1.在+动词 2.动词+着 it's a good question. as far as i know, when you just want to express you are doing sth, you could use number1. fox example, sb asked you, what r u doing? you can say：i am playing.(我在玩) i am drinking(我在喝水) he is reading.(他在读书)。number 1 can express somebody is(was) doing something. when you want to express you did something while you were doing sth, you could use number 2. eg, I got cry while I watching the moving movie. 看着这感人的电影，我流下了眼泪。 我想用汉语来说明，但是又怕你听不懂，哈哈，还有几种情况，先回答上述常用的情况吧。

“我在想”：在+动词，可以用于进行时态，但是需要在句子前面加人称。such as ，他正在看电视（He's watching TV）。“我想着”：“着”是助词，表示动作正在进行或状态的持续，可以不在句子前面加人称，such as ,听着这首歌，我想起了你。Listen to this song, I am thinking of you 。同时，也可以用于前面有人称的句子：昨天我开着车呢（Yesterday I was driving a car）

1.在 added before the predicate(verb) is used to indicate that an action is going on or in progress. e.g.我在开会。 e.g.他在睡觉。 e.g.她们在看电视。 (the action of 开会/睡觉/看电视 is going on) 2.着 occurring after the predicate(verb) express the continuation either of an action or of a state as the result of an action. e.g.他飞快地跑着.(the continuation of the action 跑) e.g窗户开着，门关着。(The action of 开and 关,have been finished, but the states of 开and 关 continue.) e.g.他穿着一件蓝T恤。(The action of 穿 has been completed ,but the state of the result of 穿continues.) 3.In Chinese,"verb+着"is often used before the predicate(another verb) to illustrate the means or the manners of the latter action. e.g.他坐着听音乐 e.g.他看着报纸吃早饭

Take the verb 站 = get into a standing position 在站 = be in the process of getting upright 站著 = get into the upright and continue in the upright I hope that is understandable. That is the difference between 在 and 著。 Generally, use 著 for changes of state, where you continue to remain in the changed state. E.g. sitting, standing, lying, getting dressed, lots of them really.