Continuous Verb Forms

Present Continuous

Used for actions that have begun but not finished. It can also be used to talk about future arrangements.Formation:

Simple Present of 'to be' + -ING Now

Action starts--------------Action still happening

Past Continuous

Used for actions and states that were unfinished at a certain time in the past or to stress the duration of something.

Formation:Past Simple of TO BE + ING

when the phone rang

I was eating dinner---------x-------------

Future Continuous

Used for actions that will be unfinished at a certain time in the future, or for things that will happen in the normal course of events, rather than being part of your plans and intentions.Formation:

WILL + BE + -ING At this time tomorrow, I will be getting on a train.

Future Perfect Continuous

Used for actions that will be unfinished, but have reached a certain stage.

Formation:WILL + HAVE + BEEN + Present Participle

By May next year, I will have been working here for 5 years.

May 2008: started working here Now

Working here-----------------------------------------------------------

May 2013: worked here for5 years.

Past Perfect Continuous

Used to show 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.

Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Formation:had been + present participle I had been waiting for more than two

hours when she finally arrived.

NowWaiting………………xShe arrived

Present Perfect Continuous

Used 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.

FORMATION

has/have + been + ing

I have been waiting here for two hours.

NowStarted waiting

Waiting…………………