Paco has talked to the bank manager and he is going to deposit the money won in the lottery in that bank. After taking off his new suit, he feels like having a relaxing bath. In the bath, he receives a phone call. This is one of his best friends, Andrés. Listen to and read the conversation, carefully.

Andrés: What are you doing?

Paco: I'm in the bathroom. I'm having a bath.

Andrés: What are you doing in the bath so early?

Paco: I'm thinking about an assignment. I have to write a dialogue in English.

Andrés: Is it for tomorrow?

Paco: No, it's not. It's for next week.

Andrés: What are you stressing about then? You have plenty of time.

Paco: I know, I just don't feel like doing it. Every time I start to work I feel so overwhelmed.

Andrés: Obviously you need to take the night off. What do you think about that? We could make a nice dinner.

Paco: I can't! I really need to work...

Andrés: But you don't want to work! If you're not going to enjoy working on it, then it's not worth doing.

Paco: Well, I'm not going to enjoy the process, but I think the work is worth it.

Andrés: You're telling me that writing the dialogue is going to be unpleasant, but despite this, the work is somehow worth it in the end?

Paco: Well of course it's worth it! If I thought it's not worth it, then what am I doing at University?

Andrés: Exactly! What are you doing at University? I really believe that if it doesn't feel good to do something, then it is not a good thing to do. Look! Right now you're in the bath and it feels good. You're not doing your schoolwork because it feels bad. So, having a bath is the right thing to do, and congratulations, you're doing the right thing!

Paco: Andrés, just because having a bath feels good doesn't mean that it is good.

Andrés: Yes, You're right! But now you have a lot of money. You don't have to do any schoolwork. In any case, are you going to the travel agency tomorrow?

Paco: I'm not sure. I'd like to, but first I must do my homework, you know, "business before pleasure". I'll phone you when we can make a nice dinner. Good bye!

Andrés: Bye, Paco!

Dialogue adapted from Dialogue Over a Bath, by Jenny Amber Petch

In the conversation Paco and Andrés have, we can see some different tenses. This is common in English because they are talking about actions that are ocurring at the moment of speaking, habits or routines, likes, general trues, and they even talk about the future. We are going to concentrate on the Present Simple and Present Continuous tenses. To do so, let's have a look at the chart below where you'll find some sentences in the present continuous and some others in the present simple tense. Pay attention to the reason why they use those tenses.

Present Continuous	Use	Present Simple	Use
What are you doing?	NOW	I'm in the bathroom	STATIVE VERB
I'm having a bath	NOW	I have to write a dialogue in English	STATIVE VERB
I'm thinking about an assignment	NOW	I just don't feel like doing it	MENTAL STATE
What are you stressing about?	NOW	Every time I start to work...	GENERALLY TRUE
You're telling me...	NOW	You don't want to work!	STATIVE VERB
What am I doing at University?	AROUND THE PRESENT	The work is worth it.	STATIVE VERB
You're not doing you schoolwork	NOW	Now you have a lot of money	POSSESSION
You're doing the right thing	NOW	You don't have to do any schoolwork	STATIVE VERB
Are you going to the travel agency tomorrow?	FUTURE PLAN	I'm not sure	MENTAL STATE

In their conversation they also use lots of common stative verbs which cannot be used in continuous tenses.

Have you noticed how the Present Continuous tense is formed? Let's have a look at it!

Subject	to be	(NOT)	Present Participle	bare infinitive + -ing
I	am		having a bath	have + -ing - having
I	am		thinking about an assignment	think + -ing - thinking
You	are		telling me...	tell + -ing - telling
You	are	not	doing the right thing	do + -ing - doing

To form the present participle or gerund of English verbs is quite easy. Now that you know the spelling rules for adding suffix -ing to verbs, let's remember how it is done! Then watch the video on the right and try to guess the sentences in the present continuous tense (don't be afraid of the pronunciation, this is Australian English!). As you know, Paco likes helping people. However he could not understand a word of it! He must improve his English!

Bare infinitive	+ -ing	Present Participle / Gerund
study	-ing	studying
begin	-ing	beginning
stop	-ing	stopping
say	-ing	saying
make	-ing	making
do	-ing	doing
lie	-ing	lying
panic	-ing	panicking
work	-ing	working

In the video, the speaker says what they are doing right now. To do so, she uses the present continuous tense in the following sentences:

• I can tell you what we're doing.
• Thanks to our generous supporters World Vision Australia is helping over 20 million people to break the cycle of poverty.
• Right now, we're working with families in communities across the Globe.
• That's what we're doing right now.
• Other sentences are in the present simple tense. Let's see some!
• Still, the fact is somewhere around the world another child dies every three seconds from preventable causes.
• That's right now! (when three seconds pass).