How do we make the present continuous tense in English?
Note: This is also called the present progressive tense.
Positive form
Use the present simple of be and the verb-ing form.
| Full form | Short form |
| I am playing | I’m playing |
| you are playing | you’re playing |
| he is playing | he’s playing |
| she is playing | she’s playing |
| it is playing | it’s playing |
| we are playing | we’re playing |
| they are playing | they’re playing |
For example:
- I’m having dinner.
- He’s staying at a hotel.
- They are learning English.
Some notes on short forms:
1. We often contract is with nouns and other words in speaking and informal writing: Jane’s, nobody’s, that’s, what’s, etc.
2. We often contract are with nouns and other words in speaking, but not in writing: the students’re, those’re, what’re, etc.
3. We do not usually contract verbs in writing if we have a compound subject: Jane and I’re, Jane and Ben’re, etc.
Negative form
Put not after the present simple of be.
| Full form | Short forms | |
| I am not playing | I’m not playing | – |
| you are not playing | you’re not playing | you aren’t playing |
| he is not playing | he’s not playing | he isn’t playing |
| she is not playing | she’s not playing | she isn’t playing |
| it is not playing | it’s not playing | it isn’t playing |
| we are not playing | we’re not playing | we aren’t playing |
| they are not playing | they’re not playing | they aren’t playing |
For example:
- You are not listening.
- The internet isn’t working. (it isn’t working)
- She’s not sleeping.
- We’re not watching TV.
- They aren’t improving.
Question forms
Like for questions with the present simple of be, invert the subject and the present simple of be, and then put a question word (what, who, etc.) at the beginning for wh- questions.
| Yes/No questions | |
| Am I playing? | |
| Are you playing? | |
| Is he playing? | |
| Is she playing? | |
| Is it playing? | |
| Are we playing? | |
| Are they playing? | |
| Wh- questions | |
| What Who Where When Why How etc. | am I playing? |
| are you playing? | |
| is he playing? | |
| is she playing? | |
| is it playing? | |
| are we playing? | |
| are they playing? | |
For example:
- Am I doing this right?
- Is it raining?
- Are they cooking dinner?
- How are you feeling?
- Where is he going?
- When are we leaving?
Short answers
| Positive | Negative | |
| Yes, I am. | No, I‘m not. | – |
| Yes, you are. | No, you’re not. | No, you aren’t. |
| Yes, he is. | No, he’s not. | No, he isn’t. |
| Yes, she is. | No, she’s not. | No, she isn’t. |
| Yes, it is. | No, it’s not. | No, it isn’t. |
| Yes, we are. | No, we’re not. | No, we aren’t. |
| Yes, they are. | No, they’re not. | No, they aren’t. |
Notes:
1. We do not use short forms in positive short answers.
2. We sometimes use full forms in negative short answers (e.g. No, I am not.), but this is rare and mainly used in very formal contexts or for emphasis.