Times occupy a special place in English grammar. In addition to understanding the rules for using this or that time, one must always take into account the context in which this time is applied. In English, as well as in Russian, there are only three tenses: past, present and future. However, each time can be divided by another 4, depending on the duration and completeness of the action. The most difficult thing is to determine what time is under what circumstances to use. Sometimes, looking at controversial situations, it seems that the timing is, in general, a matter of philosophy: either it’s accepted, but you don’t know, or you look at the action from different bells. Despite the fact that the application of times is somewhat confusing, their construction does not cause any particular problems.
In English, a certain time period can be shown by the times of the Continuous group, most often found and loved by Americans - these are the times Present Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous. For comparison, the length of time in the Russian language is not emphasized by the form of the verb, except perhaps with the corresponding adverbs or adverbial phrases, such as now, for a week or two days in a row.
How is Present Continuous formed?
Building Present Continuous Tense is very simple, and the best part is that it is the same for all verbs, there are no exceptions. However, Present Continuous still has its own characteristics. How is a verb formed in Present Continuous? It is collected as follows: the verb to be in the form corresponding to the person and the number of the subject (am, is, are) + semantic verb with the ending -ing.
He is watching TV. (He's watching TV).
I am smiling. (I'm smiling).
They are looking for you. (They are looking for you).
How is the question formed in Present Continuous? To ask a question, you need to swap the verb to be in the necessary form and the subject (if there is a question word, then it appears before the verb to be):
Is he watching TV? (He's watching TV?)
Why is he watching TV? (Why is he watching TV?)
Am I smiling? (I'm smiling?)
Are they looking for you? (They are looking for you?)
If you need to make a negative sentence, then between the verb to be and the semantic verb you need to put the particle not.
He isn't watching TV. (He doesn't watch TV.)
I'm not smiling. (I am not smiling.)
They are not looking for you. (They are not looking for you.)
Use cases
How Present Continuous is formed in English, we figured out. Things are more interesting with its use. Present Continuous is very common and is used in several cases.
- To describe the actions that are taking place at the moment, but will end soon:
He is playing football. (He plays football.)
Don't tune the TV off, I'm watching it. (Do not turn off the TV, I watch it.)
Look! They are running after us. (Look! They are running after us.)
In these proposals, the situation is limited by time - the game will someday end, as well as the television show and the pursuit.
- To illustrate the situation or actions that are relevant now, but do not necessarily occur at the time of speech and cover a broader time period:
Don't take the book! Jane is reading it. (Don't take the book! Jane is reading it.)
Don't move anything on the table! John is painting the picture. (Do not touch anything on the table! John paints a picture.)
Mute your telephone, please. Angela is sleeping now because she has been working all night (Turn off your phone, please. Angela is sleeping because she worked all night.)
- To express a temporary action:
Peter is a student but he's working as a barman (Peter is a student, but works as a bartender.) It is understood that Peter after some time will finish his studies and begin to work in his specialty.
- To indicate a planned future event:
We are playing tennis on Monday. (We play tennis on Monday.)
- To narrate constantly repeating actions that annoy the narrator (usually everything related to repetition refers to the simple present (Present Simple), but to express the frustration, it is more appropriate to use Present Continuous):
He is always complaining about his colleagues. (He complains about his colleagues all the time.)
She is always gnawing her nails! (She bites her nails all the time!)
Helper words
We looked at how Present Continuous is formed in English, but that's not all. In order to recognize the present for a long time in speech, there are pointer words. They are enough to use them in any context. For example, pointers at the moment (at the moment), now / just now / right now (now / right now), Listen! (Listen!) Look! (Look!) Can be used in the description of the actions taking place at a particular moment. These are the most important assistants who personify the duration of what is happening at a given moment.
Next week (next week), tomorrow (tomorrow), tomorrow morning (tomorrow morning) reflect events in the near future. Constantly repeating situations can be noted with the same pointers as Present Simple: always (always), forever (forever), perpetually (constantly), repeatedly (repeatedly). The these days pointer is suitable for describing events that take place for a long time in the present, but not at a specific moment.
Listen! She is crying because of you (Listen! She cries because of you!)
Susan is perpetually gossiping! (Susan is constantly gossiping!)
Tomorrow we are going for a walk in the neighborhood park (Tomorrow we walk in a local park.)
Which verbs to use?
You can confidently use the tenses of the Continuous group with action verbs:
I've been playing the piano since I was 5. (I have been playing the piano since 5 years.)
I'm playing the piano now. (Now I play the piano.)
They are driving to Moscow at the moment. (They are currently traveling to Moscow.)
There are verbs that do not need to be strengthened, since their meaning already implies this. For example, verbs such as smoke, collect, work, belong, know, meaning some long-term habit / acquaintance, can be used in the usual Present Perfect (this is exactly what native speakers will do).
I've collected stamps since 1985. (I have been collecting stamps since 1985.)
He has known me for 20 years. (He knows me for 20 years.)
There are verbs that are not used in the Continuous form, because they mean states, not a process. Such verbs include:
- verbs of feelings (to feel, to hear, to see, to smell, to taste);
- verbs expressing someone’s opinion (to assume, to believe, to consider, to doubt, to feel (= to think), to find (= to consider), to suppose, to think);
- verbs that reflect the state of mind (to forget, to imagine, to know, to mean, to notice, to recognize, to remember, to understand);
- verbs that show emotions (to envy, to fear, to dislike, to hate, to hope, to like, to love, to mind, to prefer, to regret, to want, to wish).
