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Present Continuous in English: Affirmative, Negative, and Questions
The tense for what's happening right now: be + verb-ing.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
The Present Continuous is used to talk about something happening right now: I am working, She is studying. It's formed with the verb to be + the main verb ending in -ing.
Affirmative
Spelling of -ing
Negative and questions
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Practice the Present Continuous with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
What it's used for
It's used for something happening right now (right now, at the moment): "She is cooking dinner right now." It's also used for future plans that are already arranged: "I am meeting him tomorrow."
Verbs that don't normally go in the continuous
Some state verbs, like like, want, know, believe, and love, are almost never used in the Present Continuous, even when talking about something true right now: you say "I like this song," not "I am liking this song."
Common mistakes learners make
Forgetting the verb "be" before the -ing verb. In some languages the equivalent of the gerund is sometimes used without such a marked auxiliary verb, which leads to saying "She working" instead of "She is working." The verb be is mandatory, it's never dropped.
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Frequently asked questions
How is the Present Continuous formed?
With the verb to be (am/is/are) + the main verb ending in -ing: I am working, she is studying.
When is the Present Continuous used?
For something happening right now, and for future plans that are already arranged (I am traveling next week).
How do you make the Present Continuous negative?
By adding not after be: I am not working, she isn't studying.
How do you ask questions in the Present Continuous?
By putting am/is/are at the front: Is she working? Are you studying?
What is the spelling rule for -ing?
Most verbs just add -ing (work → working). Verbs ending in a silent e drop it (make → making), and one-syllable verbs with a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern double the final consonant (run → running).
Can every verb be used in the Present Continuous?
No. State verbs like like, want, know, and believe are almost never used in the continuous, even when talking about the present: you say "I like it," not "I am liking it."
Practice the Present Continuous with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.