Practice
Present continuous tense exercise: actions happening now
Sign in to saveYour phone rings while you are cooking dinner. You say, "I am making soup. Can I call you later?" The present continuous helps you describe the action in progress instead of your usual routine.
Use am, is, or are with a verb ending in -ing to describe an action happening now, a temporary situation, or a planned arrangement.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
I am writing, she is running, they are waiting /aɪ əm ˈraɪ.tɪŋ/, /ʃiː ɪz ˈrʌn.ɪŋ/, /ðeɪ ɑː ˈweɪ.tɪŋ/
The short answer
Use the present continuous when you want to show that something is in progress or temporary. Choose am with I, is with he, she, it, and singular nouns, and are with you, we, and they. Then add the -ing form of the main verb.
Maya is writing an email at the moment.
Why it works: The email is an action in progress at the moment, so Maya is writing is the natural form.
5 more examples
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I am checking the train times now.
The word now shows that the check is in progress, so the sentence uses am plus checking.
Not this:I
checkthe train times every Monday. What changes: Check describes a usual weekly habit. Am checking describes the action happening now. -
The children are building a model in the classroom.
The children is plural, so the helping verb is are. Building is the action in progress.
Not this:The child
is buildinga model in the classroom. What changes: Child is singular, so the helping verb changes from are to is. -
Lena is living with her cousin this month.
This month presents the living arrangement as temporary, so the present continuous fits.
Not this:Lena
livesnear the library. What changes: Lives describes Lena's regular home situation, while is living describes a temporary arrangement. -
We are not taking the car today.
Are not comes before the -ing verb to make a negative sentence about today's plan.
Not this:We
do not takethe car on weekdays. What changes: Do not take describes a regular habit. Are not taking describes today's temporary decision. -
Are you joining us for lunch tomorrow?
Are moves before you to make a question about a planned arrangement tomorrow.
Not this:
Do you joinus for lunch on Fridays? What changes: Do you join asks about a repeated Friday habit. Are you joining asks about one arrangement.
Read the full guide
First, ask what the sentence means. Is the action happening around now, is it temporary, or is it an arrangement with a stated time? If it is, choose the correct form of be, then add the -ing form. Read the whole verb together: is writing, are waiting, or am studying.
Choose the present continuous for an action in progress
Use the present continuous when the action is happening at this time or around this time. It answers a question such as What is happening? rather than What do you usually do? Words such as now, at the moment, and today often support this meaning.
The mechanic is fixing my bike at the moment.
The mechanic fixes bikes for a living describes a regular job. The mechanic is fixing my bike describes the work in progress now.
Build the verb with am, is, or are
The form of be must match the subject. Say I am, he is, she is, it is, we are, you are, and they are. Put the -ing form after it. Do not leave out be: They waiting is incomplete.
I am packing my bag. Our guests are arriving soon.
Choose the correct form: My neighbor ___ dinner at the moment.
Use is cooking: My neighbor is cooking dinner at the moment. My neighbor is one person, so the helping verb is is.
Spell the -ing form carefully
Most verbs take -ing directly: read becomes reading. Drop a final silent e before -ing: make becomes making and write becomes writing. Many short one-syllable verbs with one final consonant double that consonant: sit becomes sitting and run becomes running.
Sam is making tea while the dog is sitting by the door.
Write becomes writing, not writeing. The final e disappears before the -ing ending.
Make negatives and questions with be
Put not after am, is, or are to make a negative. Move am, is, or are to the beginning to make a question. The main verb keeps its -ing ending in both patterns.
She is not wearing a coat. Are the students waiting outside?
Is she wearing a coat? is a present continuous question. Does she wear a coat? usually asks about a habit.
Use it for temporary situations and changes
The present continuous can describe something that lasts for a limited period, even if it is not happening at the exact second you speak. It can also describe a change that is underway. The surrounding words should make the temporary or changing meaning clear.
I am taking an evening class this term. The days are getting longer.
I take an evening class every spring describes a repeated pattern. I am taking an evening class this term describes the current temporary course.
Talk about a planned arrangement
Use the present continuous for a personal future arrangement when the plan has a clear time, place, or person. This form is common for appointments, visits, and meetings. It does not describe every possible future event.
My sister is visiting us on Saturday afternoon.
Choose the form that fits a planned appointment: We ___ the dentist at ten tomorrow.
Use are seeing: We are seeing the dentist at ten tomorrow. The stated time shows an arranged future appointment.
Before you go
Remember this
Build the present continuous with am, is, or are plus a verb ending in -ing. Use it for an action in progress, a temporary situation, a change, or a stated arrangement. Check the subject first, then check the spelling of the -ing form.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Present continuous tense exercise: actions happening now"
When should I use the present continuous tense?
Use the present continuous for an action in progress, a temporary situation, a change, or an arrangement with a stated time. I am checking the train times now describes an action happening now, while Lena is living with her cousin this month describes a temporary arrangement.
I am checking the train times now.
How do I form the present continuous?
Choose am, is, or are for the subject, then use the main verb with -ing. The children are building a model uses are because the subject is plural. For one person, use is, as in Maya is writing an email at the moment.
I check the train times every Monday.
Why does write become writing?
Drop the final silent e before adding -ing, so write becomes writing and make becomes making. Most other verbs simply add -ing. Check the spelling before you use the form after am, is, or are.
The children are building a model in the classroom.
How do I make a present continuous negative or question?
Put not after am, is, or are for a negative: We are not taking the car today. For a question, move am, is, or are before the subject: Are you joining us for lunch tomorrow? Keep the main verb in its -ing form.
The child is building a model in the classroom.
What is the difference between present continuous and simple present?
The present continuous describes a current or temporary action, such as I am checking the train times now. The simple present describes a usual action, such as I check the train times every Monday. Choose the tense from the time meaning.
Lena is living with her cousin this month.