Present continuous/progressive – usos forma y estructura PRE-INTERMEDIO

Curso y lecciones de inglés gratis: LECCION 28 GRAMMAR (PRE-INTERMEDIATE: Present continuous )

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Today we are going to talk about the uses and structure of present continuous. We are going to focus on when to use this tense when we speak.
Remember that if you do not know how to form the present continuous please review the BASIC LESSON #8 HERE

Structure (Present Continuous / Present Progressive)

The present continuous is formed with the verb to be in the present (am/is/are) plus the “-ing” (present participle) form like in the following model

SUBJECT + (to be + -ing ) +COMPLEMENT

Examples:
– Malissa is looking for an apartment.
– Claudio isn’t studying.
– Maria is staying at the Marriot Hotel.

We DO NOT use auxiliaries do/does or don’t/doesn’t because we are using the verb to be.

*** Esta lección es la continuación de la lección 27 y es importante porque tenemos que aprender a saber las diferencias gramáticas entre el present continuous y el present simple.

Uses:

We use the present continuous tense for the following situations:

  • Actions happening at the moment (NOW) – LESSON: We use the present continuous for an action that is in progress at the time we are speaking.

Examples:

Listen! Mario is singing.
Look outside. It is raining.
What are you doing?

  • Temporary Actions: For a temporary situation or activity not necessarily happening at the moment. The most common verbs that are used for this situation are: live, stay, and work.

Examples:

– Is it your first time in Buenos Aires? Where are you staying?
– I had a problem with my parents. I am living with my best friend.
– Juan doesn’t work for IBM anymore. He is working in a restaurant.

In contrast, to express permanent facts we use the present simple
– I live in Bogota
– My wife works for Telefonica.

*** el objetivo principal de esta leccíon es entender cuando usar el PRESENT CONTINUOUS y no confundirlo con el PRESENT SIMPLE (Ir a la LECCION AQUI). Tiene que quedar claro que usamos el PRESENT CONTINUOUS para describir y hablar de acciones que pasan en el momento en que uno esta hablando (que estan paando AHORA) y con acciones TEMPORALES – Acciones que no son permanentes como hemos visto en los ejemplos. RECUERDEN QUE EN EL ESPAÑOL HAY OTRAS REGLAS ASI QUE NO TRADUZCAN.

También recuerden que estamos en el pre-intermedio asi que hay otros usos que luego tocaremos mas adelante en el curso.

Exercises :

Fill in the blanks with the present continuous verbs of the verbs in parenthesis

A: So what is happening (happen)? Are they having (they/have) a party?
B: Yes, they are
A: And what _______________________ (they/do)?
B: Well, a few of them _______________________ (dance).
A: ______________________________ (Mom and Dad/dance)?
B: Mom is but Dad _______________________ (talk) to uncle Jack and they _______________________ (laugh) a lot.
A: Is Aunty Linda there?
B: Yes she ____. She _______________________ with Brian from next door. Oh, and Dad _______________________ (give) everyone a drink now.
A: What _______________________ (they/drink)?
B: Coffee, I think. And some of them _______________________ (drink) juice. Mom _______________________ (not/drink) anything.
A: _______________________ (they/eat)?
B: Only crisps and nuts and some cheese.
A: And we _______________________ (not/eat) anything. It’s not fair!
B: But they think we _______________________ (sleep) upstairs.
A: Oh no, they don’t. They _______________________ (look) this way. I think Dad _______________________ (come) over here.