The Present Continuous Tense

(Also called the Present Progressive Tense)

The present continuous (sometimes called the present progressive) tense in English is really easy to make and is the same for all verbs. We make it using the present simple of ‘be’ + verb-ing:

Here is how we make the positive:

Positive	Positive Short Form
I am sleeping	I'm sleeping
you are sleeping	you're sleeping
he is sleeping	he's sleeping
she is sleeping	she's sleeping
it is sleeping	it's sleeping
we are sleeping	we're sleeping
they are sleeping	they're sleeping

We can make the negative by adding ‘not’:

Negative	Negative Short Form
I am not sleeping	I'm not sleeping
you are not playing	you aren't playing
he is not reading	he isn't reading
she is not working	she isn't working
it is not raining	it isn't raining
we are not cooking	we aren't cooking
they are not listening	they aren't listening

Questions are also really, really easy. Just like we made the question with ‘be’ in the present simple, here we also put ‘am’, ‘is’, or ‘are’ before the subject to make a 'yes / no' question:

Yes / No Questions

am I eating chocolate ?

are you studying now ?

is he working ?

is she doing her homework ?

is it raining ?

are we meeting at six ?

are they coming ?

For ‘wh’ questions, just put the question word at the front:

Wh Questions

Why am I eating chocolate ?

What are you studying now ?

When is he working ?

What is she doing ?

Why is it raining ?

Who are we meeting ?

How are they travelling ?

The Use of

Present Continuous

(Also called the present progressive tense)

So, now you can make the present continuous tense. But what about present continuous use? Here are some situations when we need this tense:
1: Firstly, we use it for things that are happening at the moment of speaking.

I’m working at the moment.

Please call back – we are eating dinner.

Julie is sleeping.

You are studying the present continuous.

2: We can also use this tense for temporary situations, when we feel something won't continue for a long time.

She’s staying with her friend for a week.

I’m living in London for a few months.

John’s working in a bar until he finds a job in his field.

I’m reading a really great book.

Compare this with the present simple, which is used for permanent situations that we feel will continue for a long time.

3: We can use the present continuous for habits but they have to be temporary or new habits (for normal habits that continue for a long time, we use the present simple).

• He’s eating a lot these days.
• She’s swimming every morning (she didn’t used to do this).
• You’re smoking too much.
• They’re working late every night.

4: Another present continuous use is for annoying habits, when we want to show that something happens too often and we don't like it. In this case we need to use an adverb like ‘always’ / ‘forever’ / ‘constantly'.

• You’re always losing your keys!
• She’s constantly missing the train.
• He’s always sleeping in.
• They’re forever being late.

5: The next use is for definite future arrangements (with a future time word). In this case we have already made a plan and we are pretty sure that the event will happen in the future.

• I’m meeting my father tomorrow.
• We’re going to the beach at the weekend.
• I’m leaving at three.
• They’re coming to the party at the weekend.

6: Finally we use this tense to talk about a situation which is slowly changing.

• I’m getting better at playing the piano.
• The weather is improving.

We can't use the this tense (or any other continuous tense) with stative verbs.