The verbs to look (meaning to be similar), to seem, to be (in most cases), to have (meaning to have) are also not used in the Present Continuous form.
There are exceptions to these rules. For example, the verbs of perception (see, hear, feel, smell), the verb have in stable expressions and some other verbs can be used in the form of Continuous, but not in their direct meaning.
Kate is feeling much better. (Katya is feeling better, that is, getting better.)
He's having dinner. (He dines = eats.)
Ann is seeing her husband later (Anya will meet her husband later, i.e. a pre-scheduled meeting.)
Present Perfect Continuous
The Present Perfect Continuous is the time that is used to show that an action began in the past, and is not completed so far. It is designed to reinforce the emphasis on the duration of the action or situation.
I have been reading War and Peace for a month now. (I read “War and Peace” month) In this sentence, the use of Present Perfect Continuous is determined by the length of the work: all 4 volumes cannot be overcome in one day, so reading the book will take enough. A month ago, the speaker began to read it and is still reading it).
She has been waiting for you all day. (She waits for you all day, that is, she waited in the morning and waits now.)
They have been traveling since last November. (They have been traveling since last November, i.e. they are still not at home.)
Building Present Perfect Continuous
We already know how Present Continuous is formed. Everything is not so complicated there. Remembering how Present Perfect Continuous forms time is also simple. We use the verb have / has (depending on the number and person of the subject) + been + Present participle (root of the semantic verb + ending -ing).
I have been living here for 10 years. (I live here 10 years. 10 years ago I moved in and since then I have not changed my place of residence.)
To ask a question, you need to put the auxiliary verb have / has before the subject:
Have you been living here for 10 years? (Do you live here 10 years?)
To convey an idea that is opposite in meaning, you need to put a negative particle not after the auxiliary verb:
I have not been living here for 10 years. (I have not lived here for 10 years.)
As in Present Continuous, there are verbs that do not need to be strengthened, since their meaning already implies this.
Verbs such as smoke, collect, work, belong, know, meaning some long-term habit / acquaintance, are best used in the usual Present Perfect.
I've collected stamps since 1985. (I have been collecting stamps since 1985.)
He has known me for 20 years. (He knows me for 20 years.)
When Using Present Perfect Continuous
How Present Perfect Continuous is formed, everything is clear. But there are many nuances in using this time, because it is very similar to the simple Present Perfect. Sometimes the same sentence can be used at both times without losing meaning. We will try to consider all the features of using Present Continuous and put them on the shelves.
- The action lasted for some time and ended recently. For example, you work in the garden, hear that a neighbor has come to you, come up to say hello and say:
Sorry, my hands are dirty. I've been working in the garden. (Sorry, my hands are dirty. I worked in the garden.) It doesn't matter if you continue to work further or not.
- The action is over, but we see its result now:
Why are your eyes red? Have you been crying? (Why do you have red eyes? Did you cry?) Red eyes are the result. Cried - a long action.
She is so happy! She has been waiting for him for 2 months. (She is so happy! She has been waiting for him for two months.)
They are very angry. They have been trying to get you on the phone for all this week (They are very angry. They tried to reach you all week.) Angry is the result. Trying to get through is a long process.
One needs to be careful in using Present Perfect Continuous in negative sentences, because it can be absurd. Agree, it’s strange to indicate a duration of action that has never happened. For example, if there was no snow in the evening, you would say not - It has not been raining in the evening, but - It hasn't rained in the evening (Present Perfect).
Perhaps the only use of Present Perfect Continuous in negative sentences is when the negation is contained in the sentence, not in the verb. For example: I haven't been studying Maths, but Science (I did not study mathematics, I taught physics.)
Index words in Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous doesn't have many helper words, but the following pointers can help you choose the tense verb form or recognize the tense itself:
- all day - all day;
- the whole day - the whole day;
- since - from ...;
- for - throughout;
- questions starting with how long? (how long?).
He has been living in London since 2000. (He has been living in London since 2000.)
She has been listenning to music for 2 hours. (She listened to music for 2 hours.)
I have been sleeping the whole day (I slept all day.)
Sophie has been shopping all day (Sophie has been shopping all day.)
How long have you been walking in the forest? (How long did you walk in the forest?)
Difference between Present Perfect Continuous and Present Continuous
The difference between these two long times in their definition: Present Continuous in most cases speaks about actions and situations at the time of speech. Present Perfect Continuous always has a reference to the past: the action began in the past and continues to this day. There is also a difference in how Present Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous are formed.
Confusion can arise due to incorrect translation and incorrect interpretation of what was read. The absence (or lack of knowledge) of index words that can be modified can also cause errors.
In order to be able to insert this or that time in time, of course, practice is needed (both in writing and in speech). Nowadays, on the Internet, in bookstores, you can find a huge amount of a variety of information, textbooks, practical manuals, blogs and websites / exercise books. There are resources on which you can choose your native speaker teacher and ask him about the practice of his grammatical spaces / problems.
The most important thing is not to give up, and every day to devote at least a little time to learning the language. It is believed that even a minute a day is bearing fruit in the future. It would be a desire!