The Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous verb tense indicates that an action
or condition is happening now, frequently, and may continue into the future.
Structure: Subject + is/am/are + Present participle (-ing) form
Here's how to make the positive:
- 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
To make the negative, just add 'not':
- 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
To make a question, change the position of 'be' and the subject.
Here are the present continuous 'yes / no' questions with 'be':
- 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 ?
To make 'wh' questions just put the question word at the front:
- 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 ?
- To express actions that are happening now.
- He is playing tennis now.
- To express actions that are planned.
- He is watching movie with his friend next Sunday.
- For changing situations.
- The climate is getting hotter each year.
- To express time at the moment of speaking.
- We are performing our duty at the moment.