Present Continuous Tense
BasicPresent continuous.
- Present continuous = am/is/are + verb-ing, for actions happening now
- Signal words: now · at the moment · Look!
- Negative: be + not + -ing — My grandmother is not doing any housework.
文體小知識：Happening right now — use -ing.
§Text Passage
1It is Sunday morning, and the whole family is busy at home. My father is watering the plants on the balcony at the moment. My mother is preparing breakfast in the kitchen, and the smell of eggs is drifting into my room. I am sitting at my desk and revising for my English test. Look! My little brother is chasing a cat in the living room again, and the cat is jumping onto the sofa.
2My grandmother is not doing any housework because she is resting after her morning walk. She says the present continuous is easy to remember: it describes an action happening now. We use am, is or are with a verb-ing form. Common signal words include now and at the moment. My brother is being noisy, but he is only playing; he is not hurting anyone. We are all looking forward to lunch because Mum is cooking my favourite fish.
3Tonight, my sister is staying with us because her flat is being painted. She is sleeping in my room, so I am tidying my desk to make space. This is only temporary, and she will go home on Tuesday. While she is here, we are planning to bake cookies together. I am also writing a short diary about our weekend. Right now, the whole house feels warm and lively, and I love Sundays like this.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
It is Sunday morning, and the whole family is busy at home.
今天是星期日早上，全家人在家裡忙個不停。
My father is watering the plants on the balcony at the moment.
爸爸此刻正在露台淋花。
My mother is preparing breakfast in the kitchen, and the smell of eggs is drifting into my room.
媽媽正在廚房準備早餐，雞蛋的香味飄進我的房間。
I am sitting at my desk and revising for my English test.
我正坐在書桌前溫習英文測驗。
Look! My little brother is chasing a cat in the living room again, and the cat is jumping onto the sofa.
看！弟弟又在客廳追貓，那隻貓正跳上沙發。
My grandmother is not doing any housework because she is resting after her morning walk.
祖母沒有做家務，因為她晨運後正在休息。
She says the present continuous is easy to remember: it describes an action happening now.
她說現在進行式很容易記：它描述現在正在發生的動作。
We use am, is or are with a verb-ing form.
我們用 am、is 或 are 加動詞-ing 形式。
Common signal words include now and at the moment.
常見的時間詞包括 now 和 at the moment。
My brother is being noisy, but he is only playing; he is not hurting anyone.
弟弟雖然吵，但他只是在玩，沒有傷害任何人。
We are all looking forward to lunch because Mum is cooking my favourite fish.
我們都期待午餐，因為媽媽正在煮我最愛的魚。
Tonight, my sister is staying with us because her flat is being painted.
今晚，姐姐會住在我們家，因為她的單位正在裝修。
She is sleeping in my room, so I am tidying my desk to make space.
她睡在我的房間，所以我正在收拾書桌騰出空間。
This is only temporary, and she will go home on Tuesday.
這只是暫時的，她星期二就會回家。
While she is here, we are planning to bake cookies together.
她在這裡期間，我們打算一起焗曲奇。
I am also writing a short diary about our weekend.
我還在寫一篇關於我們週末的簡短日記。
Right now, the whole house feels warm and lively, and I love Sundays like this.
此刻，整間房子都溫暖又熱鬧，我很喜歡這樣的星期日。
1Summary 重點摘要
Present continuous.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
am/is/are + -ing.
Happening now.
Now, at the moment.
Running, eating.
Not permanent.
This moment.
Right now.
Signal for -ing.
3Step by step Steps
- BeMatch them: I → am; he/she/it → is; you/we/they → are. My father is watering the plants. My parents are cooking.
- Verb+ingrun → running (double), make → making (drop e), chase → chasing as in the passage. Example: My little brother is chasing a cat.
- UseSignal words now, at the moment, Look!: My father is watering the plants on the balcony at the moment. Look! My little brother is chasing a cat.
- Full structuream/is/are + verb-ing: My mother is preparing breakfast. I am sitting at my desk and revising for my English test.
- Negativesbe + not + -ing: My grandmother is not doing any housework because she is resting. He is not hurting anyone.
- QuestionsMove be to the front: Is he playing? Yes, he is. What are you doing?
- Temporary behaviourbe + being = acting this way only now: My brother is being noisy, but he is only playing.
- Temporary arrangementsShort-term plans also use it: Tonight, my sister is staying with us because her flat is being painted. She will go home on Tuesday.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Based on the passage, use the present continuous to describe your family on a Sunday (at least five sentences, including one negative and one sentence starting with Look!).
- Step 1: Structure = am/is/are + verb-ing — My father is watering the plants at the moment.
- Step 2: Add signal words: now, at the moment, Look!
- Step 3: Negative = be + not + -ing — My grandmother is not doing any housework.
- Step 4: Start one sentence with Look! for a happening-now action — Look! My little brother is chasing a cat.
- Step 5: Check every sentence has a be verb — never just My father watering the plants.
- Answer: It is Sunday morning, and my family is busy at home. My father is watering the plants on the balcony at the moment, and my mother is preparing breakfast in the kitchen. I am sitting at my desk and revising for my English test. My grandmother is not doing any housework because she is resting after her morning walk. Look! My little brother is chasing a cat in the living room again, and the cat is jumping onto the sofa. We are all looking forward to lunch.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1How to form it?
Q2What does it show?
Q3What is signal word?
Q4What is temporary?
Q5What verb form?
8Recap Recap
- Present continuous = am/is/are + verb-ing, for actions happening now
- Signal words: now · at the moment · Look!
- Negative: be + not + -ing — My grandmother is not doing any housework.
- Questions move be to the front — Is he playing? Yes, he is.
- be + being shows temporary behaviour: My brother is being noisy (he is not usually)