Chapter II · Verb tenses

Present Continuous

What's in motion right now

GoalBy the end you will know when English makes you say “I'm working” instead of “I work”, how to spell the -ing, and why “What do you do?” and “What are you doing?” are not the same question.

Two questions that look alike

English has two present tenses, and you have to choose one before you speak. These two questions are not the same:

QuestionWhat it asks
What do you do?Your job. With more words, your routine: What do you do on Sundays?
What are you doing?What you are doing now, at this moment.

The main idea: the photo and the video

Both presents are about now. What changes is how closely you look.

Present simple — the photo

What is true in general — routines, habits, where you live, your job — even if it isn’t happening at this moment. “I work in a bank” is true today, on Tuesday and in December, even while you sleep.

Present continuous — the video

What is in progress now. “I’m working from home today” has started and hasn’t finished.

The video doesn’t have to be this second. “I’m reading a really good book” is true even if the book isn’t in your hands right now: you started it and haven’t finished it. Section V stretches the video over weeks.

The photo stays true even when today you are doing something else, so these sentences don’t contradict each other:

the photo

I work in London.

the video

I'm working in Paris this week.

both at once

She teaches maths, but today she's teaching English.

Be quiet! The baby ___.My sister ___ in Dublin.Look! It ___.We ___ dinner at eight every day.I can't talk now, I ___.He ___ coffee every morning.

How it's built

The auxiliary is be, which you already know.

Subjectam / is / areverb -ing

SubjectAuxiliaryExample
IamI am eating. (I’m eating.)
He / She / ItisShe is eating. (She’s eating.)
You / We / TheyareThey are eating. (They’re eating.)

In speech you will nearly always hear the short form: I’m, he’s, we’re.

Spelling the -ing

Usually you just add -ing. There are three exceptions:

CaseRuleExamples
Normaladd -ingwork → working · study → studying
Ends in -edrop the emake → making · write → writing
One syllable, consonant-vowel-consonantdouble the consonantrun → running · sit → sitting · swim → swimming
Ends in -ie-ie becomes -ylie → lying
They are ___ to Edinburgh.She is ___ for the exam.He is ___ in the park.The dog is ___ on the floor.The children are ___ in the river.We are ___ a house.

Negatives and questions

As with be on its own, there is no do to add: the auxiliary is already in the sentence. For a negative it takes not; for a question it moves to the front.

FormHow it’s madeExample
Negativeam / is / are + notI’m not working today.
Negativeshort formShe isn’t listening. · They aren’t coming.
Questionthe auxiliary moves to the frontAre you working?
Questionwith a question wordWhat are you doing?

Common mistake

I don't working today.

I'm not working today.

This mistake mixes the two presents. don't is the auxiliary of the present simple; the continuous already has its own, which is be.

The version with do exists too, but it means something else: “I don’t work on Sundays” = I never work on Sundays.

Make it negative, or a question

Write the sentence in the form shown.

Answer first, then tap "Show answer".

  1. She is watching TV. → negative: (short form)
    Show answer

    She isn't watching TV.

  2. They are waiting outside. → question: (move the auxiliary)
    Show answer

    Are they waiting outside?

  3. I am bothering you. → question: (Am…?)
    Show answer

    Am I bothering you?

  4. He is studying. → negative: (short form)
    Show answer

    He isn't studying.

The other three uses

They all come from the same idea: something open, not finished.

Temporary situations

Something that is true for now, not for ever.

“I’m living with my parents while I save money.”

Arranged plans

A plan that is already organised, not just an intention: you agreed it with someone, bought the ticket, booked the appointment.

“I’m meeting Sophie tomorrow at seven.”

Things that are changing

A process in progress, still not finished.

“Prices are rising.” · “My English is getting better.”

Common mistake

I am wanting a coffee.

I want a coffee.

Some verbs don’t normally go in the continuous: want, know, like, need, understand, believe, remember, have (when it means own). They describe a state, not something in progress.

Careful with have: have = own is a state (I have a car), but have lunch or have a shower are actions, and those do go in the continuous: I’m having lunch.

Understand catches people out: “Are you understanding me?” is wrong. The question is “Do you understand?”.

I ___ with my cousin until June.___ you ___ anything on Friday?I ___ what you mean.The city ___ very fast.She ___ a new car.Can I call you back? We ___ lunch.We ___ to Rome next weekend.

Check you understood

Don’t look back up. Answer out loud, then tap the question.

Check

Tap a question to see its answer.

  1. What is the difference between "What do you do?" and "What are you doing?"

    The first asks about your job or your life. The second asks what you are doing at this moment.

