PRESENT

CONTINUOUS
Present continuous or present progressive
◦ Is a way to convey any action or condition that is happening right now, frequently, and may be ongoing.

◦ It adds energy and action to writing, and its effect helps readers understand when the action is happening.

◦ Examples:

They are sitting at Scott’s favorite booth, the one with the sparkling red plastic seats.(For how long? We don’t know, but we do know
they are sitting there now.)

The waiter is standing behind the counter right now with a notepad in his hand and pencil behind his ear. (Will he ever make it over to
the booth? Probably, but not now.)
 Present
Verb to be + Verb [Present continuous
formula
Participle] + complement

Remember that the present

participle is when you add an –
ing termination to the verb
When to use present continuous

Can be used to describe when an action happened or may happen. You can So only use present continuous to describe actions that are happening or that
use it to describe both events that are happening in the present – right now, may happen
while you are talking about something, or in the future – something that
may or will happen later.
When not to use present continuous
◦ Do not use the present continuous tense with stative verbs. Stative verbs show a state of being that does not show qualities of change.
These verbs can stay in the simple present. For example:

Aunt Christine is preferring the maple walnut pancakes over the banana peanut butter ones that Scott loves.

Aunt Christine prefers the maple walnut pancakes over the banana peanut butter ones that Scott loves.
The stative verbs

Stative verb categories include

The stative verb to
emotion (to love), possession
prefer show's opinion, and
(to belong), and thoughts (to
therefore should not be
recognize), and none of these
conjugated into the present
should use the present
continuous.
continuous form.
The Exception to the Rule
◦ Some verbs can be both dynamic and stative! Think about the verbs to be and to think. In its dynamic form, the verb to be can show
action:

Sarah, Scott’s little sister, is being bold by ordering the jalapeno-chipotle pancakes.

◦ But in its stative form, the verb to be is awkward if conjugated in the present continuous:

Sarah is being a tall teenager, who loves her food spicy and her sports dangerous.

Sarah is a tall teenager, who loves her food spicy and her sports dangerous.
Common Dynamic Verbs that USE the Common Stative Verbs that DO NOT USE
Present Continuous the Present Continuous