The present continuous talks about actions happening at present. It is formed with the present form of auxiliary verb be + the present participle form of the main verb.
Affirmative Negative
I am searching I am not searching
You are dancing You are not dancing
She is singing She is not singing
We are going We are not going
They are playing They are not playing
Interrogative Negative interrogative
Am I working? Am I not working?
Are you watching? Are you not watching?
Is she driving? Is she not driving?
Is he going? Isn’t he going?
Are we practising? Aren’t we practising?
Are they meeting? Are they not meeting?
The present continuous tense is also used to express:
* actions happening around the present time but may not be at the time of speaking
e.g I am reading a novel by Vikram Seth. (reading the novel these days but not necessarily at the time of speaking)
* definite plans in near future
e.g He is meeting Shreya in the evening. They are going to watch a movie.
* frequently repeated action using always
e.g He is always making this mistake.
She is always losing her keys.
* actions that appear to be continuous
e.g She is always crying. (she cries all the time)
Some words are used in continuous form to mean differently.
Feel is normally used in simple tense form when:
> it means ‘sense’
Did you feel the earthquake?
> it means ‘think’
I feel we are going the wrong way.
> it is used as a link verb
It feels cold here.
But when ‘feel‘ is used to mean ‘touch‘, it can be used in continuous form
The doctor is feeling her pulse.
Similarly when ‘feel‘ is used to mean ‘to find something by touching‘
She is feeling for the switch board in the dark.
To indicate emotions or physical condition of the subject, ‘feel‘ may be used in both simple and continuous form
How do you feel/ are you feeling?
I feel/ am feeling nervous.
Look may be used in continuous form in phrases like look at/for/in/into/out
I am looking for my book.
They are looking into the matter.
But ‘look‘ can’t be used in continuous form in phrases like look on (meaning consider),look down on (meaning despise), look up to (meaning respect) and when look is used as a link verb.
This painting looks good. (This painting is looking good is wrong)
He looks down on the poor. (He is looking down on the poor is wrong)
Smell is used in continuous form to mean ‘sniff at‘
Why is she smelling water? Is it bad?
But it can’t be used in continuous form to mean ‘perceive an odour‘
This perfume smells nice.
Taste is used in continuous form only to mean ‘testing the flavour of’
I’m tasting the cake to check if it is baked well.
But when used as a link verb, ‘taste‘ is used in simple form only
The milk tastes sour.
Some verbs are always used in simple form and not the continuous form.
It belongs to him. ( belonging is wrong)
I owe you a lot of money. ( owing is wrong)
He owns this house. ( owning is wrong)
