Keep Smiling English Present Continuous Grammar

• Construction: present “to be” (am/is/are) + verb-ing

- Uses:
1. Actions in progress right now: 

Hi, mum! I’m calling to let you know that I’m with Benjamin. 

Is she really studying at the library? I’ve been there and I haven’t seen her.

2. Actions in progress which aren’t necessarily happening at the moment of

speaking:

I’m studying quite a lot for my final exams. 

She’s learning how to drive.

3. Actions that are developing over a period of time: 


The number of unemployed people in Spain is growing every year.

4. To complain about something that happens often and annoys the speaker,
using “always”:

Stop it! You’re always nagging me about making my bed. Let it be!

5. To talk about future arrangements:


We’re getting married in March.

Are you going anywhere this summer?

- IMPORTANT: State vs Action Verbs: the Present Continous is normally used with action
verbs, and not with state verbs. Action/Dynamic verbs describe activities, actions we
“perform”, while state/stative verbs describe states of being, not actions we carry out.
We’re driving to the coast. (action verb - present continuous is possible)
She believes in God. (state verb - present continuous is not possible)

She’s believing in God.

NOTE: there are many verbs that have a stative meaning and an dynamic
meaning. For example, the verb “have”:
I have three brothers. (stative)
I’m having my breakfast right now, I’ll see you in class.

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