The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Present continuous

Form: present continuous

Present continuous for actions in progress at the time of speaking

Present continuous for gradual development

Present continuous for frequently repeated actions in the present

Present continuous for temporary habitual actions in the present

Present continuous for habitual actions in the present

Form: present continuous

AM/IS/ARE + PRESENT PARTICIPLE (VERB-ING)

The present continuous (also called the present progressive) is formed with am/is/are (the present tense forms of be) + the present participle -ing form of the verb.

Affirmative

Subject

Auxiliary

Verb (present participle)

I

am

sleeping.

He/She/It

is

You

are

We

You

They

Negative

Subject

Auxiliary

not

Verb (present participle)

I

am

not

sleeping.

He/She/It

is

You

are

We

You

They

Interrogative

(Question word)

Auxiliary

Subject

Verb (present participle)

(Where)

am

I

sleeping?

is

he/she/it

are

you

we

you

they

The following contracted forms are often used in spoken and in informal written language:

I am

»

I'm

you are

»

you're

he/she/it is

»

he's/she's/it's

we are

»

we're

you are

»

you're

they are

»

they're

are not

»

aren't

is not

»

isn't

Related topics:

The forms of the participle

Subject-auxiliary inversion in questions

Present continuous for actions in progress at the time of speaking

The present continuous tense is used to refer to actions that are in progress at or around the time of speaking:

"What

are

you

doing

?" "I

am reading

a book."

New York police

are investigating

the case.

Let's take an umbrella. It'

s raining

.

I'

m staying

at the Hotel Royal.

Quotes:

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. - Oscar Wilde

Related topics:

Past continuous for actions in progress at a specific point in the past

Future continuous for actions in progress at a specific point in the future

Present continuous for gradual development

The present continuous can express change and gradual development in the present:

I feel that things

are getting

better.

More and more people

are giving

up smoking.

Related topics:

Past continuous for gradual development

Present continuous for frequently repeated actions in the present

With time expressions such as always, constantly, continually and all the time, the present continuous can express frequently repeated actions which annoy the speaker:

Adults

are always asking

little kids what they want to be.

Her mother

is constantly checking

up on her.

Why

are

you

continually criticising

me?

Quotes:

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses. - Alphonse Karr

Related topics:

Past continuous for frequently repeated actions in the past

Present continuous for temporary habitual actions in the present

The present continuous is used to express repeated or habitual actions in the present that are temporary and may or may not actually be happening at the time of speaking:

Lucy

is taking

piano lessons these days.

Are

you still

seeing

that guy from the hiking club?

Related topics:

Past continuous for temporary habitual actions in the past

Future continuous for temporary habitual actions in the future

Present continuous for habitual actions in the present

The present continuous tense is used to describe repeated, habitual actions that begin before a specific point in time (not necessarily the time of speaking) and finish after it. This point can be expressed with a time expression or a clause with a verb in the present simple tense:

At 7.15, I'

m having

breakfast.

Whenever I get home, my dog

is sleeping

in the armchair.

The present continuous is also used for repeated, habitual actions that continue for a period of time. This period of time can be expressed with a time expression or a clause with a verb in the present continuous tense:

I'

m having

breakfast between 7 and 7.30.

While I'

m walking

the dog, my wife

is making

dinner.

Related topics:

Present simple for present habits and states