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    Continuous Tense Explanation

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    cna.english.course
    The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or ongoing over a period of time. It can also describe planned future actions. Certain verbs like think, know, want are usually not used in the continuous form when describing mental states or opinions. The present perfect continuous tense describes actions that began in the past and continue in the present, or have just finished. The past continuous describes background actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. The past perfect continuous similarly describes the duration of a prior action before another specified past time.

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    Continuous Tense Explanation

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    cna.english.course
    16 views5 pages
    The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or ongoing over a period of time. It can also describe planned future actions. Certain verbs like think, know, want are usually not used in the continuous form when describing mental states or opinions. The present perfect continuous tense describes actions that began in the past and continue in the present, or have just finished. The past continuous describes background actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. The past perfect continuous similarly describes the duration of a prior action before another specified past time.

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    CONTINUOUS TENSE EXPLANATION

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    The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or ongoing over a period of time. It can also describe planned future actions. Certain verbs like think, know, want are usually not used in the continuous form when describing mental states or opinions. The present perfect continuous tense describes actions that began in the past and continue in the present, or have just finished. The past continuous describes background actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. The past perfect continuous similarly describes the duration of a prior action before another specified past time.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    16 views5 pages

    Continuous Tense Explanation

    Uploaded by

    cna.english.course
    The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or ongoing over a period of time. It can also describe planned future actions. Certain verbs like think, know, want are usually not used in the continuous form when describing mental states or opinions. The present perfect continuous tense describes actions that began in the past and continue in the present, or have just finished. The past continuous describes background actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. The past perfect continuous similarly describes the duration of a prior action before another specified past time.

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    of 5

    PRESENT CONTINUOUS

    The present continuous is used:

     to describe an action that is going on at this moment: You are using the
    Internet. You are studying English grammar.
     to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend: Are you
    still working for the same company? More and more people are becoming vegetarian.
     to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or
    prepared: We're going on holiday tomorrow. I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight. Are
    they visiting you next winter?
     to describe a temporary event or situation: He usually plays the drums, but he's
    playing bass guitar tonight. The weather forecast was good, but it's raining at the
    moment.
     with "always, forever, constantly", to describe and emphasise a continuing series
    of repeated actions: Harry and Sally are always arguing! You're constantly
    complaining about your mother-in-law!

    Verbs that are not usually used in the continuous form

    The verbs in the list below are normally used in the simple form because they refer to states,
    rather than actions or processes.

    Senses / perception

     to feel*
     to hear
     to see*
     to smell
     to taste

    Opinion

     to assume
     to believe
     to consider
     to doubt
     to feel (= to think)
     to find (= to consider)
     to suppose
     to think*
    Mental states

     to forget
     to imagine
     to know
     to mean
     to notice
     to recognise
     to remember
     to understand

    Emotions / desires

     to envy
     to fear
     to dislike
     to hate
     to hope
     to like
     to love
     to mind
     to prefer
     to regret
     to want
     to wish

    Measurement

     to contain
     to cost
     to hold
     to measure
     to weigh

    Others

     to look (=resemble)
     to seem
     to be (in most cases)
     to have (when it means "to possess")*
    Exceptions
    Perception verbs (see, hear, feel, taste, smell) are often used with CAN: I can see... These
    verbs may be used in the continuous form but with a different meaning

     This coat feels nice and warm. (your perception of the coat's qualities)
     John's feeling much better now (his health is improving)
     She has three dogs and a cat. (possession)
     She's having supper. (She's eating)
     I can see Anthony in the garden (perception)
     I'm seeing Anthony later (We are planning to meet)

    PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

    The present perfect continuous is used to refer to an unspecified time between 'before now'
    and 'now'. The speaker is thinking about something that started but perhaps did not finish in
    that period of time. He/she is interested in the process as well as the result, and this process
    may still be going on, or may have just finished.

    Actions that started in the past and continue in the present


    She has been waiting for you all day (= and she's still waiting now).
    I've been working on this report since eight o'clock this morning (= and I still haven't
    finished it).
    They have been travelling since last October (= and they're not home yet).

    Actions that have just finished, but we are interested in the results
    She has been cooking since last night (= and the food on the table looks delicious).
    It's been raining (= and the streets are still wet).
    Someone's been eating my chips (= half of them have gone).

    PAST CONTINUOUS

    Functions of the past continuous

    The past continuous describes actions or events in a time before now, which began in the past
    and were still going on when another event occurred.

    It is used:
     Often, to describe the background in a story written in the past tense, e.g. "The
    sun was shining and the birds were singing as the elephant came out of the jungle. The
    other animals were relaxing in the shade of the trees, but the elephant moved very
    quickly. She was looking for her baby, and she didn't notice the hunter who was
    watching her through his binoculars. When the shot rang out, she was running towards
    the river..."
     To describe an unfinished action that was interrupted by another event or action,
    e.g. "I was having a beautiful dream when the alarm clock rang."
     To express a change of mind: e.g. "I was going to spend the day at the beach but I've
    decided to get my homework done instead."
     With 'WONDER', to make a very polite request: e.g. "I was wondering if you could
    baby-sit for me tonight."

    Examples

     They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened.
     Caroline was skiing when she broke her leg.
     When we arrived he was having a bath.
     When the fire started I was watching television.

    Note: with verbs not normally used in the continuous form, the simple past is used.

    PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

    Functions of the past perfect continuous

    The past perfect continuous corresponds to the present perfect continuous, but with
    reference to a time earlier than 'before now'. As with the present perfect continuous, we are
    more interested in the process.

    Examples

     Had you been waiting long before the taxi arrived?


     We had been trying to open the door for five minutes when Jane found her key.
     It had been raining hard for several hours and the streets were very wet.
     Her friends had been thinking of calling the police when she walked in.

    This form is also used in reported speech. It is the equivalent of the past continuous and the
    present perfect continuous in direct speech:

     Jane said, "I have been gardening all afternoon." = Jane said she had been
    gardening all afternoon.
     When the police questioned him, John said, "I was working late in the office that night."
    = When the police questioned him, John told them he had been working late in the
    office that night.

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