Present continuous tense Rules. Auxiliary verb “am or is or are” is used in sentence. 1st form of verb or base verb + ing (presentparticiple) is used as main verb in sentence. Question: Can we form the with verb ill? For example: I am illing or I am ill. What is the right and why? Answer ill is not a verb. If … Read more
Do you think it’s correct if I use present continuous tense in this sentence? Tonight, Mike and I are watching a film at home. I think present continuous is used for arrangement. But my teacher say that I should use “be going to” in stead of “present continuous tense”. Please help me. Thanks. Answer Well, … Read more
I was playing an ESL Future Tenses Review Game when I came across the following question: You and your friend are reading. It’s getting dark and you decide to turn on the light. You stand up and walk towards the light switch. A: What are you doing? B: __________________ I’ll turn on the light. I’m … Read more
Could anyone please clarify this specific use of the Present Continuous for me? The following two excerpts are taken from movies: 1) Malcolm in the Middle He’s giving that same lecture to younger classmen. I can’t let that happen. I’m stealing his slides. 2) Groundhog Day [Phil has been brought to a hotel by his … Read more
We know for a fact that if a stative predicate is used in the progressive form, it will change the meaning of the sentence, e.g. ‘I have a car’ / ‘I’m having a headache’, where in the former a possessive meaning is given, and in the latter an experience meaning is given. According to the … Read more
I know that theoretically you can use both statements in English: a) Look! The sun rises. b) Look! The sun is rising. But is anybody (who is a native speaker) saying “Look! The sun rises.”? In German, for instance, it is absolutely normal (and common) to use the equivalent of statement “a”. Answer If you … Read more
Simple present is used to show a fact Cats like milk. Birds do not like milk. Do pigs like milk? ABC city is in the country XNZ. Speakers sometimes use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is happening or is not happening now. This can only be done with Non-Continuous Verbs … Read more
Some days ago I found an interesting question. As I know we can use some stative verbs in continuos with a difference in meaning. There are two sentences: We’d been wanting to go to New Zealand for years, so sixtieth birthday was a good excuse We’re wanting to buy a new TV, but we are … Read more
Why are your hands so dirty ? Well,I________ in the garden 1-Worked 2- Have worked 3- Have been working Answer “I have worked in the garden” gives no feeling for when you worked there, other than at some time in the past. You may have worked there last year, which does not explain why your … Read more
I realize that idiomatically the present continuous is used to describe a current ongoing process, but is the tense necessary? Could the present tense with a current adverb suffice? Is it grammatical to say: I study English now. Or, I study English currently. Do I need the present continuous? Answer Whether a tense is necessary … Read more
