一、表示反复或重复
英语的现在进行时用于少数瞬间动词可以表示不断重复的动作，这类动词主要有jump, knock, kick, hit, nod, tap, wink, cough, shoot, drop等。如：
Someone is knocking. 有人敲门。
John is nodding his head. 约翰频频点头。
He is jumping up and down. 他上下地跳着。
Why is she blinking her eyes? 她为什么老眨眼睛?
如果主语为复数，某些动词的现在进行时往往有“不断”或“一个接一个”的含义，如：
People are dying in that part of the world. 在那个地方人们不断地死去。
Men are dropping with malaria, dysentery and simple starvation. 士兵们由于疟疾、痢疾或仅仅因为饥饿一个接一个地倒了下去。
二、表示即将发生
注意有些瞬间动词的现在进行时并不表动作的重复，而是表动作即将发生。如：
Mike is coming home on Thursday. 迈克星期四回来。
They’re having a party next week. 下星期他们将开一个晚会。
My sister is getting married next December. 我妹妹十二月结婚。
You’re young people. You ate only beginning to live. 你们是年轻人，刚刚开始生活。
三、表示即将结束
有些瞬间动词的现在进行时则表动作即将结束，如：
I am finishing. 我快做完了。
It is ceasing to rain. 雨快停了。
The fruit is ripening. 这果子快熟了。
It was my painful duty to tell him he was dying. 要我把他即将去世的事告诉他，这使我十分为难。
