People who learn English as a second language have problems mastering the tenses. While the Present Perfect tense poses challenge at a cognitive level, the Present Continuous poses challenge in restraining them from over use.

Asian learners, especially, Indian, use this tense left, right and center.

I am coming out from the shopping mall, sir, I am meeting this man who is asking for money yesterday.

It is not difficult and it does not take much time either to understand the tense, but it does take some practice, a guided practice, to master it.

The primary usage of this tense is to speak about what is happening at the time of speaking-that is the 'now' of the speaker.

I am reading this article.

Are you listening to me?

It is not moving, is it?

The Present Continuous is also used for speaking about an action happening these days or nowadays.

What is he doing?

He is writing a new novel.

Where is papa? What is he doing?

He is in Canberra, attending a conference.

The examples above show that the tense is used for an action that you consider temporary. It is not an action that happens every day, every time, for which we use the Simple Present.

I read books. It is my hobby and it happens every time when I have time

I am reading books. Now.

I am reading a new book by Archer. Nowadays.

Unlike native speakers, speakers of English as a second language find it difficult to understand verbs that are seldom used in the Present Continuous even for actions happening now.

Are you seeing the bus there?

Speak, I am hearing you.

I am wanting money.

Are you understanding me?

He is not having any problems.

Verbs such as see and hear are involuntary actions. You cannot stop seeing if you keep your eyes open nor can you stop sounds entering your ears that are always open. They are always open and not under your control.

The Present Continuous is used only with actions that come under your control. Similar is the case with verbs that denote a state and not action. Have denotes possession or relationship. It speaks about no action. Therefore the sentence He is not having any problems is considered non-standard.

So next time when you use the Present Continuous, pause for a while and find out if you have got that sentence correct. This advice is for learners of English as second language.

ganeshan ramachandran