Grammar · Lesson 10 of 15
The continuous tenses
Present, past and future continuous: talk about what is happening now, temporary situations, trends and background events.
In this lesson you will
- use the present continuous for now, temporary situations and changes
- use the past continuous for background actions in a story
- use the future continuous for things in progress in the future
- avoid using the continuous with state verbs (know, like, believe…)
Grammar
The present continuous: am / is / are + -ing
| Use | Example from our model answers |
|---|---|
| Happening now or around now | I'm preparing for IELTS at the moment. |
| Temporary situations | Every day, because I'm trying to eat more healthily at the moment. |
| Changes and trends | It's becoming much more common. · The habit is slowly fading away. |
| Future arrangements | I'm planning to move out after I graduate. |
Simple or continuous? Use the present simple for habits and permanent facts: I buy groceries every few days. Use the continuous for something temporary or in progress: I'm cutting down on snacks at the moment.
Present simple or present continuous?
- I usually ______ to work by metro.
- At the moment I ______ a book about the Tang dynasty.
- More and more people ______ online these days.
- My hometown ______ famous for silk.
- I ______ my grandparents every Spring Festival.
- This term I ______ an extra course in data analysis.
3: more and more… these days describes a trend, so the continuous is natural (the simple is possible, but less vivid). 6: this term shows a temporary situation.
Watch out
State verbs
Some verbs describe states, not actions, so we don't normally use them in the continuous: know, believe, understand, like, love, hate, prefer, want, need, own, belong, seem, mean.
✗ I am knowing her since primary school. → ✓ I've known her since primary school.
✗ I'm preferring street markets. → ✓ I prefer street markets.
Correct or incorrect?
- I'm liking this song a lot.
- I'm learning to play the guitar at the moment.
- She's owning three watches.
- Waste sorting is becoming more common.
- I'm not understanding this question.
Past continuous
was / were + -ing
Use the past continuous for an action in progress in the past, often as the background to a shorter action in the past simple:
- I was walking home when I found a wallet on the pavement.
- My high school teachers were strict, since they were preparing us for very important exams.
- She was staying after class whenever a student was struggling.
Complete the story
Use the past continuous or the past simple.
I (wait) for the bus when it (start) to rain. While I (look) for my umbrella, I (realise) that I'd left my keys at home!
Future continuous
will be + -ing
Use it for something that will be in progress at a time in the future. It's useful for questions about your plans: This time next year, I'll be studying for my master's degree. · I'll be rooting for the Chinese table tennis team.
Talk about your future
Complete the sentences about yourself with the future continuous.
- This time next year, I'll be…
- In five years' time, I'll probably be…
This time next year, I'll be studying for my master's degree in the UK, which I'm really looking forward to. In five years' time, I'll probably be working as a data analyst, hopefully for a company that has offices abroad.
Speaking practice
Use the continuous tenses in your answers
These questions are good for the continuous tenses. Answer each one out loud, and record yourself.
- What changes have there been in your area recently? (present continuous for trends)
- Do you have any plans for your studies over the next five years? (future continuous)
- Have you ever lost your keys? (past continuous for the background)
- Do people in your country usually sort their rubbish? (it's becoming…)
Press Record, answer out loud, then listen back.
Model: “Every day, because I'm trying to eat more healthily at the moment. I'm cutting down on snacks and having fruit instead, and since vegetables are a big part of Chinese cooking, I have them with almost every meal.” (Fruit and vegetables)
Lesson written for Tips4IELTS. All examples come from our Speaking Part 1 model answers.