-------- ~

p
re.
e-
t.
Sarah is in her car. She is on her way to work. •¡:
o-
~
She is driving to work. ~-

This means: she is driving now, at the time of speaking.

~
¡
•~ o-
The action is not finished .
.. c-
Am/is/are + -ing is the present continuous: t o-
¡· ~
!.
am (= l'm) driving
he/she/it is (= he's etc.) working
[ ~
we/you/th~y are (= we're etc.) doing etc. ~
f c-
e-
1 am doing something = l'm in the middle of doing it; l've started doing it and 1haven't finished :
O Please don't make so much noise. J'm trying to work. _(not 1try)
o-
O 'Where's Mark?' 'He's having á shower.' (not He has a shower) c-
O Let's go out now. lt isn't raining any more. (not lt doesn't rain) c.-
O (ata party) Hi, jane. Are you enjoying the party? (not Do you enjoy) o-
O What's aU that noise? What's going on? (= What's happening?)
~
Sometí mes the action ís not happening at the time of speaking. For example:
o-
Steve is talking to a friend on the phone. He says: ~
~
l'm reading a really good book at the moment
lt's about a man who ... ~
a-
.. ~
!-

Steve is not reading ~he book at the time of speaking.

rle means that he has started it, but has not finished it yet.
.,..
~

~
He is in the middle of reading it. ,.
:.1 '. _............-___,_ _.. .,. . -~-~··----:\~-~-~~ --orf'~,.....,_..,.,.,....,...~-~,_....... ~--~-~ ~

Sorne more example~: ~

O Kate wants to work in ltaly, so she's learning ltalían. (but perhaps she isn't learning ltalian
at the time of speakíng)
O Some friends of mine are building their own house. They hope to finish it next summer.
You can use the present continuous with today 1this week 1this year etc. (periods around now):
O A: You're working hard today. (not You work hard today)
s: Yes, 1have a lot todo.
O The company 1work for i:sn 't doing so well this year.
... .... ......__~ ..... . . .
~ ·-----v:~.~--

·We use the present continuous when we talk about changes happening around now, especially
with these verbs:

get change become increase rise fall grow improve begin start
C ls your Englísh getting better? (not Does your English get better)
O The population of the world is increasing very fast. (not increases)
O At fírst 1didn't like my job, but l'm beginning to_enjoy it now. (not 1begin)

(Prese'lt continuous and present simple-+ Urrits 3-4 Present tenses for the future-+ Unit 19
 Exercises
- The sentences on the right follow those on the left. Which sentence goes with which?

Please don't make so much noise. a lt's getting late. 1 f .........

2 1need to eat something soon. b They're lying. 2
3 1 don't have anywhere to live right now. e lt's starting to rarn. 3
' . 4 We need to leave soon. d They're trying to sell it. 4
5 lhey don't need their car any more. e l'm getting hungry. 5
6 Things are not so good at work. f +-ffi-tf)'ing to work. 6
7 lt isn't true what they said. g l'm looking for an apartment. 7
8 We're going to get wet. h The company is losing money. 8

- Complete the conversations.

1 A: 1saw Brian a few days ago.
s: Oh, did you? 'tJha.t's be, 4.oin.g... these days? (what 1 he 1 do)
A: He's at university.
e: ................. ? (what 1 he 1 study)
~ Psychology. 1
A:
1

t 1:1. ... •....... it? (he 1 enjoy) • 1 1

11
~
r
A: Ves, he says it's a very good course 1 1
f
t: 2 A: lli, Nicola. How .... . ..... .. .. .. ............. ....... .. ? (your new job 1 go)
a: Not bad. lt wasn't so good at first, but
r.. (it 1 get)
.. ..................................................... ........ better now.

j A' What about Daniel? ls he OK?

s: Ves, but ........ . ........... his work right now. (he 1 not 1 enjoy)
He's been in the same job for a long time anu .. ......... .......................... to get bored
L with it. (he 1 begin)
.
~ .
1.

G) Put the verb into the correct form, positive (l'm doing etc.) or negative (l'm not doing etc.).
~
1 Please don't make so much noise. l'm try~ng. (1 1 try) to work.
2 Let's go out now. .. lt. !Rr.~·~.I'(A.LYl!-rlg (it 1 rain) any more.
3 Vou can turn off the radio (1 1 listen) to it.
4 Ka te phonE>a me last night. ShE:'s on holiody in France. .... ... •' .
" (She 1 'odVt:J
a great time and doesn't want to come back.
5 1want to lose weight, so this week .... .............. ... .......................... .. . (1 1 eat) lunch.
6 Andrew has just started evening classes. .. ... _............................... . (he 1 learn) Japanese.
7 Paul and Sally have had an argument. .. ............ .......... {they 1 speak)
to each other.
8 ... .................................... {1 1 get) ti red. 1need a rest.
9 Ti m ................. :...................... .... ....... .......... (work) toda y. He's taken the day off.
10 .. ... ..~ .... .... ......... .... ................ (1 1 loo k) for Sophie. Do you know where she is?
• Complete the sentences using the following verbs:
start get -iflerea~ change rise

1 The population of the world i.6 i.rlcr~.4Jg ..... very fast.

2 The world ...................... ... . Things never stay the same.
3 The situation is already bad and it .. worse.
4 The cost of living ................................... Every year things are more expensive.
S The weather ........ .... .... ....... .. ...................... to improve. The rain has stopped, and the wind isn't
as strong.