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Grammaire : I am doing

Date: Mar 04 2008

Topic: Grammar

Author: dare-angel

Lesson



 

Study those following situations carefully

 

1st Situation

 

2005-foose-mustang-driver-side.jpg Joseph is in his car. He's on his way to work , he is driving to work.

 

This means: he is driving now at the time of speaking , the action is not finished yet.

Am/is/are + ING is the present continuous tense

 

I am  =  (I'm)

 

Driving

 

Working

 

Studying

He / she / it   is = (he's/ she's / it's)

 

We / you / they are = (we're / you're / they're)

 

 

I am doing something = I'm in the middle of doing = I've started doing it but I haven't finished it yet.  The action is happening at the time of speaking

 

Example:

 

  • 1) Please don't make so much noise, I'm studying.   You can't say (Please don't make so much noise, I study)

 

  • 2) Let's go out now, it isn't raining any more.   You can't say (Let's go out now it doesn't rain any more)

 

  • 3) I'm tired ,I'm going to bed ,good night.   You can't say (I'm tired, I go to bed good night)

 

  • 4) Are you enjoying the party?   You can't say (Do you enjoy the party)

 

 

2nd Situation

In this situation the action is not necessarily happening at the time of speaking.

Jane  and   Paola on the picture

Two students converse sitting outside

Jane says to Paola: I'm reading an interesting book, I'll lend it to you as soon as I've finished to read it.

In this situation Jane isn't reading the book at the time of speaking

It means that she has started to read a book but she hasn't finished it yet

Some more examples:

1) Catherine wants to work in France so she's learning French but perhaps she isn't learning French at the moment of speaking.

 

2)  Some friends of mine are building their own house. They hope it will be finished before next summer.

 

 

3rd Situation

We use present continuous tense when we talk about things happening in a period around now. (To day /this week / this month)

Example:  You're working very hard today. (You work very hard today)

 

4th Situation

 

We use the present continuous tense when we talk about changes happening around now

 

Example:

•1)      The population of the world is rising very fast.  (The population of the world rises very fast)

  • 2) Is your English getting better?  (Does your English get better)

 


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