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Present Continuous

Grammar learning path:Present tense foundations

By the flumi team About 5 min read 30 vocabulary wordsPractice exercises

Present tense foundations

1. When Do We Use the Present Continuous?

We use the present continuous to talk about actions that are in progress.

We use it for...	Example
Happening right now	She is reading a book.
Happening around now, but not necessarily at this exact moment	I am reading a book about space these days.
Temporary actions	I am working from home this week.

2. Building the Present Continuous

The present continuous always follows this pattern:

Subject + am / is / are + verb + -ing

In everyday speech, we often use contractions: I’m, she’s, we’re.

Step 1: Choose the correct form of be

Subject	Be	Common contraction
I	am	I’m
He / She / It	is	he’s / she’s / it’s
You / We / They	are	you’re / we’re / they’re

Step 2: Add the -ing form of the verb

I’m cooking.

She’s cooking.

They’re cooking.

3. Changing the Sentence

Once you know the pattern, you can easily make positive sentences, negatives, and questions.

Sentence type	Pattern	Example
Positive	Subject + am / is / are + verb-ing	She’s reading.
Negative	Subject + am / is / are + not + verb-ing	She isn’t reading. / She’s not reading.
Question	Am / Is / Are + subject + verb-ing?	Is she reading?

Short answers

Question	Yes	No
Is she reading?	Yes, she is.	No, she isn't.
Are they playing?	Yes, they are.	No, they aren't.

For negatives, you can contract be + not (She isn’t reading) or subject + be (She’s not reading). With I, say I’m not, not amn't.

Always keep am, is, or are in the sentence.

The main verb must always end in -ing.

✓ She is working.

✗ She working.

✗ She is work.

4. Forming the -ing Verb

Most verbs simply add -ing.

Rule	Example
Add -ing	work → working
Drop final -e	make → making
Keep -ee	see → seeing
Change -ie to -y, then add -ing	lie → lying
Double the last letter in a one-syllable consonant + vowel + consonant verb	run → running

A quick way to remember:

If a short verb ends with consonant + vowel + consonant, double the last letter before adding -ing.

run → running

sit → sitting

For later: with a verb of more than one syllable, double the final consonant when the last syllable is stressed and it ends in consonant + vowel + consonant:

prefer → preferring
happen → happening (not happenning)

Never double w, x, or y — even if the verb ends in consonant + vowel + consonant.

fix → fixing (not fixxing)

mix → mixing (not mixxing)

British and American spelling

British English often doubles final -l, while American English often does not:

British English: travel → travelling
American English: travel → traveling

5. Time Words to Look For

These time expressions often tell you that you need the present continuous.

Time expression	Example
now	She is studying now.
right now	I am working right now.
at the moment	They are eating at the moment.
today (when the activity is temporary or in progress)	He is working today.
this week / this month	We are staying here this week.

6. A Quick Note: Now vs. Always

The present continuous is for now or this week. For habits and routines, use the present simple, which you already know.

I am working in London this week. → happening now (temporary)

I work in London. → always / permanent

Most stative verbs describe a state, not an action, so we normally use the present simple even when the state is true now. Common stative verbs include know, believe, understand, want, need, like, and own.

✓ “I know the answer.” / ✗ “I am knowing the answer.”
✓ “She wants some water.” / ✗ “She is wanting some water.”

7. Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect	✅ Correct
She working now.	She is working now.
I am eat lunch.	I am eating lunch.
They are work today.	They are working today.
I am knowing the answer.	I know the answer.

Quick check

Try one question now

My sister breakfast in the kitchen right now.

Check your answer when you are ready.

8. Quick Recap

Before you choose a tense, ask yourself:

Is the action happening right now? → Use the present continuous.
Is the action temporary? → Use the present continuous.

I am staying with my friend this week.

She is eating lunch right now.

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Present tense foundations

Present Continuous

30 words

Last updated August 23, 2026