Usos y estructura del PRESENT CONTINUOUS

The present continuous is formed with the verb to be in the present (am/is/are) plus the “-ing” (present participle) form like in the following model

SUBJECT + (to be + -ing ) +COMPLEMENT

Examples:
- Malissa is looking for an apartment.
- Claudio isn’t studying.
- Maria is staying at the Marriot Hotel.

We DO NOT use auxiliaries do/does or don’t/doesn’t because we are using the verb to be.

*** Esta lección es la continuación de la lección 27 y es importante porque tenemos que aprender a saber las diferencias gramáticas entre el present continuous y el present simple.

Uses:

We use the present continuous tense for the following situations:

• Actions happening at the moment (NOW) – LESSON: We use the present continuous for an action that is in progress at the time we are speaking.

Examples:

Listen! Mario is singing.
Look outside. It is raining.
What are you doing?

• Temporary Actions: For a temporary situation or activity not necessarily happening at the moment. The most common verbs that are used for this situation are: live, stay, and work.

Examples:

- Is it your first time in Buenos Aires? Where are you staying?
- I had a problem with my parents. I am living with my best friend.
- Juan doesn’t work for IBM anymore. He is working in a restaurant.

In contrast, to express permanent facts we use the present simple
- I live in Bogota
- My wife works for Telefonica.

el objetivo principal de esta leccíon es entender cuando usar el PRESENT CONTINUOUS y no confundirlo con el PRESENT SIMPLE. Tiene que quedar claro que usamos el PRESENT CONTINUOUS para describir y hablar de acciones que pasan en el momento en que uno esta hablando (que estan pasando AHORA) y con acciones TEMPORALES – Acciones que no son permanentes como hemos visto en los ejemplos. RECUERDEN QUE EN EL ESPAÑOL HAY OTRAS REGLAS ASI QUE NO TRADUZCAN.

También recuerden que estamos en el pre-intermedio asi que hay otros usos que luego tocaremos mas adelante en el curso.

Exercises :

Fill in the blanks with the present continuous verbs of the verbs in parenthesis

A: So what is happening (happen)? Are they having (they/have) a party?
B: Yes, they are
A: And what _______________________ (they/do)?
B: Well, a few of them _______________________ (dance).
A: ______________________________ (Mom and Dad/dance)?
B: Mom is but Dad _______________________ (talk) to uncle Jack and they _______________________ (laugh) a lot.
A: Is Aunty Linda there?
B: Yes she ____. She _______________________ with Brian from next door. Oh, and Dad _______________________ (give) everyone a drink now.
A: What _______________________ (they/drink)?
B: Coffee, I think. And some of them _______________________ (drink) juice. Mom _______________________ (not/drink) anything.
A: _______________________ (they/eat)?
B: Only crisps and nuts and some cheese.
A: And we _______________________ (not/eat) anything. It’s not fair!
B: But they think we _______________________ (sleep) upstairs.
A: Oh no, they don’t. They _______________________ (look) this way. I think Dad _______________________ (come) over here.