Present continuous

What you'll learn

Use the present continuous for actions happening now or around now.

am/is/are + verb-ing

• I am reading.
• She is cooking.
• They are playing.

Start with these examples

• Look! The baby is sleeping.
• We are studying English now.
• My brother is making dinner.
• Are you listening?

Make the -ing form

For most verbs, add -ing.

• work → working
• read → reading
• play → playing

For verbs ending in -e, usually remove the e.

• make → making
• write → writing
• dance → dancing

For some short verbs, double the final consonant.

• sit → sitting
• run → running
• swim → swimming

Affirmative, negative and questions

Affirmative

• I am working.
• She is reading.
• They are playing.

Negative

Put not after am, is or are.

• I am not working.
• He isn't sleeping.
• We aren't waiting.

Questions

Put am, is or are before the subject.

• Are you studying?
• Is she cooking?
• Are they coming?

Common mistakes

• She cooking. → She is cooking.
• They are play. → They are playing.
• I am write an email. → I am writing an email.
• He is runing. → He is running.

Quick check

• She is ___ dinner. → making
• ___ they waiting? → Are
• I ___ not working today. → am

Next step

Compare the present simple and present continuous.