Detailed videos on Tenses can be found here

Present Progressive (or Continuous) is formed with the verb to be + -ing form of a verb.

            is going                   am working

We often use the Present Progressive for actions that are in progress at the moment of speaking. For example:

                  It’s raining.

                  I’m studying.

We can also use the Present Progressive to describe temporary situations.

            I’m staying with my in-laws for a while.

            My mom is travelling this week.

And we can also use it to talk about things that are in the process of changing.

       Inflation is falling.


       Education is suffering.

However, state or stative verbs don’t use the progressive aspect. That’s because they are states and states don’t change.  These verbs describe mental or emotional states, such as believe, like, love, hate, know, prefer, recognise, feel, remember, understand, want, etc.).

Are you understanding me?         Incorrect

Have you understood me?              Correct

Remember the McDonald’s tag line?           I’m loving it.

Well it’s wrong, as love is a state. Correct would be: I love it.

Some other verbs that don’t use Progressive aspect are communication verbs (agree, disagree, mean, surprise, promise), sense verbs (hear, see, smell, sound, taste) and permanent state verbs (be, belong, consist, fit, owe, own, possess). For example, we say:

             I don’t agree with you. (NOT, I am not agreeing with you.)


             It smells atrocious. (NOT, It is smelling atrocious.)


             This shop belongs to my friend (NOT, This shop is belonging to my friend.)


             I promise I’ll do it. (NOT, I am promising I’ll do it.)

However, some verbs can be both stative or dynamic. Like the verb to be.

 She is being silly.

Compare with:

             She is intelligent. (Not She is being intelligent.)

 

Also some state verbs can sometimes be used for an action:

I’m thinking if we should do it.

Compare with:

She does not think highly of you.(Not She is not thinking highly of you.)