Uses of the present progressive tense There are four basic uses of the present progressive tense. We use it for: Actions in progress at the moment of speaking: He’s working at the moment. Temporary situations/actions, not necessarily in progress at the moment of speaking: My daughter is studying English at Durham University. Planned actions (+ future adverbial reference): We’re spending next winter in Australia. Repeated acitons with adverbs like always, forever: She’s always helping people.

Uses of the present simple Permanent truths: Summer follows spring. The present period: (this is the situation at present) – My sister works in a bank. Habitual actions: I get up at 7. Furture reference (for timetables, etc.): The concert begins at 7.20 next Friday evening. Observations and declarations: I hope so. Instructions: First you weigh the ingredients. Commentaries: Becker serves to Lendl.

Stative and dynamic verbs We call a few verbs like love stative because they refer to “states”. A state has no beginning and no end. We don’t control it, so we don’t normally use stative verbs in progressive tenses: She loves her baby more than anything. (not *is loving*) Most verbs in English are dynamic. We can use them in two ways: - in the simple present tense to describe habits. - in the present progressive to describe deliberate actions in progress.

Stative and dynamic verbs. We can describe three classes of verbs: a) Dynamic verbs which have simple or progressive forms: I often listen to CDs. I’m listening to a CD. b) Verbs which are always stative: This coat belongs to you. c) Verbs that have stative or dynamic uses: I’m weighing myself. (a deliberate action: present progressive tense) I weigh 65 kilos. (a state)

Stative and dynamic verbs. There are five groups of stative verbs referring to: a) feelings (like, love, etc.); b) thinking/believing (think, understand, etc.) c) wants (want, prefer, etc.) d) perception (hear, see, etc.) e) being/having/owning (appear, seem, belong, etc.)