VERBS - PART IV
CONTINUOUS TENSES
ACTIVE VOICE

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Verbs Intro| Simple Tenses | Perfect Tenses | Continuous Tenses

Continuous (Progressive) Tenses

Verbs in Continuous Tenses always express "actions" that are in progress during the time framework indicated: present, past, future, or any of the perfect timeframes.

Continuous Tenses always engage the verb "BE," which expresses the timeframe of the action in progress. The main verb is always in the continuous form (ING).

Present Continuous

The Present Continuous Tense applies the verb "BE" in the Present Tense (AM/ARE/IS). The main verb is always in the present participle form (BASE + ING). (See verb forms)


A verb in the Present Continuous usually expresses and "action" in progress at the present moment.

  Example: Shhhhh! The baby is sleeping.

NOTE: We also use the Present Continuous structure informally to express something we expect in the future. Example: We are eating out tonight.

 

  

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Past Continuous

The Past Continuous Tense applies the verb "BE" in the Past Tense (WAS/WERE). The main verb is always in the present participle form.

The Past Continuous Tense is used (1) to express an "action" in progress during another action in progress at the time.

Example: Many people are starving while others are fighting overweight.

Or (2) to express and action in progress interrupted by a specific action or moment in the past.

Example: We were sleeping when the earthquake hit. OR At ten o'clock last night, the suspect was driving to Florida.

  

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Future Continuous

The Future Continuous Tense applies the verb "BE" in the Future Tense (WILL BE). The main verb is always in the present participle form.

The Future Continuous Tense is used to express an action expected to be in progress at another relative time in the future.

Example: At this time next year, I'll be scuba diving off Mexico.

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Negative and interrogative forms follow the same structure applied to other forms of "BE."  The main verb continues in the present participle form after "not."

Example:

We are not sleeping; we are meditating!
What were you doing when the war broke out?
What will will you be doing when the new year arrives?

The Perfect Tenses can also be expressed in continuous form, but we'll leave those examples for a later date, along with our discussion of tenses in the Passive Voice.