The Present Continuous Tense
Talk about what is happening right now, temporary situations, and plans you have already arranged — with am, is or are plus an -ing verb.
Press a button. Watch it happen now.
The present continuous is all about right now. Switch the subject and the form, and watch how am / is / are teams up with the -ing verb.
Got the pattern? Jump to the practice →
The rules — with examples
How to build each form, when you actually use the present continuous, and the words that signal it.
The three forms
She is working.
They are working.
She isn’t working.
They aren’t working.
Are you working? — No, I’m not.
Watch out: never drop the be verb. “She working” is wrong — you always need am / is / are: “She is working”.
When to use it
Spelling: the -ing form
Signal words & a tip
Simple or continuous? Present simple = always / in general (“She works in a bank”). Present continuous = now / temporary (“She is working from home this week”). And state verbs (know, like, want) stay simple: “I want it”, not “I am wanting”.
Practise & score yourself
Ten quick questions with instant scoring and a short explanation for every answer — especially the ones you get wrong.
The one rule to remember
Use the present continuous for things in progress right now — and for plans you have already arranged. Always pair the correct form of be — am, is or are — with the -ing verb: “She is waiting”, never “She waiting”.
The Present Continuous Tense Continues
Talk about actions happening right now, temporary situations, and future arrangements.
What the present continuous does
We use the present continuous for actions in progress around now, and for temporary or planned situations. It is built from the verb be plus an -ing verb.
The same verb across the three sentence types: Positive: She is cooking dinner right now. Negative: She isn't watching TV. Question: Is she cooking? — Yes, she is.
How to form it
Use am / is / are + the -ing form of the main verb.
Positive
Negative
Questions
Spelling: the -ing form
| Rule | Examples |
|---|---|
| Most verbs → + ing | eat → eating · play → playing · sleep → sleeping |
| ends in -e → drop e + ing | make → making · write → writing · take → taking |
| short C-V-C → double + ing | run → running · sit → sitting · swim → swimming |
When to use it
Right now
Temporary situations
Future arrangements
Changing situations & annoying habits
Signal words: now, right now, at the moment, currently, today, this week, these days.
Stative verbs — no -ing
Common stative verbs: know, believe, understand, like, love, hate, want, need, own, have (possession). Use the present simple with these.
Common mistakes
Practice & score yourself
Ten quick questions. You get instant scoring and a short explanation for every answer — especially when you get one wrong.
Part A — Choose the correct form
Teaching ideas
High-energy ways to practice actions happening now.
Mime and guess
One student mimes an action; the class asks "Are you cooking?" and describes "He is cooking!" Pure present-continuous question and statement practice.
Freeze frame
Play music; when it stops, students freeze in a pose. Partners write "She is jumping / They are dancing." Captures the right-now meaning perfectly.
Phone-call narration
Students describe a busy picture down an imaginary phone line ("People are waiting, a man is running…"). Great for fluency and the -ing form.
Simple vs continuous sort
Give sentences and have students label "every day" or "right now". Builds the crucial contrast with the present simple.
Diary of next week
Students fill a calendar and report plans ("On Friday I'm meeting…"). Introduces the future-arrangement use in a personal way.
Stative trap cards
Flash verbs; students shout "action" (add -ing) or "state" (no -ing). Makes the stative-verb rule automatic.
The one rule to remember
The present continuous is be + verb-ing. Match am / is / are to the subject, never forget the -ing, and remember that state verbs like know, like, and want stay in the present simple.
Present Continuous
Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense
Definition: The Present Continuous tense describes actions that are happening right now or actions that are ongoing.
Structure: Subject + am/is/are + verb + -ing
Positive Sentences:
- I am (I’m) eating.
- You are (You’re) eating.
- He/She/It is (He’s/She’s/It’s) eating.
- We are (We’re) eating.
- They are (They’re) eating.
Negative Sentences:
- I am not (I’m not) eating.
- You are not (You aren’t) eating.
- He/She/It is not (He/She/It isn’t) eating.
- We are not (We aren’t) eating.
- They are not (They aren’t) eating.
Questions:
- Am I eating?
- Are you eating?
- Is he/she/it eating?
- Are we eating?
- Are they eating?
Uses:
- Actions happening right now:
- She is reading a book.
- They are playing soccer.
- Temporary actions:
- I am staying with my friend this week.
- He is working on a special project these days.
- Future plans (with future meaning):
- I am meeting my friend tomorrow.
- We are going to the movies tonight.
- Changing or developing situations:
- The weather is getting warmer.
- Her English is improving.
Common Mistakes:
- Using the wrong form of ‘to be’:
- Incorrect: She are playing.
- Correct: She is playing.
- Forgetting the ‘-ing’ ending:
- Incorrect: He is read a book.
- Correct: He is reading a book.
- Using Present Continuous for non-continuous verbs:
- Incorrect: I am knowing the answer.
- Correct: I know the answer.
Signal Words:
- Now
- Right now
- At the moment
- Currently
- This week/month/year
- Today
- These days
Examples:
- Right now:
- She is writing an email now.
- They are watching a movie at the moment.
- Temporary actions:
- I am living in London for a few months.
- He is studying for his exams this week.
- Future plans:
- We are having dinner with friends tonight.
- She is traveling to Paris next month.
- Changing situations:
- The days are getting longer.
- Technology is advancing rapidly.
Note!
Non-continuous verbs: These verbs are usually not used in the Present Continuous tense because they describe states rather than actions. Common non-continuous verbs include:
- Like, love, hate
- Want, need
- Know, understand, believe
- See, hear, smell, taste
- Belong, own, possess
Examples of non-continuous verbs:
- I want a sandwich. (Not: I am wanting a sandwich.)
- She knows the answer. (Not: She is knowing the answer.)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Present Continuous Form
Fill in the blanks with the correct present continuous form of the verbs in parentheses.
Present Continuous Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Present Continuous Form
Fill in the blanks with the correct present continuous form of the verbs in parentheses.
- She __________ (read) a book right now.
- They __________ (play) soccer in the park.
- I __________ (watch) TV at the moment.
- He __________ (cook) dinner in the kitchen.
- We __________ (study) for the test.
Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentences in Negative Form
Rewrite the following sentences in the present continuous negative form.
- She is reading a book right now.
- They are playing soccer in the park.
- I am watching TV at the moment.
- He is cooking dinner in the kitchen.
- We are studying for the test.
Exercise 3: Form Questions from the Given Sentences
Form questions from the following statements in the present continuous tense.
- She is reading a book right now.
- They are playing soccer in the park.
- I am watching TV at the moment.
- He is cooking dinner in the kitchen.
- We are studying for the test.
Exercise 1
- is reading
- are playing
- am watching
- is cooking
- are studying
Exercise 2
- She is not (isn’t) reading a book right now.
- They are not (aren’t) playing soccer in the park.
- I am not (I’m not) watching TV at the moment.
- He is not (isn’t) cooking dinner in the kitchen.
- We are not (aren’t) studying for the test.
Exercise 3
- Is she reading a book right now?
- Are they playing soccer in the park?
- Am I watching TV at the moment?
- Is he cooking dinner in the kitchen?
- Are we studying for the test?