Tutorial on the Present Continuous Tense

In English, when we want to say something or an event which is in progress, at the moment of speaking, we have to use the present Continuous Tense. What is Present Continuous Tense? What is the pattern of Present Continuous Tense?

* Present Continuous Tense is a part of English grammar, narrowed down as a part of English tenses. It is  used to utter something going on at the moment of speaking. From here and obvious from its name, it is used to say something happening in the present.

* The pattern is:

Subject + be +Ving+Object/Complement.

In order to draw clearer view on present continuous tense, please see below examples:

1. Kevin is making his homework now.

This means that Kevin is really doing the homework when we say this sentence.

2. Amy is working on her final project to now.

In this sentence, it doesn’t always mean that now Amy is in front of her computer writing her final project. This sentence means that she is now in her last year and merely needs to complete it with her final project. Or means that during the semester Amy doing her final project. It doesn’t make sense if we sit on our chair

writing something for our final project for the whole semester, right? Hence, this sentence brings a bit different sense compare to the first one.

3. Father is leaving for Jakarta next Monday.

Now, what do you think about this sentence. Is it a correct sentence? Please take a look carefully. Seen there, present continuous tense is used, but followed by adverb of time “next Monday” which actually tells future. So, is it a correct sentence?

Actually present continuous tense can also be used to say something for the future. Basically, in this function, present continuous tense is used to say something which has already been planned for the future. Like in sentence no. 3, ”Father is leaving for Jakarta next week”.Normally, when we want to go somewhere (especially a long distance trip) we plan it before, don’t we? Therefore, for this sentence present continuous tense is the most appropriate pattern to be used even though it is actually set for a future event.

From the three above mentioned examples along with explanations and functions, we have already learned 3 functions of present continuous tense. To be kept in mind, present continuous tense does not always set for only present event. Well, I guess that the explanation is enough and some other functions will be further discussed in the next posts. In order to understand it more, please try to find the provided exercises in some other posts and do it for your practice. Have a fun learning here!!