The Present Continuous
The Present Continuous can be used to describe current events
Among other uses, the Present Continuous can be used to describe current events. It is composed of a present form of "be" - am, is, are - plus Verb+ing. The following text exemplifies its use: In contemporary Brazil, people are living longer and are having fewer children. Some poorer segments of the population are earning more and are spending more money on consumer goods. However, they are also buying a lot more on credit. People are becoming more concerned about environmental issues, but they are also driving more and big cities are growing at an alarming rate.