Life
Level 6 Unit 1b
The continuous aspect
I’d been working as a truck I was building houses Since 1999, I’ve been I’ll be retiring next month and
driver before I became a for 10 years. working as a car I’m planning to travel around
builder in 1989. mechanic. the world on my motorcycle!
Presentation
use the continuous aspect to describe actions that Past continuous
happen over a period of time. They are often temporary Use the past continuous to talk about:
or incomplete, and in some cases are repeated. We don’t
• an action that was the background to another more
normally use the continuous aspect with stative verbs
important event in the past. The background action
(e.g., belong, prefer, and seem): Does this jacket belong to
may continue after the more important event, or be
you? (not Is this jacket belonging to you?)
interrupted by it: He was working in a fast-food
restaurant when he met his future wife.
Present continuous
use the present continuous to talk about: Past perfect continuous
• an action in progress at the time of speaking: I’m just Use the past perfect continuous to talk about:
finishing some work – I’ll call you back later.
• something that was in progress up to a point in the
• an action around the time of speaking: They’re trying past: She’d been looking for a new job for six months
to find a new house. when the offer came.
• a current trend: Inflation is going up again. • an action that was repeated up to a point in the past:
• a situation which happens regularly and is irritating, I’d been telling them to fix the car but they never
especially with the adverb always: My father is always listened.
asking me to clean my room.
Future continuous
Present perfect continuous Use the future continuous to talk about:
Use the present perfect continuous to talk about: • something we expect to be happening at a particular
• an action that started in the past and is still time in the future: This time next week, we’ll be
continuing: I’ve been reviewing my English for over moving.
an hour. • something we expect to be repeated around a
• an action that was repeated in the past and continues particular time in the future: I’ll be doing yoga every
to be repeated now: We’ve been going to the same café Thursday evening.
for years. • guesses or predictions about an action in progress
• a continuous past action that has an effect on the now: They’ll probably be leaving right now.
present: I’m hungry because I’ve been working so hard.
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Level 6 Unit 1b
Exercises
Exercises
1 Choose the correct ending for the sentences.
1 They’ll be sending the package 4 When I was a teenager,
a in this afternoon's mail. a I was playing video games all the time.
b at the moment. b I used to play video games all the time.
2 He’s always asking me for the answers, 5 I’ve been standing here
a right now. a for over an hour.
b and it’s so irritating! b when the bus arrived.
3 The robber had been trying to open the safe
a when the police arrived.
b for the last two hours.
2 Complete the sentences using an appropriate continuous form of the verb in parentheses. Two
answers are possible in one question.
1 I ’m speaking to someone at the moment. I’ll call you back in five minutes. (speak)
2 Currently, prices a great deal. It’s very unpredictable. (fluctuate)
3 Where have you been? We for you for over half an hour! (wait)
4 They to move abroad when Jill was offered a new job. (plan)
5 This time next month, I a new life in San Francisco. (start)
6 I’m not exactly sure where he is, but at this time of day he home. (probably / cycle)
7 My daughter her clothes lying around the house for me to pick up! (always / leave)
8 He down the street when a child ran out in front of him. (drive)
9 The teacher something to the class when the fire alarm went off. (explain)
10 A: Why are you covered in red paint?
B: The kids and I their bedrooms. (paint)
3 Choose the correct verb.
We 1‘ve been working / ‘d been working for the same company for a couple of months when I first saw her. However,
it was ages before I 2found / was finding the courage to speak to her. It was while we 3‘ve been both doing /
were both doing a training course together that I finally started chatting to her. It was the end of the first day and
everyone in the group 4talked / was talking about how interesting the day 5had been / was being. I 6hadn’t noticed /
hadn’t been noticing she was standing right behind me. I stepped back and knocked her glass of water all over her.
Fortunately, she laughed about it and so we 7started / were starting talking. She told me she 8is moving / was moving
into a new house around the corner from me, so I offered to help her. We 9‘ve been seeing / ’ll be seeing a lot of each
other ever since that moment, and we 10‘ve been getting / ’ll be getting married next month.
4 Complete these sentences so they are true for you.
1 I’m currently working on .
2 My teacher/boss is always asking me to .
3 I’ve been studying for/since .
4 A few years ago, I’d been hoping to .
4 I was when .
5 By this time next year, I’ll be .
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