TENSES AND THEIR USES
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| TENSES AND THEIR USES / Part-2 PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE |
PART-2
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Continuous Tense or Present Progressive Tense is an important division of the Present Tense which indicates that an action or event is taking place right now and may continue into the future.
The Present Continuous Tense of verb is formed with two parts
i) the present tense form of the verb 'to be': am, is, are (any one)
1st Person (Singular):- I am .....
1st Person (Plural):-We are ....
2nd Person (Singular):- You are.....
2nd Person (Plural):- You are...
3rd Person (Singular):- He is/She is /Rajiv is/ Rehena is/ The boy is/The girl is
3rd Person (Plural):- They are/ Girls are/ Rajiv and Rehena are.
ii) The Present Participle form of a finite verb as
playing, writing, running, swimming etc.
Note:- The spelling of the Present Participle
A)If the verb ends in a single 'e', this 'e' is dropped and then -ing is added.
write=>writing
create=> creating
argue=> arguing.
love=>loving
Exceptions:-
i) age=> ageing
dye =>dyeing
singe=>singeing.
ii)When the verb ends in 'ee', only -ing is added, no 'e' is dropped
agree-agreeing
see-seeing
B) When a verb of one syllable has one vowel and ends in a single consonant, this consonant is doubled before adding 'ing'.
run-running
hit-hitting
stop-stopping
C) If the verb has two or more syllables whose last syllable contains only one vowel and ends in a single consonant, the last syllable is doubled if the stress falls on the last syllable:-
admit- admitting
begin-beginning
prefer-preferring
Exceptions:-
enter-entering
budget-budgeting
(Here stress is not on the last syllable.)
D) The final 'l' after a single vowel is always doubled.
signal=> signalling
travel=>travelling.
E) If a verb ends in 'y', ing can be added without affecting its spelling e.g.
carry=>carrying
study=>studying
hurry=>hurrying
carry=> carrying
CONJUGATION OF SOME VERBS
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB 'To read'
Affirmative Sentence
{Sub+ Be Verb(am/is/are)+ Present Participle form of the finite verb( v-ing)}
1st Person (Singular) :- I am reading.
1st Person (Plural) :-We are reading.
2nd Person (Singular):- You are reading.
2nd Person (Plural):- You are reading.
3rd Person (Singular) :- He is reading. /She is reading./ Sanjay is reading.
3rd Person (Plural) :-They are reading./ Sanjay and Shilpa are reading.
NEGATIVE SENTENCE
{Sub+am/is/are+ not+ Present Participle form of the finite verb(v-ing)}
1st Person (Singular) :- I am not reading.
1st Person (Plural):-- We are not reading.
2nd Person (Singular) :-You are not reading.
2nd Person (Plural) :- You are not reading.
3rd Person (Singular):- He is not reading. /She is not reading./ Subham is not reading.
3rd Person( Plural):-They are not reading. Subham and Kritika are not reading.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE
{Am/Is/Are+ Sub+ Present Participle form of the finite verb(v-ing)?
1st Person (Singular) :-Am I reading?
1st Person (Plural):- Are we reading?
2nd Person (Singular):- Are you reading?
2nd Person (Plural):- Are you reading?
3rd Person (Singular) :- Is he reading? / Is she reading? Is Trishna reading?
3rd Person (Plural):- Are they reading?/ Are Trishna and Tridip reading?
Conjugation of the verb 'to write'
1st Person (Singular):- I am writing.
1st Person (Plural) :- We are writing.
2nd Person (Singular):- You are writing
2nd Person (Plural):-- You are writing.
3rd Person (Singular):- He is writing. /She is writing./ Pritam is writing.
3rd Person (Plural):- They are writing./ Pritam and Prerana are writing.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB *TO RUN*
1st Person (Singular):- I am running.
1st Person (Plural):- We are running.
2nd Person (Singular):- You are running.
2nd Person (Plural):- You are running.
