Present Progressive for Business

Present Progressive for Business

by N. I. Natalia

​Present Progressive (1)

FORM

• I am working.

• ​You/ We/ They are working.

• ​He/ She/ It is working.

​

• ​I am not working.

• ​You/ We/ They are not working.

• ​He/ She/ It is not working.

​Interrogative Sentences

• ​Am I working?

• Are you/ we/ they working?

• Is he/ she/ it working? ​

​USES

1. Talking about an event in progress ​at the moment of speaking.

• ​ "What are you doing?" "I'm trying to find a file."

• "I'm afraid Mr. Bansall can't see you right now. He is interviewing someone."

​

​We also often use present progressive with verbs of movement when the action has just started:

• ​ "I'm leaving. Can you tell Rosemary I'll see her tomorrow?"

• "Can I speak to John?" "Sorry, he's out. No,hold on. He is just coming down the corridor."

​2. Describing current situations and ongoing projects.

​The time reference is at and around 'now', before and after the situations referred to. But the situation may not be in progress literally at the exact moment of speaking.

​

• ​We're waiting for permission to go ahead with the project.

• ​Big Japanese companies are thinking again about uniform pay systems.

• ​My boss is dealing with your inquiry but you won't get a rapid answer.

​3. Describing temporary situations

​

​When the present progressive is used in this way, the situation described will not last permanently.

​

• ​They're staying at the Crillon Hotel until the end of the week.

• ​He's working in Libya on a fixed-term contract.

• ​They are offering a 20% discount for the duration of the trade fair

​4. Changing, developing situations

​

​We use the present progressive to describe changes which have not yet finished.

​

• ​The number of people using the internet is growing.

• ​The Amazon rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.

• ​Consumers in the industrialised world are becoming increasingly concerned with healthy living.

​5. Personal arrangements and plans

​

​We use the present progressive to refer to future time when talking about arrangements and fixed plans made before the time of speaking. We often use a time expression unless we are sure that the other person knows we are talking about the future.

​

• ​I'm seeing Mr. Poorhassan next weekend.

• ​I'm taking the client to the best restaurant in town.

• ​She's got a new job so she's leaving the firm in October.

We also use the present progressive with ​verbs of movement to talk about actions which are just beginning.

​

• ​"It's one o'clock. I'm going to the canteen for lunch. Are you coming?"

​

​6. Talking about repeated actions

• ​His daughter's taking driving lessons.

• ​His wife is always telling him not to work so hard.

• ​We are constantly monitoring our product for quality.

If we describe repeated situations using ​the present progressive with always, the situation is often unplanned. Compare:

​

• ​I always meet Marilyn in the car park. (planned in advance)

• ​I'm always meeting Marilyn in the car park. (by chance)

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​Source: Longman Business Grammar and Usage