Questions tagged [present-continuous]
It is used to express a continued or ongoing action at present time. It expresses an action which is in progress at the time of speaking. Using the suffix '-ing'
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Is the expression "I'm wearing shorts and sandals in the morning" correct?
The time expression "In the morning" can imply a different moment, not necessarily something which is happning at the moment of speaking.
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Is "it is looking good" slang?
I heard American people often say this.
Say, a person is drawing a picture. When he is halfway to finishing it, he says "it's looking good".
I was taught at school that many linking verbs (...
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What is the difference between Future Continuous and Present Continuous?
I heard that natives use Present Cont. to describe things in the future.
As I understood, we use Present Cont. when we have arranged an action or there is at least one person with whom we agreed to ...
Qwendr Jo
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What grammar should I use to talk about an action I've been doing for a long time and will definitely keep doing?
What grammar should I use if I want to talk about a routine action (something like "running, biking, wrestling, bowling") that I have been doing for a long time and will definitely go on ...
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Present Continuous+never for emotional tone
As we know Present Continuous is used with always / constantly to express some emotional nuance (often negative).
e.g. My sister is always borrowing my clothes without asking!
Can we similarly use ...
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Why do native speakers sometimes use present continuous when it seems like it should be present simple?
I'm a teacher of English and I try to dive a bit deeper into the language I teach. I have a good command of grammar, but I sometimes hear things like:
(all these examples are from vlogs by natives ...
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Is "covered wagons rolling access the prairies" wrong?
I am using Oxford's Dictonary Advanced learner + Oxford's Collocations dictionary - 10th edition - mobile application (licensed). I seen
In my thought, it is covered wagons are rolling access the ...
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Present continuous tense [closed]
Is it grammatically correct to say: I'm taking a shower today?
I've read that we can use present continuous with today, these days, etc.
I appreciate your help very much.
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What are you thinking of the class?
Is What are you thinking of the class? a natural way to ask your opinion about the class at the beginning of the course?
It's about the student's expectations, if they're being met. Or their first ...
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Present simple vs present continuous when describing a video
Person A: Let's watch this video now kids.
[plays the video]
[the dog in the video starts to bark at someone]
Person A: What is the dog doing?
A child: He's barking at someone.
In this exchange the ...
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Is it correct to use the word 'made' in the present continuous or simple present tense?
I am studying the English tenses and came across the following quiz:
Fill in the correct verb form: PRESENT SIMPLE or PRESENT PROGRESSIVE.
The delicious chocolate is ____ by a firm in Switzerland. (...
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Is the present continuous idiomatic in "I'm liking to take it easy on the weekend"?
Is I'm liking to take it easy on the weekend idiomatic?
The context is that I started to take it easy on the weekend recently and I'm liking the novalty, the new state of affairs.
I like to take it ...
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I'm running on weekends or I run on the weekend?
Is I'm running on weekends right?
I mean this as a habit in the present but I'm not confident I'll keep doing that for a long time.
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"I miss or I am missing" meaning I don't have it?
I also have all the
vinyls and flexis, but I'm still missing a few tapes, the really old ones .
I think miss would be better than is missing .
Does Is missing mean that the writer thinks that he is ...
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Why don't we use Present Continuous in example
I know that we should use Present Simple when we talk about things in general and Present Continuous when we talk about something incomplete that is happening around time of speaking. I also know that ...
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Where is the girl going or where the girl is going?
Where is the girl going?
or
Where the girl is going?
Is/subject/ -ing in present continuous questions
Which one is right according to the Grammer?
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Where do we use "IT" in sentence? For person we use he/she in singular [closed]
"It" in which sentence it is used
For Tom we use he
For Niana we use she
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Am having or have in this case
Imagine I am trying to connect my smartphone to the net. The problem is that I am sitting in a train and the connection is not working .
What can I say " I am having difficulties to be connected ...
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"I wasn't listening to what the teacher was saying"? "I didn't listen to what the teacher was saying"?
We often avoid repeating the continuous form, do we? Like you say
What do you think you are doing?
instead of
What are you thinking you are doing?
How about the following sentences?
I wasn't ...
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Use of simple present and present continuous in subtitles for background sound
I was watching a movie with subtitles and I found many instances where it used two different tense for referring background sounds.
For example: Sirens wail;
motor whirring; engine revving; phone ...
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Why does the present continuous form of "mimic" become "mimicking"?
In most cases, the present continuous tense of a verb is appending "ing" to the end of the verb, like "playing" for "play", but why does "mimic" become "...
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I ___(to read) your book. It's fantastic. I'll finish it tonight
I have passed the English grammar test. I'm B1 and can't complain about that. But I have a major questions about verb tenses anyway.
I ______ your book. It's fantastic. I'll finish it tonight.
have ...
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Janet is going on a vacation. (is this progressive or future?)
Janet is going on a vacation.
I saw this sentence on internet. Is Janet now, at this moment, going on a vacation? Or, does Janet have a plan to go on a vacation very soon?
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How to tell if I need to put present continuous or past simple in a sentence
For example:
I was getting ready.
I got ready.
When do I use which?
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Presnt Continuous or Present Perfect Continuous? [duplicate]
Source:
https://english.elpais.com/economy-and-business/2023-03-16/blackrocks-larry-fink-does-not-rule-out-a-liquidity-crisis-after-svb-collapse.html
Fink states that since the 2008 financial crisis, ...
