English Grammar – present continuous
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009The present continuous is used to talk about present situations which we see as short-term or temporary or to talk about trends. We use the present simple to talk about present situations which we see as long-term or permanent.
In these examples, the action is taking place at the time of speaking.
- It’s raining.
- Who is Kate talking to on the phone?
- Look, somebody is trying to steal that man’s wallet.
- I’m not looking. My eyes are closed tightly.
In these examples, the action is true at the present time but we don’t think it will be true in the long term.
- I’m looking for a new apartment.
- He’s thinking about leaving his job.
- They’re considering making an appeal against the judgment.
- Are you getting enough sleep?
In these examples, we are talking about trends.
Pollution is getting worse
The economy in China is growing fast.
My company is expanding fast