Present Continuous
The present continuous describes actions happening now or around now. We form it with am/is/are plus a verb ending in -ing.
Form: am/is/are + verb-ing
To make the present continuous, use the correct form of 'be' (am, is, are) and add -ing to the main verb. Use 'am' with I, 'is' with he/she/it, and 'are' with you/we/they. For negatives add 'not', and for questions put am/is/are before the subject.
- •I am working now.
- •She is eating breakfast.
- •We are playing football.
- •They are not sleeping.
- •Is he reading a book?
-ing spelling rules
Most verbs just add -ing (play → playing). If a verb ends in a silent -e, drop the -e and add -ing (make → making). For short verbs ending in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant (run → running). Verbs ending in -y simply add -ing (study → studying).
- •make → making
- •run → running
- •study → studying
- •write → writing
- •sit → sitting
Now, not habits: time markers
Use the present continuous for actions happening right now or around this time. Common time markers are now, right now, at the moment, currently, Look! and Listen! Do not use it for habits or routines — for those we use the present simple.
- •Look! The bus is coming.
- •I am studying English at the moment.
- •Right now she is cooking dinner.
- •She is drinking coffee now, but she usually drinks tea.
- •Listen! The baby is crying.