Scribd
Upload
52 views2 pages

Understanding Continuous Tenses

The document defines and provides examples of the present progressive, past progressive, future progressive, present perfect progressive, past perfect progressive, and future perfect progressive tenses in English. The present progressive is used for planned activities, activities happening now, and ongoing activities not happening at the time of speaking. The past progressive describes activities in progress in the past. The future progressive discusses activities that will be ongoing in the future. The present perfect progressive emphasizes duration from the past until now. The past perfect progressive refers to continuing past activities. Finally, the future perfect progressive emphasizes duration of future activities ending before another future time or event.

Uploaded by

David Mathieson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
52 views2 pages

Understanding Continuous Tenses

The document defines and provides examples of the present progressive, past progressive, future progressive, present perfect progressive, past perfect progressive, and future perfect progressive tenses in English. The present progressive is used for planned activities, activities happening now, and ongoing activities not happening at the time of speaking. The past progressive describes activities in progress in the past. The future progressive discusses activities that will be ongoing in the future. The present perfect progressive emphasizes duration from the past until now. The past perfect progressive refers to continuing past activities. Finally, the future perfect progressive emphasizes duration of future activities ending before another future time or event.

Uploaded by

David Mathieson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Continuous Tense

Present progressive
= am + (base form + -ing) : I am working. OR is + (base form + -ing) : She is eating. OR are + (base form + -ing) : We are studying. Uses 1. A planned activity. Sofia is starting school at CEC tomorrow 2. An activity that is occurring right now. Jan is watching TV right now. 3. An activity that is in progress, although not actually occurring at the time of speaking. Sara is learning English at CEC.

Past progressive
= was + (base form + -ing) : I was working. OR were + (base form + -ing) : They were eating. 1. A past activity in progress while another activity occurred. At 6:00 yesterday I was eating dinner. The phone rang while I was eating. 2. Two past activities in progress at the same time. While I was answering the phone, my wife was cooking dinner.

Future progressive
= will be + (base form + -ing): I will be working. He will be eating. An activity that will be in progress. Tomorrow Sam will be studying for the test on Unit 1.

Present perfect progressive


= have + (base form + -ing): I have been working. OR has + (base form + -ing): She has been eating. 1. This tense emphasizes the duration of an activity that began in the past and continues into the present. It often uses time words or phrases. It may be used to refer to continuing activity that is recent. He has been painting houses all summer. Ive been studying English for 2 years. 2. It may be used to refer to continuing activity that is recent. He has been going to school at CEC.

Past perfect progressive


= had + (base form + -ing) : I had been working. He had been eating. When the teacher arrived, I had been waiting almost 10 minutes. He was out of breath because he had been running to catch the bus.

Future perfect progressive


= will have + (base form + -ing): I will have been working. She will have been eating. This tense emphasizes the duration of a continuing activity in the future that ends before another activity or time in the future. By 2003 Janet will have been studying English at CEC for 3 years. By 9:45 tonight I will have been sitting in class for 2 hours and 45 minutes.

You might also like