Present Continuous Active
Present Continuous Active Voice is formed by:
Subject + am/is/are + Ving for statements.
Am/is/are + Subject + Ving for questions;
Subject + am/is/are + not + Ving for negatives.
Tense expressions:
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Meanings |
Examples |
Actions happening now; |
Ann is not wearing her new jeans today. |
actions happening around now; |
They are painting the walls in their new house. |
temporary situations or temporaryseries of actions; |
Are you staying at your aunt’s? Pedestrians are not using the lane because of the roadworks. |
changing and developing situations |
Foreign holidays are becoming more popular in our country. |
annoying or amusing habits(usually with always/permanently/constantly/never) |
My neighbour is always leaving his car at my gate. |
temporary or new habits |
My car is broken down , so I am walking to work these days. |
current trends |
Nowadays women are wearing shorter skirts. |
definite future arrangements or fixed plans |
We are playing football on Saturday. |
conditional and time clauses with actions in progress |
If you are still tinkering with your old car, when I come, I will help you. |
More examples
Comment on using the following examples in Present Continuos Active:
- He is desperately working to complete his project.
- The authorities are looking for them.
- You are feigning illness!
- Children are getting ready for bed.
- Living conditions are becoming increasingly intolerable.
- Oh. The bell is ringing so loudly.
- You are always changing your mind.
- They are arriving soon.
- “The pirate ship is coming towards our position!”
- “We are making tents for our camping club.”
- ‘You are wasting water. Turn off the tap.’
- The attempt is risky. The boat is sinking.
- The police are pursuing pickpockets.
- They are making sails for their boating club.
- I am permanently failing to keep my word.
- More and more problems are emerging.
- Our plans are screeching (=moving rapidly) to a halt.
- I am abandoning this project as it is a waste of money.
- They are staring at each other awkwardly.
- He is forever sending her scathing emails.
More practice with Dual-Grammar Choice
- They are at the petrol station. They are filling up/fill up their cars.
- He fumbles /is fumbling about in his pocket for the key.
- “You are skittering/skittering up the stairs again. Be careful.”
- Those who is known/know the most, venture/are venturing the least.
- I am wondering/ am wondered what is on your mind.
- He comes/is coming to have lunch with us tomorrow.
- I am getting / gets enamoured of London.
- I am sure I am seeing/am seen her through eyes that are blinded by emotion.
- I'm longed/longing for a smoke.
- “You are seeking/are sought to take advantage of my good nature.”
- I am got/am getting slower and slower and becoming more and more unreliable.
- Rain soaked clothes are clung/are clinging to his body.
- Everything looks /is looking scrumptious (=appetising).(Saul Greenblatt).
- At last we are topping/top this hill.
- An obese man in New York is suing/is sued four leading fast food chains.
- Some of the most efficient refrigerators consume/are consuming 70 percent less electricity than traditional models.
- A lot of people nowadays are sacrificing /are sacrificed the pleasures of nature to the convenience of city life.
- Mother is taught/ is teaching her daughter to sew.
- Workmen are already mending /mend faulty cabling.
- Who is sweep/ is sweeping the leaves off the patio?