Present BE-ING

1Unaccomplished action

Now = right now: the action is still in progress at the moment the speaker is talking.

• She is reading a book right now.
• The children are playing in the garden.

2Specific situation — temporary, unusual, exceptional

Now = these days: a temporary change from what is usually true.

• He is staying at his mother's this week. (this is not his normal situation)
• She is working from home these days. (temporary change)

3Frame value for a one-off action

The BE-ING verb sets the scene; another event in the simple aspect breaks into it.

• He is reading the newspaper when the phone rings.

4Explanation / justification (with because, stated or implied)

The adverb because may appear to make the explanatory value explicit: it either stays implied, or appears to clarify the cause-and-effect link.

• I can't talk right now, I 'm having a meeting.
• Sorry for the noise: we 're renovating the kitchen.
• I'm staying at a hotel because they 're painting my apartment.

5Prospective value (planned future)

The present BE-ING expresses a future action that is already scheduled or decided.

6Modal value with not

7Appreciative modal value with always (or constantly, continually, ceaselessly, incessantly…)

The speaker expresses an emotional reaction to repeated behaviour, usually negative but sometimes positive. We pretend the subject is always doing something, which is an exaggeration used to convey a certain emotion.

• Annoyance He is always forgetting his keys.
• Reproach She is constantly interrupting me.
• Complaint They are always making noise at night.
• Admiration She is always bringing little gifts for everyone.
• Admiration He is constantly coming up with brilliant ideas.