Actions in progress
Use the present continuous (am / is / are + verb-ing) for actions happening now or around now. Use the past continuous (was / were + verb-ing) for actions that were in progress at a moment in the past.
| Present continuous | Past continuous | |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | I am working. She is working. They are working. | I was working. They were working. |
| Negative | She isn’t working. | They weren’t working. |
| Question | Is she working? | Were they working? |
Spelling of -ing
| Rule | Base | -ing |
|---|---|---|
| Most verbs: add -ing | work, play, eat | working, playing, eating |
| Ends in silent -e: drop it | make, write, dance | making, writing, dancing |
| One short vowel + one consonant: double | run, sit, swim, stop | running, sitting, swimming, stopping |
| Ends in -ie → -ying | lie, die, tie | lying, dying, tying |
When do we use them?
Rule
Present continuous
- Now: I’m reading a book right now.
- Around now / temporary: She’s studying for her exams this month.
- Fixed plans: We’re flying to Rome on Friday.
- Changing situations: The weather is getting colder.
Rule
Past continuous
- A longer action in progress at a past moment: At 8 pm I was watching TV.
- Background + interruption: I was walking home when it started to rain. (long action = past continuous; short action = past simple)
- Two actions at the same time: While she was cooking, he was setting the table.
Background (long)
I was walking home
Interruption (short)
when it started to rain
Lots of examples
- Look! It is raining.Now.
- I am learning English this year.Temporary.
- They aren’t listening to the teacher.Negative.
- Are you using the computer?Question.
- We are meeting Anna at six.Arrangement.
- At nine o’clock last night I was reading.Past moment.
- She was sleeping when the phone rang.Interruption.
- While I was waiting, I made a call.While + continuous.
- The kids were playing in the garden all afternoon.Long past action.
- What were you doing at 10 o’clock?Past question.
- He was not paying attention.Past negative.
- Prices are rising quickly.Change.
Don’t say / Say
Don’t sayI am knowing him.
SayI know him.Why: Stative verbs are not continuous.
Don’t sayShe is work now.
SayShe is working now.Why: be + verb-ing.
Don’t sayI was walk home when it rained.
SayI was walking home when it rained.Why: Past continuous needs -ing.
Don’t sayI am having a car.
SayI have a car.Why: Have (possess) is stative.
Don’t sayHe was run in the park.
SayHe was running in the park.Why: Double the n.