Present continuous and past continuous tense

Front

What is the present continuous tense?

Back

The present continuous tense describes actions that are currently happening at the moment of speaking. It is formed using 'am/is/are' + verb-ing. Example: 'She is reading a book.'

Front

What is the past continuous tense?

Back

The past continuous tense describes actions that were ongoing in the past. It is formed using 'was/were' + verb-ing. Example: 'They were playing football.'

Front

How do you form the present continuous tense?

Back

The present continuous tense is formed by using the appropriate form of 'to be' (am/is/are) followed by the base verb with an -ing ending. Example: 'I am studying.'

Front

How do you form the past continuous tense?

Back

The past continuous tense is formed by using 'was' or 'were' followed by the base verb with an -ing ending. Example: 'He was watching TV.'

Front

When do we use the present continuous tense?

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We use the present continuous tense to describe actions happening right now, future plans, or temporary situations. Example: 'I am going to the store later.'

Front

When do we use the past continuous tense?

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We use the past continuous tense to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past or to set the scene in a narrative. Example: 'It was raining when I left.'

Front

What is the structure of a negative sentence in the present continuous tense?

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The structure is 'subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing'. Example: 'She is not playing outside.'

Front

What is the structure of a negative sentence in the past continuous tense?

Back

The structure is 'subject + was/were + not + verb-ing'. Example: 'They were not studying last night.'

Front

How do you form questions in the present continuous tense?

Back

To form questions, invert the subject and the verb 'to be': 'Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?' Example: 'Are you coming to the party?'

Front

How do you form questions in the past continuous tense?

Back

To form questions, invert the subject and 'was/were': 'Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?' Example: 'Were they playing soccer?'