3rd Person (Singular):- He is running./She is running./Dipika is running.
3rd Person (Plural) :- They are running./ Deepika and Dinesh are running.
USES OF THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
The Present Continuous Tense is used in the following cases/situations.
i) FOR AN ACTION HAPPENING NOW
We use the Present Continuous Tense to describe an action or event, which is going on at the time of speaking.
Examples:-
We are reading English Grammar now.
The baby is playing.
The Principal is discussing the matter with the teachers now.
Someone is knocking at the door.
She is singing now.
Why are you crying?
ii) FOR AN ACTION HAPPENING ABOUT THIS TIME BUT NOT AT THR TIME OF SPEAKING
Present Continuous Tense is used to describe an action that is currently taking place, but not necessarily at the time of speaking.
( Present Continuous Tense is used for a temporary action which may not be actually happening at the time of speaking. :Wren and Martin:)
Examples:-
I am reading 'Robinson Crusoe'. (but I am not reading the book at this moment.)
He is working in this office now.(He may not be working at the moment of speaking)
Mr Barua is writing a novel.(He may not be writing it at this time now)
What is your brother doing now?
(Here 'now' may mean the moment of speaking', but may also mean 'now' in a more general sense.
Thomson and Martinet)
iii) The Present Continuous Tense is used describe an action which begins before a point of time and probably continues after it.
At seven o' clock, he is reading a book.
(He starts reading before seven and probably continues after seven.)
They are playing tennis in the school play ground.
iv) We use the Present Continuous Tense to describe current trends/ newly acquired habits.
Examples
Students are spending more time with their mobile phones than making studies now-a-days.
People are becoming less tolerant of smoking now.
People are becoming aware of their rights these days.
v) We also use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about something which is changing or developing, using verbs such as getting, becoming, growing.
Jessica is getting taller every day.
Her idea of uniting the villagers for the common cause is becoming popular now.
His knowledge is growing deeper every day.
vi) The Present Continuous Tense is used to talk about an event which is pre-planned or arranged to take place in near future.
(Present Continuous Tense is used for an action that has already been arranged to take place in the near future.
Wren and Martin)
Examples:-
We are leaving for Delhi next week.
I am meeting the chairman tomorrow.
Our examination is beginning from next Monday.
The Inspector of Schools is visiting our school shortly.
I am going to the cinema now.
vii) The Present Continuous Tense is used to talk about a habit or something that we do often. Generally they are used with some Adverb of Frequency such as always, continually, regularly, forever etc.
(Wren and Martin write - Simple Present Tense is used for a habitual action. However, the reference is to a particularly obstinate habit - something which persists for example, inspite of advice or warning- we use the Present Continuous Tense with an adverb like always, continually, constantly.
My dog is very silly; he is constantly running out into the road.)
Other Examples:-
You are always making excuse.
They are forever talking in the class.
This girl is regularly making arguments about everything.
{ Thomson and Martinet write- For a frequently repeated action, usually when the frequency annoys the speaker or seems unreasonable to him, the Present Continuous Tense is used. 'Tom is always going away for weekends'. (Present Continuous) would imply that he goes away very often in the speaker's opinion. But it does not necessarily mean that he goes away every weekend. It is not a literal statement.)
viii) We use the Present Continuous Tense to indicate that a situation is only temporary.
She is working in Oxford this winter. She usually works in Budapest.
(Hester Lott:: Senior School Grammar & Composition.)
Other Example
He is living in Mumbai although he lives in Guwahati permanently.
Mr Sharmah is writing a novel now. But he regularly composes poems.
ix) When two actions are happening at the same time in the Present Tense, one action interrupting another continuing action, we use the Present Continuous Tense that started before and the Present Indefinite Tense for the other.
Your phone always rings when we are having discussion on some important issues.
(Here the action that is happening is 'are having discussion on important matters' and the action that interrupts is 'your phone rings.')