  2. Why don't "I work in London" and "I'm working in Paris this week" contradict each other?

    The first is the photo: where you work in general. The second is the video: where you are this week. Both can be true at the same time.

  3. How do you spell the -ing of run, make and lie?

    running (double the consonant), making (the -e goes) and lying (-ie becomes -y).

  4. What is wrong with "I don't working today"?

    It mixes the two auxiliaries. The continuous already has its own: I'm not working today.

  5. Why is "I'm meeting Sophie tomorrow" in the present if it's about tomorrow?

    It is a plan that is already arranged, and English uses the present continuous for that.

  6. Why can't you say "I am wanting a coffee"?

    Want is a state verb, and a state is not "in progress". It goes in the present simple: I want a coffee.

Practice

Listen! Someone ___ at the door.I ___ to the gym twice a week.She ___ for a new job at the moment.Water ___ at 0°C.We ___ a party on Saturday. Can you come?___ you like this song?He's ___ on the sofa.What ___ you ___? I can hear music.

Out loud

Turn each note into a full sentence. For each one, decide: present simple or present continuous?

  1. Iworkin a bank (in general)
  2. Iworkfrom home (today)
  3. ?whatyoudo (right now)
  4. ?whatyoudo (your job)
  5. the babysleep — be quiet!
  6. shelivein Amsterdam (in general)
  7. wenotgo outtonight
  8. Inotunderstandthe question
  9. theyflyto Berlinon Saturday (booked)
  10. my Englishgetbetter
  11. ?youwaitfor someone
  12. ?sheworktoday
  13. Istayat my cousin'suntil June
  14. shewanta coffee
Show answers
  1. I work in a bank.
  2. I'm working from home today.
  3. What are you doing?
  4. What do you do?
  5. The baby is sleeping.
  6. She lives in Amsterdam.
  7. We aren't going out tonight.
  8. I don't understand the question.
  9. They're flying to Berlin on Saturday.
  10. My English is getting better.
  11. Are you waiting for someone?
  12. Is she working today?
  13. I'm staying at my cousin's until June.
  14. She wants a coffee.

Fill the gap

Present simple or present continuous? Watch out for state verbs.

Answer first, then tap "Show answer".

  1. Right now I to music.(listen)
    Show answer

    Right now I'm listening to music.

  2. My father in Toronto.(live)
    Show answer

    My father lives in Toronto.

  3. Be careful, you on my foot!(stand)
    Show answer

    Be careful, you're standing on my foot!

  4. I tea every morning.(drink)
    Show answer

    I drink tea every morning.

  5. She me. She thinks I said no.(not understand)
    Show answer

    She doesn't understand me. (Understand is a state verb, even about this moment.)

  6. We for Barcelona on Friday. The tickets are booked.(leave)
    Show answer

    We're leaving for Barcelona on Friday.

  7. Shh! I to concentrate.(try)
    Show answer

    Shh! I'm trying to concentrate.

  8. She usually by bus, but today she .(travel · walk)
    Show answer

    She usually travels by bus, but today she's walking.

Correct the mistake

There is one mistake in each sentence.

Answer first, then tap "Show answer".

  1. Look! It rains. →
    Show answer

    Look! It's raining.

  2. Is she work today? →
    Show answer

    Is she working today?

  3. I don't listening. →
    Show answer

    I'm not listening.

  4. Are you knowing the answer? →
    Show answer

    Do you know the answer?

  5. They are siting outside. →
    Show answer

    They are sitting outside.

  6. She making dinner. →
    Show answer

    She's making dinner.

  7. I am going to work by car every day. →
    Show answer

    I go to work by car every day.

  8. He is having a new phone. →
    Show answer

    He has a new phone.

And now with no help — write the whole sentence:

Write it

A full sentence for each situation. Think first: is it the photo or the video, present simple or present continuous?

Answer first, then tap "Show answer".

  1. Your sister is asleep at this moment. →
    Show answer

    My sister is sleeping.

  2. Ask who your friend is on the phone with right now. →
    Show answer

    Who are you talking to?

  3. The TV is on, but nobody in your family is watching it. →
    Show answer

    We aren't watching TV.

  4. Her job is at a hospital, but this week she is at home doing it. →
    Show answer

    She works in a hospital, but this week she's working from home.

  5. You have a ticket to Madrid for tomorrow. →
    Show answer

    I'm going to Madrid tomorrow.

  6. Tell someone their words make no sense to you. →
    Show answer

    I don't understand what you're saying.

The final check:

“Look! It rains.” — what's wrong?“Is she work today?” — what's wrong?Which one is right?“I'm studying English this year”, said while you are cooking. Is it right?