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Topic: Present Continuous |
15 October 2002 |
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Now we have come to one of the scariest subject in a language.
That is tense. Once we get on the topic, we cant stop.
So please continue your lessons. Dont give up before you master them.
Lets beginning with the simplest tense of all: the present continuous tense.
We use the present continuous or present progressive tense to describe the action
that is in progress at the time of speaking.
For example:
Sue is in her class right now. She is studying English.
Some of her friends are passing notes around,
and the teacher is yelling at them.
Please be quiet. The baby is sleeping.
Mr. Brown is having a staff meeting right now. Can I take a message?
We use the present continuous tense to say that we are in the middle of doing something.
We have started doing something but haven't finished yet.
But the action is not necessary happening at the time of speaking.
For example:
I am reading a great novel called Nineteen-Eighty-Four,
written by George Orwell. (I started to read it but haven't finished it yet.
I am not actually reading it at the moment.)
He is working with a computer company. (He is not working right now.
But that's what he does for a living.)
The children are studying Japanese because
we are going to move to Japan next year. (They are not in school now.
But they are in the middle of a Japanese course.)
Sometimes we use the present continuous to talk about a future event.
For example:
Are you going to bed soon?
I am going to a movie tomorrow.
John is coming. We should wait for him.
The unemployment rate is rising very fast.
We are flying to Germany tomorrow.
Note :
Most Thai students are not confused over the use of the present continumous,
but they tend to forget the verb form. The pattern of the present continuous tense is
Verb to be (is/am/are) + Verb-ing
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Exercise: Present Continuous |
| Directions : Complete the following sentences but putting the given verbs in the correct form. |
 1.Please wait for me. I ________ (come) in a minute. |
| 2.She is angry with me and ________ (answer) the phone. |
| 3.Dont disturb your brother while he ________ (study). |
| 4.The neighbours ________ (have) a party tonight. |
| 5.What are you ________ (do) tonight? |
| 6.Mike is in the garage. He ________ (try) to fix his bike. |
| 7.The board ________ (have) a meeting. |
| 8.Everybody ________ (watch) TV. |
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Answers |
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