THE BROADER CONCEPT OF PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

 

Understanding Continuous Tenses

First, let's understand the core idea of continuous tenses in general (present, past, future). They all share this fundamental characteristic:

·         They describe actions in progress: Continuous tenses emphasize that an action is ongoing, happening over a period of time, rather than a completed, single event.

·         They show duration: They highlight the length of time an action takes.

"Actions that start before and finish after other shorter actions"

Now, let's look at how this applies to the concept you quoted. This idea focuses on how continuous tenses are often used to provide background information or context for a shorter, interrupting action.

Here's a breakdown:

1.  Longer, Background Action (Continuous Tense):

o    This action is in progress over a period of time.

o    It sets the scene or provides context.

 

2.  Shorter, Interrupting Action (Often Simple Tense):

o    This action occurs within the duration of the longer action.

o    It "interrupts" or happens during the ongoing background action.

 

3.  The shorter action is repeated and the longer action starts before and continues after each shorter action.

o   We can use the present continuous in the same way as we use the other continuous tenses to talk about actions that start before and finish after other shorter actions.

Applying this to the Present Continuous

When we use the present continuous in this way, we're talking about something that is happening around now, in this general period of time, and then something else happens inside of that time frame.

Here are some examples to illustrate:

·         "I am working on a project when the phone rang."

o    "Am working" (present continuous) is the longer, background action.

o    "Rang" (past simple) is the shorter, interrupting action.

 

·         "She is studying for her exams when her friends arrived for a visit."

o    "is studying" (present continuous) is the longer action.

o    "arrived" (past simple) is the shorter action.

·         "They are playing videogames when the power went out."

o    "are playing" (present continuous) longer action.

o    "went" (past simple) shorter action.

·         “Each morning, when I come into the office, John’s smiling.”

o   This means at each point I see him, the smiling started before I saw him and finished afterwards.

 

Key Points

·         While the examples above use the past simple for the interrupting action, it is important to remember that the present continuous is used for actions happening around now, in the present time frame. The interrupting action can be within a present time frame as well.

·         The present continuous can also be used to show actions that are currently happening, and will continue to happen. "I am living in this house untill I find a new one."

·         The core idea is that the continuous tense provides a "frame" or background for another action.

In essence, the present continuous, like other continuous tenses, helps us paint a picture of actions unfolding over time, often in relation to other events.

 

Happy studying,

Hady F