PRESENT CONTINUOUS USE

At this point of your learning, you can write and say sentences in present continuous tense. But how do we use it? Here are some situations when we need this tense:

1° First, we use it for things that are happening at the moment of speaking
examples: 

• I'm working at the moment.
• Please call back as– we are eating dinner now.
• Julie is sleeping.
• You are studying the present continuous.

He's playing football

2° We can also use this tense for temporary situations, when we feel something won't continue for a long time
   examples: 

• She's staying with her friend for a week.
• I'm living in London for a few months.
• John's working in a bar until he finds a job in his field.
• I'm reading a really great book. 

They're helping their mother this week because she isn't feeling well.

3° We can use the present continuous for habits but they have to be temporary or new habits (for normal habits that continue for a long time, we use the present simple)
   examples:

• He's eating a lot these days.
• She's swimming every morning (she didn't use to do this).
• You're smoking too much.
• They're working late every night.

I'm studying a lot these days because of my exams.

4° Another present continuous use is for annoying habits, when we want to show that something happens too often and we don't like it. In this case we usually use an adverb like 'always', 'forever' or 'constantly'
    examples:

• You're always losing your keyes!
• She's constantly missing the train.
• He's always sleeping in.
• They're forever being late.

He's always picking his nose and eating it!

5° Next use is for definite future arrangements (with a future time word). In this case we have already made a plan and we are pretty sure that the event will happen in the future
    examples:

• My parents are leaving town tomorrow.
• My plane is arriving tonight at 8.30 p.m.
  
• She’s meeting David at the train station tomorrow.
• They're travelling to Europe next month.

We're going to the theatre tonight. 

6° The present continuous is also used to talk about trends, that is to say, for general tendencies or inclinations
    examples:

• More and more people are using their computers to listen to music.
• Fuel prices are rising constantly because of strong demand.
• On-line shopping is growing rapidly nowdays.
• The Universe is expanding.

The population of China is rising very fast.

7° Finally we use this tense to talk about a situation which is slowly changing
   example: 

• I'm getting better at playing the piano.
• The weather is improving.
•  Global warming is becoming an important issue.
•  My English is getting better!

  

  Pollution is getting worse!

WE CAN'T USE PRESENT CONTINUOUS WITH STATIVE VERBS


AND NOW... 

EXECISES!!  

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4

EXERCISE 5 

Simple Past & Past Continuous - Project Work & WebQuest!

Project Work & WebQuest

This is our next challenging activity! 

Read the following worksheet. Print all the pages and solve the activities in a separate sheet of paper.

Read carefully each step before solving each exercise and ask me if you need help with our WebQuest!

height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"> Simple Past-past Continuous Project Work by lilianalopreiato


    

Hand in your Project & WebQuest on time!

 

TALKING TEENAGERS SURVEY

The BBC launched in 2003 an internet survey about teenagers' worries when they talked to their parents.

The survey provided one of the biggest ever snapshots of British teenagers' attitudes and of the corresponding concerns from parents and other carers about bringing up adolescents.

We read about the survey results in our coursebook.

                    

Carry out your on survey about what teenagers and parents think about their lives and their worries.

Assignment:

1° Work in pairs.
2° Ask the questionnaire to teenagers and parents who have teenage children (10 teenagers and 10 parents at least).
3° Write the results of the survey. Use the text in the coursebook as a guide.
4° Write your final conclusions about the results and your final opinion about the survey itself.
5° Copy this assignment and place it after the cover of your project.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Draw the graphs with the percentages got in the survey. 

Questionnaires:

Teenagers' questionnaire:
1° What's the best thing about being a teenager?
2° What do you most like about your parents?
3° What's the worst thing about being a teenager?
4° How could your parents make your life better? 
5° Who do you have to when you have a problem?
6° What do you worry about most?  

Parents' questionnaire:
1° What's the best thing about being a teenager?
2° What do you most like about your children?
3° What's the worst thing about being a teenager?
4° How could you make your children's life better? 
5° Who do your children talk to when they have a problem?
6° What do you worry about most?

Put your survey with the results obtained in a plastic file or a folder and hand it in to your teacher in the deadline time!!