🔄 Understanding Continuous Verb Tenses

 When we talk or write in English, choosing the right verb tense helps us say when something happens—and how it happens over time. This is especially important when we’re dealing with continuous tenses, which focus on actions that are in progress. Knowing how and when to use these tenses can help our learners communicate real-life experiences more naturally, whether they’re describing what’s happening right now, what was going on yesterday, or what will still be happening tomorrow.

Let’s explore these continuous tenses one by one, with simple examples, clear explanations, and practical classroom insights.

1. 🌱 Present Continuous: Talking About What’s Happening Now

We use the present continuous to describe actions that are happening right now or around this moment.

📌 Form: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

📚 Examples:

• Simon is looking for the first editions of Ken Follett’s books.
• Susan is cleaning the shelves.
• KISS is broadcasting 90s hits this evening.

🧠 What to notice: The present continuous tells us that the action is still happening, not finished yet. It makes the activity feel alive and ongoing.

💡 Teacher tip: In the classroom, you might say: “We are learning about verb tenses today.” This shows students that the lesson is happening now.

🔮 Extra use – The near future: Sometimes, the present continuous helps us talk about plans for the near future, especially with time expressions.

✅ The kids are coming out from school in 20 minutes.

✅ Classes are ending next week.

2. 🔄 Present Perfect Continuous: From Past to Present

This tense is used when something started in the past and is still going on now. It shows how long something has been happening—and that it’s still relevant.

📌 Form: Subject + have/has been + verb-ing

📚 Examples:

• That boy has been crying for 20 minutes. Should we call someone?
• I have been looking forward to the holidays.
• We have been watching the bats all evening.

💡 Quick comparison:

• I have lived in Spain for 30 years. → Focus on result.
• I have been living in Spain for 30 years. → Emphasizes the experience and process.

💬 In the classroom: You might tell your learners, “You have been improving your speaking skills every week.” It encourages them to see their growth over time.

3. 🕰️ Past Continuous: Describing the Flow of Past Events

This tense tells us about something that was happening in the past over a period of time. Often, it sets the background for another action that interrupts it.

📌 Form: Subject + was/were + verb-ing

📚 Examples:

• The cat was walking along the tree branch.
• Natasha was telling a story when the branch broke.
• Sonia was writing the report when Joe arrived.

🧠 Why use it? It paints a picture of the past—not just what happened, but how long it lasted, or what was going on in the background.

4. 🕳️ Past Perfect Continuous: Before Something Else in the Past

Use this tense to describe an action that had been going on for a while before something else happened in the past.

📌 Form: Subject + had been + verb-ing

📚 Examples:

• The toddlers had been running for 10 minutes before the teachers stepped in.
• We had been talking about the pool for years before we renovated it.
• The chef had been chopping vegetables before realizing there was a fly.

💡 What it adds: It shows the duration and sequence of events in the past. One action was in progress when another one came along and changed everything.

🎓 Teaching insight: Use this tense in storytelling exercises. It helps learners connect time frames and sequence events more clearly.

5. 🔮 Future Continuous: Predicting Ongoing Future Events

This tense is used to talk about something that will be happening at a certain time in the future.

📌 Form: Subject + will be + verb-ing

📚 Examples:

• The theatre club will be performing at the town celebration.
• Tom will be working on the system for two weeks.
• We will be taking an exam every day next week.

💬 Compare with Future Simple:

• We will take an exam next week. → A single event.
• We will be taking exams every day next week. → Ongoing, repetitive action.

💡 Why use it? It helps learners picture themselves in future situations with confidence and fluency.

6. 📆 Future Perfect Continuous: Looking Ahead with Perspective

This tense shows that an action will have been happening for a period of time by a certain future point.

📌 Form: Subject + will have been + verb-ing

📚 Examples:

• I will have been living in San Sebastián for three years by December.
• By the time the meeting ends, they will have been arguing for three hours.
• The wine will have been fermenting for three months before he returns.

🎓 Academic note: While this tense is less common in daily conversation, it’s useful in academic or reflective writing—especially when emphasizing time, duration, or process.

Understanding continuous tenses helps your learners express themselves with more nuance. But more importantly, it empowers them to share real experiences—what they’re doing, what they’ve been doing, what they were doing, and what they will be doing.

The truth is that verb tenses are more than grammar—they're stories in motion. And when we teach them with purpose and clarity, we give students tools to tell their stories, connect with others, and build confidence in their second language.

📚 References

Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL/EFL teacher's course (2nd ed.). Heinle & Heinle.

Swan, M. (2016). Practical English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Azar, B. S., & Hagen, S. A. (2017). Understanding and using English grammar (5th ed.). Pearson Education.

Cowan, R. (2008). The teacher's grammar of English: A course book and reference guide. Cambridge University Press.