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Tenses

Present Continuous

Actions happening now or around now.

Explanation

Form it with am, is or are plus -ing. Use it for actions in progress, temporary situations, and definite future arrangements. State verbs such as know, believe, own and prefer rarely appear in the continuous.

Examples

I am reading a long novel this month.
They are staying with us until Friday.
We are meeting the client at nine tomorrow.

Common mistakes

I am knowing the answer.
I know the answer.
State verbs avoid the continuous.
He is work right now.
He is working right now.
The continuous needs -ing.
She is always complain.
She is always complaining.
Always with the continuous still needs -ing.

More Tenses

Past Perfect Continuous

Ongoing past action leading up to another past event.

Used To and Would for Past Habits

Past habits and states that are no longer true.

Choosing Tenses in a Narrative

Mixing past simple, past continuous and past perfect.

Present Simple

Facts, habits and timetables.

Present Perfect

Past action with a present result, or an unfinished period.