Note:-
STATIVE VERBS AND CONTINUOUS TENSE
There are some verbs in English which are not normally used in Continuous Tense. These verbs refer to states (experience, thinking, emotion, perception etc) rather than to actions. These verbs are called 'Stative verbs'.
These types of verbs are
a) Verbs of thinking/ verbs of mental activity:- know, think, believe, remember, understand, , imagine, appreciate (understand), consider, assume, agree, suppose, mind, trust, mean, forget, expect (think), feel (think), feel sure, feel certain, recollect, think (have an opinion), trust (believe/have confidence in)etc.
We donot write-
'I am understanding the critical situation that you have to face'.
We have to write as
'I understand the critical situation that you have to face'
Similarly instead of saying 'I am thinking you are wrong' , we should say ' I think you are wrong.'
Similarly we write/say
I remember how the film ends. (Not- I am remembering ......)
I do not trust him.
(Not- I am not trusting him.)
The Construction Company expect to complete the work in December.
(We do not write - The Consruction company is expecting......... )
Stop exercising if you feel any pain.
(Not- ..... if you are feeling any pain.)
b) Verbs of feelings and emotion:-
admire(respect), love, hate, hope, want, wish, feel, fear, loathe, desire, like, dislike, prefer, want, refuse, reject, mind (care), etc.
We donot write-
I am hoping for the better.
We write as
I hope for the better.
Similarly
I hate caste system.
(Not... I am hating the caste system.)
We write-
Do you like your new job?
But we do not write-
Are you not liking your new job?
c) Verbs of perception or verbs of sense:-
see, hear, smell, notice, recognise etc.
We donot write
I am hearing a strange sound coming from the next room.
Rather we write
I hear a strange sound coming from the next room.
Similarly we write
I see an aeroplane in the sky.
But we do not write
I am seeing an aeroplane in the sky.
d) Verbs of Possession:-
own, possess, belong to, consist (of), have (to possess), contain, be etc.
Normally we do not write/say -
She is possessing a beautiful house.
Instead we write-
She possesses a beautiful house.
Similarly we don't write-
She is having a nice car.
Rather we write-
She has a nice car.
e) Verbs of appearing
appear, seem, look, resemble etc.
We don't say:-
His face is resembling his father's.
Rather we should say
His face resembles his father's.
We don't write-
She is seeming sad.
We should write as-
She seems sad.
However, the verbs listed above can be used in the Continuous Tenses with a change of meaning:
She is tasting the soup to see if it needs more salt.
(taste= taste the flavour of.)
I am thinking of going to Malayasia.
(think of= consider the idea of.)
They are having lunch.
(have=eat)
Now let's observe the following sentences and have some idea of the use of stative verbs before ending our discussion on the Use of Present Continuous Tense.
Wrong:- We are seeing with our eyes.
Right:- We see with our eyes.
Wrong:- It is appearing to be correct.
Right :- It appears to be correct.
Wrong :- The water is feeling cold.
Right:- The water feels cold.
Wrong :- I am liking to eat chocolates.
Right :- I like to eat chocolates.
Wrong:- Are you understanding my problem?
Right:- Do you understand my problems?
Wrong:- She is preferring to have junk food.
Right:- She prefers to have junk food.
Wrong:- Vijay is liking to eat meat.
Right :- Vijay likes to eat meat.
Wrong:- How much is she owning you?
Right:- How much does she own you?
Wrong:- They are wanting to watch a tele-film.
Right:- They want to watch a tele-film.
Wrong:- He is owning a big house.
Right:- He owns a big house.
Wrong :- It is seeming funny.
Right:- It seems funny.
Wrong:- I am hearing a big noise.
Right:- I hear a big noise.
Wrong:- I am hating it.
Wrong:- I hate it.
Wrong :- They are believing God.
Right:- They believe in God.
Wrong::- I am smelling something burning.
Right :- I smell something burning.
Wrong::- I am differing you on this point.
Right:- I differ you on this point.
