The Complete Guide to English Tenses with Infographics
The tenses (different grammar for time) in English can be a little difficult to understand. Here is a complete guide to all 12 major verb tenses in the English language, and conditional sentences. Each verb tense has Infographics and examples to help you understand how the verbs are changed in that tense, and which time each tense is for. There are also examples of the different ways that tense can be used.
Download your guide here
When Do I Use the Present Continuous Tense?
1. When something is happening right now.
I am reading a Wright English booklet at the moment.
Are you eating lunch right now? We can invite Ivan over later.
He isn’t (is not) listening to me!
2. When something is generally happening, but it is short term, unusual, or temporary (When it is long term, usual or always true we use the present simple).
I am learning the guitar (This is a new hobby).
Is Christine working in China for a month or two months?
I’m (I am) not sleeping well these days.
3. When something unusual happens often. This usually comes with an adverb such as “always”, “constantly” or “forever”. This is often used to describe a habit or behaviour that is annoying.
That dog is always barking.
I am constantly locking myself out of the house.
She is forever forgetting her appointments.
Special Uses for the Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous can be used to talk about future situations where an event has been planned. (If something always happens on a timetable, we would use the present simple).
Sorry I can’t see you on Friday, I am meeting my friend Karen.
Suzie isn’t (is not) visiting this weekend. She’s visiting the weekend after.
Are we meeting in the conference room next week?
Content