continuous tense
[kənˈtɪnjuəs tɛns]
nounpl: continuous tenses
tempo contínuo
1. A verb tense that expresses an action or state that is ongoing or in progress at a specific time, formed with the auxiliary verb 'be' and the present participle (-ing form)
The present continuous tense describes what is happening right now.
O tempo contínuo presente descreve o que está acontecendo neste momento.
2. Any of the tenses (present continuous, past continuous, future continuous) that indicate an action in progress rather than completed
She was reading when the phone rang - this uses the past continuous tense.
Ela estava lendo quando o telefone tocou - isso usa o tempo contínuo do passado.
In Brazilian English teaching, 'continuous tense' is the traditional and widely used term in schools and textbooks. However, modern linguistic terminology increasingly prefers 'progressive aspect' as more technically accurate. The continuous tense is fundamental to English grammar instruction and is often one of the first advanced grammar concepts taught to intermediate learners of English as a foreign language.
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