English language

Question

What is the difference between Present Continuous Tense and Past Continuous Tense.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.
Example: You have been waiting here for two hours.

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous.
Example: You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

Yankee · Answer

AnonymousWhat is the difference between Present Continuous Tense and Past Continuous Tense.

Here is some basic information about the present continuous and the past continuous:

The present continuous can be used to talk about an activity that is currently in progress:

- John and Sam are playing a game of chess at the moment.

You can also use the present continuous to talk about a future plan:

- I am flying to Chicago next Wednesday.

------------------------------------------------------

The past continuous is used to talk about past activities, and you will frequently find it in a sentence in which a past action interrupted a (different) past activity. For example:

- I was watching TV when the lights went out.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi I'm Diana and now I'll give you the answer:

The present continuous tense-use

1) Action happening at the moment of speaking:

What's going on here?

The kids are playing at war.

Be quiet!I'm trying to get some sleep

2)Temporary actions extended over a period of time:

"Have a cookie." "No,thank you.I'm slimming."

We are doing decimal fractions at school now.

They are not using the back door in winter.

3)Definite actions planned for the near future:

I'm flying to Rome on Monday

And what are you doing tonight?

I'm meeting Chris at seven o'clock.We're going to the movies.

4)Repeated actions which are often annoying or unreasonable:

He is always phoning when I'm in the bath.

I am constantly losing my gloves.

This little girl is forever asking questions.

Afirmative: Negative: Interrogative:

I am writing I am not writing Am I writing?

You are writing You are not writing Are you writing?

He/She/It is writing He/She/It is not writing Is he/she/it writing?

We are writing We are not writing Are we writing?

You are writing You are not writing. Are you writing?

They are writing They are not writing. Are they writing?

The past continous tense-use

1)Actions that were in progress at a given moment in the past:

I was taking a shower when you came in.

At five o'clock we were all having tea in the garden.

They were still fighting when the police arrived.

2)Continuous activities during a definite period in the past:

We were playing bridge from 8 p.m. till midnight.

She was shopping between 3'o clock and four.

They were quarrelling all last night.

3)Parallel continuous actions in the past:

Sue was peeling the potatoes while Andy was cooking the fish.

She was talking to me and writing something down at the same time.

He was digging in the garden and singing to himself all day.

4)Definite future arrangements made in the past:

They refused your invitation because they were leaving for Melbourne the next morning.

He put on his best suit as he was meeting the ambassador at six.

The children cleaned their teeth carefully for they were seeing their dentist that afternoon.

5)Other uses:

I was wondering if you could help me tonight.(polite from of adressing people)

They were always complaining about everthing.(persistent past activities that were annoying,etc)

I was reading about it somewhere recently.(incomplete actions in the past)

I was talking to your mother the other day.(casual past actions)

Afirmative: Negative: Interrogative

I/He/She/It was writing I/He/She/It was not writing Was I/he/she.it writing

You were writing You were not writing Were you writing?

We We Where we/you/they

You} were writing You} were not writing writing?

They They

English language

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions