A. Study
this example situation:
Ann is in her car. She is on her
way to work.
She is driving to work.
This means: she is driving now,
at the time of speaking. The action is not finished.
Am/is/are ~ing is the present
continuous:
I am(= I'm) driving
he/she/it is(he's etc.) working
we/you/they are(we're etc.)
doing etc.
B. I am
doing something = I'm in the middle of doing something; I've started doing it
and I haven't finished yet.
Often the action is happening at
the time of speaking:
* Please don't make so much
noise. I'm working. (not 'I work')
* 'Where's Margaret?' 'She's
having a bath.' (not 'she has a bath')
* Let's go out now. It isn't
raining any more. (not 'it doesn't rain')
* (at a party) Hello, Jane. Are
you enjoying the party? (not 'do you enjoy')
* I'm tired. I'm going to bed
now. Goodnight!
But the action is not
necessarily happening at the time of speaking. For example:
Tom and Ann are talking in a
cafe. Tom says:
TOM: I'm reading an interesting
book at the moment. IT lend it to you when I've finished it.
Tom is not reading the book at
the time of speaking. He means that he has started it but not finished it yet.
He is in the middle of reading it.
Some more examples:
* Catherine wants to work in
Italy, so she is learning Italian. (but perhaps she isn't learning Italian
exactly at the time of speaking)
* Some friends of mine are
building their own house. They hope it will be finished before next summer.
C. We use the present
continuous when we talk about things happening in a period around now (for
example, today/this week/this evening etc.):
* 'You're working hard
today.' 'Yes, I have a lot to do.' (not
'you work hard today')
* 'Is Susan working this
week?' 'No, she's on holiday.'
We use the present continuous
when we talk about changes happening around now:
* The population of the world is
rising very fast. (not 'rises')
* Is your English getting
better? (not 'does your English get better')
EXERCISES
1.1 Complete the sentences with one of the
following verbs in the correct form:
come get happen look
make start stay
try work
1. 'You're working hard today.'
'Yes, I have a lot to do.'
2. I --- for Christine. Do you
know where she is? Am looking
3. It --- dark. Shall I turn on
the light? is getting
4. They haven't got anywhere to I've at the
moment. They --- with friends until they find somewhere.
Are staying
5. 'Are you ready, Ann?' 'Yes, I
---.' am coming
6. Have you got an umbrella? It
--- to rain. Is starting
7. You --- a lot of noise. Could
you be quieter? I --- to concentrate. Are making, am trying
8. Why are all these people here? What ---? Is
happening
1.2 Use the words in brackets to complete the
questions.
1. 'Is Colin working this week?'
'No, he's on holiday.' (Colin/work)
2. Why --- at me like that?
What's the matter? (you/look) are you looking
3. 'Jenny is a student at
university.' 'Is she? What --- ?' (she/study) is she studying
4. --- to the radio or can I
turn it off? (anybody/listen) Is anybody listening
5. How is your English? --- better? (it/get) Is
it getting
1.3 Put the verb into the correct form.
Sometimes you need the negative (I'm not doing etc.).
1. I'm tired. I'm going (go) to
bed now. Goodnight!
2. We can go out now. it isn't
raining (rain) any more.
3. 'How is your new job?' 'Not
so good at the moment. I --- (enjoy) it very much.' ‘m not enjoying
4. Catherine phoned me last
night. She's on holiday in France. She --- (have) a great time and doesn't want
to come back. ‘s having
5. I want to lose weight, so
this week I --- (eat) lunch. ‘m not eating
6. Angela has just started
evening classes. She --- (learn) German. ‘s learning
7. I think Paul and Ann have had an argument.
They --- (speak) to each other. Aren’t speaking
1.4 Read this conversation between Brian and
Sarah. Put the verbs into the correct form.
SARAH: Brian! How nice to see
you! What (1) --- (you/do) these days?
BRIAN: I (2) --- (train) to be a
supermarket manager.
SARAH: Really? What's it like?
(3) --- (you/enjoy) it?
BRIAN: It's all right. What
about you?
SARAH: Well, actually I (4) ---
(not/work) at the moment.
I (5) --- (try) to find a job
but it's not easy.
But I'm very busy. I (6) ---
(decorate) my flat.
BRIAN: (7) --- (you/do) it
alone?
SARAH: No, some friends of mine (8) --- (help)
me.
1.5 Complete the sentences using one of these
verbs: get change
rise fall increase
You don't have to use all the verbs and you
can use a verb more than once.
1. The population of the world
is rising very fast.
2. Ken is still ill but he ---
better slowly.
3. The world ---. Things never
stay the same.
4. The cost of living ---. Every
year things are more expensive.
5. The economic situation is
already very bad and it --- worse.
