The present continuous:
You are listening to me and looking at your computer screen.
I am sitting in my office now.
My son is reading a book.
My daughter is doing her homework.
All students are studying online this quarter at De Anza.
We are all sheltering in place because of the coronavirus.
What are your friends or family members doing now?
Write a sentence on paper.
My mom is cooking our dinner right now.
My friends are relaxing at home.
My children are watching TV right now.
My wife is reading a book.
Form:
Be + ing of the verb
Am/is/are + ing of the verb
I am talking.
She is listening.
You are sitting patiently.
Negative form:
Be + not + ing of verb
We are not eating dinner now. We are studying grammar instead.
I am not talking about the past tense.
Questions in the present continuous:
a. yes/no questions
Are you thinking about your dinner? Yes, I am. No, I’m not.
Is she studying ESL 244 this quarter? Yes, she is. No, she isn’t.
Are they working this quarter? Yes, they are. No, they aren’t.
Form:
Be + subject + ing of the verb
Write one yes/no sentence in the present continuous.
Are you living at home now?
Are you taking more than one class this quarter?
Are you working here?
Are you reading right now?
b. Wh questions:
What are you doing now?
Where is he living during the shelter in place orders?
What are you doing in your free time these days?
Form: wh word + be + subject + ing of the verb
When to use the present continuous:
1. activities that are happening at the moment of speaking/writing
We are studying the present continuous.
I am talking. You are listening.
2. activities that are happening in your life but are temporary: this quarter, this month, this week, these days, nowadays. The idea is that the action is temporary, not a regular part of your life.
You are all taking ESL 244 this quarter.
He is taking math this quarter.
She is taking child development.
He is living with his parents. He lost his job and has no money.
*** The present continuous is a tense that we can use to talk about our lives during the coronavirus. We are living in a very different situation now than we normally live in. The situation is temporary. Therefore, when we talk about our lives now and how they are different, we can use the present continuous.
For example:
I am working from home.
I am shopping once every 10 days.
My daughter isn’t going to the gym.
What is the difference in use of the simple present and the present continuous?
· Use the simple present for: everyday routines, activities, habits;
customs and culture; facts
· Use the present continuous for: actions that are happening right now; actions that are temporary
· Use the simple present tense for nonaction verbs: like, see, hear, smell, remember, think, feel, look
I like chocolate.
I see four of my students right now. .
The students look happy.
· Some verbs like “have”, “think” and “look” have both forms.
You look pretty today. You appear pretty.
I am looking at you.
-with “think”
I am thinking about grammar.
Some of you are thinking about dinner.
Most of you are thinking about the present continuous.
For opinion, “think” needs to be in the simple present tense.
He thinks that De Anza College is a good school. (opinion)
I think that we need a new president. (opinion)
With “have”
To show a relationship, ownership, or to talk about an illness it is a nonaction verb
I have a son and a daughter.
He has two cars.
She has a headache.
*To talk about an experience, you can use “have” as an action verb
I am having a good time in my ESL 244 class.
She is having a snack now.
He is having coffee with his snack.
Homework for Wednesday:
Revise WA #1 (favorite place) Correct the grammar and content and turn in again on Canvas. You can turn this in as late as Thursday night.
In your textbook, read and study pages 42-56, do exercises 1, 2, 3, 5,6 and 8, 9, 10 *It would be a good idea to listen to the reading on page 42 also. (Listen to the audio and read at the same time.)
Grammar practice: Look at the photo of the busy restaurant. Write 3 sentences about what is happening. Write 2 sentences about what isn’t happening. Write 1 yes/no question. Write 1 information question. Use the present continuous. Time: about 8 minutes
Use paper and a pencil.
What is happening right now?
People are standing in line to order in the restaurant.
People are drinking alcohol.
A few people are enjoying their food.
People are eating.
People are sitting.
Many people are waiting to get a table.
This restaurant has a long line. (True.) People are waiting in a long line.
What isn’t happening?
People aren’t entering the restaurant now.
People aren’t studying English in the restaurant.
The cooks aren’t working hard. (That is why so many people are waiting.)
Information questions:
What are they looking at in the back?
Why are they waiting?
Why is this restaurant so busy? (Good question, but it isn’t in the present continuous)
What are you doing at the restaurant? You shouldn’t be there because we have to shelter in place!
Yes/no questions:
Are all the people sitting at tables in the restaurant?
Does the restaurant serve dessert? (Good question, but not in the present continuous)
Is this restaurant quiet? (Good question, but not in the present continuous) It’s probably very loud!
Are people dancing now?
Is a boy waiting to pay?
Are they having a good time?
Complex sentences with adverb clauses: using “because”
We use “because” to show “why” (to give a reason for something)
I am working from home because all of the schools in California are closed.
Because the coronavirus is very contagious, most Americans are staying home each day.
He walks every day because he wants to be healthy.
***Notice the punctuation in the above sentences. When do we use a comma?
Complex sentences are made up of two types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses. Let’s look at the examples to figure out the difference between the clauses.
Finish the following sentences to make them complex:
1. Because she is tired,
2. He cannot go to work today because
3. They are studying ESL at De Anza College because
4. Because I have a lot of homework,
5. They cannot go to the beach this weekend because
***Now, write some sentences about your life using “because”. Put “because” in both positions. (at the beginning and in the middle). Use your paper for this. Time: 10 minutes
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