Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing)

Level: A1. The present continuous (also called the present progressive) is the tense for what is happening now or around now. It is two parts: the verb be plus a main verb ending in -ing.

The rule

The present continuous describes an action in progress at the moment of speaking, or a temporary situation around now. Compare it with the present simple, which is for habits and permanent facts.

The form has two pieces:

1. the correct present of be — am with I, is with he / she / it, are with you / we / they;
2. the main verb with -ing (the present participle).

• I am working. / She is working. / They are working.
• Look! It is raining.

You must keep be. The -ing word alone is not a sentence: “She working” is wrong; “She is working” is right. Make negatives by adding not to be (isn’t, aren’t), and questions by moving be to the front (Is she working?). No do or does.

Forms and -ing spelling

Spelling of the -ing form:

How to say it

• I’m, you’re, he’s, she’s, we’re, they’re are the normal spoken forms — practise them until they feel automatic.
• -ing is a single soft sound ending in “ng” (as in sing); do not add a hard “g” at the end — say “workin-g” lightly, not “working-guh”.
• isn’t sounds like “iz-nt”; aren’t like “arnt”.

Example sentences

Common mistakes

• ❌ She working now. → ✅ She is working now. You must include be (am / is / are).
• ❌ I am knowing the answer. → ✅ I know the answer. Stative verbs (know, want, like, need, believe, understand) are not normally continuous.
• ❌ He is write a letter. → ✅ He is writing a letter. The main verb needs the -ing ending.
• ❌ They is playing. → ✅ They are playing. Match be to the subject: they → are.
• ❌ I am runing. → ✅ I am running. Double the consonant in short stressed verbs: run → running.
• ❌ Do you reading? → ✅ Are you reading? Make questions with be, never with do.

A short conversation

A: Hi — what are you doing? B: I’m making dinner. Why? A: The others are waiting outside. Are you coming? B: Give me five minutes. I’m not ready yet.

Usage notes

• Now vs habit. The present continuous is for the moment or a temporary stretch; the present simple is for routines. “I am taking the bus today” (just today) vs “I take the bus to work” (every day).
• Contractions are normal. In speech and informal writing use I’m, she’s, they’re, isn’t, aren’t. Full forms are heavier and more formal.
• Signal words. now, right now, at the moment, currently, today, this week, this year, Look!, Listen! often appear with this tense — they point at the present.
• Changing situations. It also marks things in the middle of changing: “It’s getting colder”, “Prices are rising.”

Compared with…

• Present simple is the key contrast: habits and facts vs now. “She works in a bank” (her job, every day) vs “She is working late tonight” (just now). If you can add every day / usually, use the simple; if you can add now / at the moment, use the continuous. See Present Simple: Affirmative and the -s Ending.
• Present continuous for the future uses the same am/is/are + -ing form, but for fixed arrangements rather than actions now: “I’m meeting Sam tomorrow.” The form is identical; only the time reference changes. See Present Continuous for Future Arrangements. The am/is/are at its heart is the verb to be.

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Quiz

Recap cheat-sheet

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