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Present continuous

PRESENT CONTINUOUS  (I AM DOING)

Etudiez ces exemples :

Sarah 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/are + ing is the present continuous:

I am doing something = I'm in the middle of doing it; I've started doing it and I haven't finished yet.

Please don't make so much noise. I'm trying to work. (not 'I try')

Where's John? He's having a shower. (not 'he has a shower')

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')

What's all that noise? What's going on? (=what's happening)

The action is not necessarily happening at the time of speaking. For example:

I'm reading a really good book at the moment. It's about a man who…

 John is not reading the book at the time of speaking.

 He means that he has started it, but has not finished it yet.

 He is in the middle of reading it.

You can use the present continuous with today/this week/this year etc. (periods around now);

• You're working hard today. (not 'you work hard today')
• Yes, I have a lot to do.
• The company I work for isn't doing so well this year.

We use the present continuous when we talk about changes happening around now, especially with these verbs:

get / change / become / increase / rise / fall / grow / improve / begin/ start

• Is your English getting better? (not 'does your English get better')
• The population of the world is increasing very fast. (not 'increases')
• At first I didn't like my job, but I'm beginning to enjoy it now. (not 'I begin')

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1. You have workedare workingworkedI don't know hard today. Yes, I have a lot to do.

2. I lookedam lookingwas lookingI don't know for Jessy. Do you know where she is?

3. It gotis gettinggetsI don't know dark. Shall I turn on the light?

4. They don't have anywhere to live at the moment. They would stayare stayingstayedI don't know with friends until they find somewhere.

5. Things are not so good at work. The company is losinglosthave been losingI don't know money.

6. Have you got an umbrella? It is startinghave startedstartedI don't know to rain.

7. You madeare makinghave madeI don't know a lot of noise. Can you be quieter? I am trying to concentrate.

8. Why are all these people here? What is happeningwill happenhappensI don't know ?

9. The population of the world increasesis increasingwill increaseI don't know very fast.

10. The world is changinghave changedwould changeI don't know. Things never stay the same.

11. The situation is already bad and it is gettinghave gothave been gettingI don't know worse.

12. The cost of living have roseroseis risingI don't know. Every year things are more expensive.

13. The weather is beginningwill beginbeganI don't know to improve. The rain has stopped, and the wind isn't as strong.

14. Let's go out now. It is rainwill rainisn't rainingI don't know any more.

15. You can turn off the radio. I am not listeningam not listenlistenedI don't know to it.

16. Flora phoned me last night. She's on holiday in France. She have hadhadis havingI don't know a great time and doesn't want to come back.

17. I want to lose weight, so this week I am not eatingnot eathaven't ateI don't know lunch.