Continuous Tenses

                                      Continuous Tenses

 There are altogether 6 continuous tenses if we include the perfect continuous tenses. I think we should. But for the benefit of the first time learners I will follow the beaten track. In this lesson we are going to discuss the simple continuous tenses only.

To continue means to carry on doing a work. The sense it carries is that the work at hand is not yet completed or finished. IT IS RAINING CATS AND DOGS means the raindrops are still falling from the sky. THE BABY IS CRYING we can still hear him/her crying. We get the word CONTINUOUS  from the following word-family
 CONTINUATION-----CONTINUE------CONTINUOUS-------CONTINUOUSLY

So it is the adjective form of the Verb CONTINUE. Now let us discuss with examples:

1.Apratim is playing table tennis with his friends. ( It means the action is still in progress. We have to add  'ing' at the end of the verb. In all types of continuous tenses we have to use 'ing' form. We should also keep it in mind that we cannot write continuous tenses without the help of BE verb.  In the present continuous tenses we use is/am/are according to the subject of the verb in question. Thus we write;
a) It is raining. b) The children are playing. and c) I am reading a novel.)

2. Sukanya was singing a bhajan geet. ( The action was in the past tense. So we have used was to indicate the sense of time. We use was or were following the subject of the verb in question.)

3. Mou will be reciting a poem.( The action will be done in the near future. So we have to use will be or shall be as the case demands.)

Now , make as many sentences as you can in the continuous tenses. Make them negative and interrogative. Again you be writing a great many number of sentences.It will increase your confidence. Happy learning.

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