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Understanding the Present Continuous tense
‘The wind is howling outside as Sarah climbs the creaky stairs, candle in hand. She inches towards the partly open attic door that is emitting a faint, eerie whisper. Her heart is racing as she pushes the door open, revealing a dark, shadowy space where something unseen is lurking. She steps inside, candle trembling while a sense of dread engulfs the room.’
Like watching a thrilling movie where the action is unfolding before your eyes, the present continuous tense is a great tool you can use to keep readers wondering: What did she see? What awaits Sarah in the corner of the room? What’s going on?!
In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at what exactly is the present continuous tense, as well as how and when should we use it.
Indroduction Of Present Continuous Tense
Let’s start with the basic question: what exactly is the present continuous tense?
Simply put, the Present Continuous tense, or the Present Progressive tense, is a grammatical verb tense used to describe actions or events that may be ongoing or happening in the current moment.
It’s formed using the present tense of the verb ‘to be’ (am, is, are) and the base form of the main verb with the -ing suffix.
[Present tense of ‘to be’ (am, is, are)] + [Base form of the main verb + -ing]
Here’s an example:
Uncle John is [to be] heating up [verb] the oven while Aunt Jenna is in the shower.
Present Continuous vs Other Tenses
Grammar rules can be tricky. Perfect simple, perfect present, present continuous, and present perfect continuous tense - how and when should we use them? Worry not, here's a few examples to show you how.
#1 Present Continuous vs Present Simple
While the present continuous describes an action that’s currently happening, the present simple simply describes an action without specifying when it occurs.
Eg. I am reading a book on the animal kingdom right now (Present Continuous)
Eg. I read books on the animal kingdom (Present Simple)
#2 Present Continuous vs Present Perfect
While the present continuous describes an action that’s currently happening, the present perfect is used to describe an action that’s been completed at some point in the past but is still relevant to the present.
Eg. Sarah is painting a beautiful picture of her favourite waterfall (Present Continuous)
Eg. Sarah has painted many beautiful pictures of her favourite waterfall (Present Perfect)
Here, the present continuous shows us Sarah is currently painting the picture while the present perfect suggests that Sarah has completed the act of painting multiple pictures and they have significance or relevance to the present moment.
#3 Present Continuous vs Present Perfect Continuous
While the present continuous describes an action that’s happening right now, the present perfect continuous tense is often used to show that an action began in the past and continues up to the present or has just ended.
Eg. Billy and his friends are playing football in the park (Present Continuous)
Eg. Billy and his friends have been playing football in the park for two hours. (Present Perfect Continuous)
In the example above, the present continuous tense shows us that Billy and his friends are currently engaged in a game of football, while the present continuous tense suggests to us that the football game has been going on for two hours, and is most likely still ongoing at the present moment.
When should you use the Present Continuous tense
Similar to the simple present tense, you should use the present continuous tense if you wish to describe an action that’s happening right now. The tense emphasises the immediacy and ongoing nature of the action, making it suitable for situations like temporary actions, future plans, evolving circumstances, or expressing irritation at repetitive behaviors.
When should you NOT use the Present Continuous tense
As a general rule, we should avoid using stative verbs with the present continuous tense. Stative verbs describe a state of being, which does not show qualities of change.
Eg. Emily is preferring waffles over pancakes for breakfast. (Incorrect)
Eg. Emily prefers waffles over pancakes for breakfast. (Correct)
However, some stative verbs can be used in a dynamic way. For these verbs, you can use them in the present continuous tense. Here are some common verbs that can be both stative and dynamic verbs.
| Verb | Present Simple | Present Continuous |
|---|---|---|
| See | They see a movie | They are seeing a movie |
| Smell | She smells roses | She is smelling the roses |
| Think | He believes in honesty | He is believing in the power of truth |
| Have | She has lunch at home | She is having lunch at home right now |
| Be | He is immature | He is being immature |