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present simple and continuous tense
My teacher said the second sentences below is wrong, but it looks grammatically correct to me. Help!
I’m spending this weekend near the coast. I go there nearly every weekend.
I spend this weekend ...
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Maybe the dream "is telling" you the future when you "are sleeping" - When we make a general statement, can we use the present continuous tense?
When we make a general statement (something habitual, or something regularly occurring), can we use the present continuous tense?
Example 1
A: I have been seeing dreams recently.
B: Maybe the dream ...
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"I have an emergency" vs. "I'm having an emergency"
Can you please tell me if both sentences below are perfectly natural and have the same meaning?
I can't visit you today as I have an emergency.
I can't visit you today as I'm having an emergency.
I'...
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Present perfect vs Present continuous with period around now
I know that we can use Present continuous with period around now. For example
You are working hard today.
but we can also use Present perfect and Present perfect continuous with period around now. ...
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Rule of thumb for "temporary" and "permanent"
We use the present simple to talk about permanent facts and general truths. In this example we don’t expect the situation to change.
She lives with her parents.
We use the present continuous to talk ...
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He's always flirting with you -- no irritation [closed]
He's always flirting with you
One girls says that to another to encourage her to talk to a boy. She's not irritated in any way -- and that's what this structure is generally used for.
Is she stressing ...
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present progressive vs present simple
1.If your dog is wagging its tail when they're playing with another dog, that's a sign of a happy dog.
2.If a dog is wagging its tail when encountering an unfamiliar child, it is safe for the child to ...
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Conditionals (1st conditional)
I am wondering if we can use present continuous in the “main clause”? And if so, yes why?
Example:
If you do that again, I am killing you.
The right way to say it is:
If you do that again, I will ...
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Present Progressive indicates progressive or near future?
A woman says, “My toes are turning red. I think I’m getting frostbite.” at 0:46 of the ABC News clip: https://ia600909.us.archive.org/29/items/KGO_20101216_013000_ABC_World_News_With_Diane_Sawyer/...
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How to use the present continuous with performative verbs?
My textbook says:
Some verbs used as performatives with the present simple in affirmative (= positive) sentences (apologize, deny, guarantee, promise) have a similar meaning with either the present ...
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what are you thinking about this car?
The norm is "What do you think about this car?"
But would it not make any sense to say:
"What are you thinking about this car?" to mean "what is that that you are thinking ...
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Why is the present simple not possible here? (cost)
I have the following exercise in my textbook:
This weekend costs / is costing me a fortune — but it’s worth it.
It is asked to choose the correct or more natural form of cost.
The correct answer is ...
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Why is the present continuous not possible here? (cost)
I have the following exercise in my textbook:
Flights always cost / are always costing a fortune during school holidays.
It is asked to choose the correct or more natural form of cost.
The correct ...
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Why is the present continuous possible here? (run)
I have the following exercise in my textbook:
I can’t complain. I (run) my own consultancy business.
The context is “. . . conversation between two ex-colleagues who have not seen each other for ...
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Why is only the present continuous appropriate here?
I have the following exercise in my textbook:
So, Matt, how are things with you? You look very well. I hear you (do) OK for yourself.
The context is “. . . conversation between two ex-colleagues who ...
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Why is the present continuous possible here? (look)
I have the following exercise in my textbook:
So, Matt, how are things with you? You (look) very well.
The context is “. . . conversation between two ex-colleagues who have not seen each other for ...
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Which one of the present simple and present continuous to use with stative verbs?
My textbook explains that “we use the present simple with states or situations that exist at the present moment.” As an example the textbook gives the following sentence:
This cake tastes wonderful. ...
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"I've brought my car to repair" Or "I am bringing my car for repair"?
Which one is more natural/common way to say:
I am bringing my car to repair
I am bringing my car for repairing
I have brought my car to repair
I have brought my car for repairing
After I entered a ...
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I am having a party at 7 PM [closed]
Is it OK to specify the time when the party starts yet to use the present continuous?
I am having a party at 7 PM.
Why I think it might be wrong is because 7 PM refers to a schedule. So, why not the ...
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The usage of "be having" with repeated actions
I am always having a good time when I go to the cinema.
I think it wrong.
I always have a good time when I go to the cinema. - correct.
She is always taking a shower when I arrive. - correct
She ...
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The present continuous vs. the present perfect continuous when talking about temporary habitual actions?
Would you please tell me if there is any difference in meaning between the present continuous the present perfect continuous when talking about temporary habitual actions? For example:
I'm going to ...
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"Is there a reason you ask?" vs. "is there a reason you are asking" in context? [duplicate]
Can you please tell me if there is a difference in meaning between is there a reason you ask? and is there a reason you are asking? In the context below?
Person A: Are you going to work on Saturday.
...
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"I don't hear you clearly" vs. "I'm not hearing you clearly" in context
Would you please tell me if there is any difference in meaning between I don't hear you clearly and I'm not hearing you clearly in the context below?
Would you please speak into the phone as I don't ...
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I am reading/I read this book (for) three hours every other day
1 Is it true that "for" means three hours in a row while without "for" it means three random hours?
2 Which tense fits better with this sentence? Or both are OK?
1 I am reading ...
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He is calling me every Saturday. What are the meanings? [closed]
I know that the usual way is:
He calls me every Saturday.
But I think "He is calling me every Saturday" must mean something. My assumption is that it can mean:
a) He spends every Saturday ...
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