs that express possession: have, belong, own,
I. A: Are you going to buy that radio? possess.
▪ Other common nonprogressive verbs: be, seem,
B: No, It costs too much. owe, exist, need, appear, cost, and weigh.
 States and actions
EXAMPLES EXPLANATIOS
a) I love you.
Nonprogressive verbs usually describe a state or quality that we
b) I hate my job.
do not expect to change. They do not describe actions.
c) She knows a lot about the history of her country.

Actions
State
I am weighing myself (to see if I’ve gained Some verbs describe both a state and an action. If the verb
d) I weigh 120 pounds.
weight). describes a state, use the simple present. If the verb describes an
e) Mmm! Dinner smells great!
I’m smelling the milk (to see if it smells fresh). cation, use the present progressive.
f) This soup tastes good.
He is tasting the soup (to see if it needs salt).
g) David is very polite. Do not use be in the progressive when it describes a state or
h) Tanya is a little shy. quality you do not expect to change.
Do not use have in the progressive to describe possession.
However, you can use have in the progressive to describe an
i) We have two cars.
experience. Use the progressive if the experience is in progress at
j) NOT: We are having two cars.
or around the time of speaking (k). Use the simple present if the
k) We are having fun.
experience happens again and again (l).
l) We always have fun on vacation.
Common expressions using have to describe an experience:
Have fun, have problems, have difficulty with, have a good time,
and have trouble with.
m) I can’t talk to you right now because I have a really sore throat.
n) NOT: Iam having a sore throat.
Do not use have in the progressive to describe a medical
o) Sandy has a headache and a high fever today; maybe she has the flu.
problema or physical discomfort.
p) NOT: Sandy is having a headache and a high fever today; maybe she is having the
flu.
Bibliographic
references

• Sadlier, M., Benz, C., Riggenbach, H., & Samuda, V.

(2000). Grammar Dimensions: Form, Meaning and
Use, Platinum Edition.

• Present continuous: formación, uso y ejemplos | British

Council.
(s. f.). https://www.britishcouncil.org.mx/blog/present-
continuous