Present Continuous Guide: How to Use Present Continuous

Present continuous tense, also referred to as present imperfect or present progressive tense, is a verb tense used to represent a presently ongoing or repeated action in a piece of writing. In English grammar, the main categories of verb tense include simple tense, perfect tense, progressive tense, and perfect progressive tense; we then refer to these tenses as present, past, or future. Present continuous can include action happening either at the time of speaking or in the near future. It typically consists of a subject attached to a present tense form of “be” (like “is,” “are,” or “am”) and the present participle form of the main verb.

With present continuous tense structure, a subject is combined with an “-ing” verb (the present particle form of the verb) to express that something is currently happening (positive sentences), something that will not be happening (negative sentences), future plans or arrangements, or something that has always been happening. In some cases, the present tense verb can precede the subject, which occurs when the sentence is in the form of a question. Here are some sentences that illustrate how to use the present continuous tense.

1. 1. “I am fixing the sink.” The present continuous phrase in this sentence, “I am fixing,” combines the subject “I” with the verb “am” and the verb “fixing,” referring to the present ongoing action of fixing the sink, which is the object.
2. 2. “She is not coming to the meeting.” This sentence illustrates how to use the present continuous in the negative form by placing the negative determiner “not” after the verb “is” to illustrate that the subject “she” will not be attending the meeting that is currently happening or will be happening in the future.
3. 3. “The dogs are running.” This present continuous sentence indicates that the subjects “the dogs” are presently running.
4. 4. “My friends are moving away after the summer.” This sentence uses the present continuous to indicate that the speaker’s friends (“my friends”) will be performing the action “moving away” in the near future, specifically “after the summer.”
5. 5. “He is always correcting me.” This sentence uses the present continuous tense to describe an action that the subject “he” does often with the phrase “is always correcting me.”

Here is a quick overview of how to structure a sentence in the present continuous tense.

1. 1. Select your subject. Subjects are always nouns, which is the person/place/thing doing or receiving the action in your sentence. “You,” “he,” “them,” “my friend,” or any proper noun will all work as subjects in the present continuous tense. The subject should always introduce your sentence when you’re writing phrases in this structure.
2. 2. Pair your subject with the correct present tense of “be.” The next step is to add a present form of the word “be” to indicate that the subject is currently performing an action. Depending on whether your object is singular or plural and whether the sentence is in the first or third person, you will use “is, “am,” or “are.” Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. If your subject is “The teacher” or “she,” you would use a singular verb like “is.” If your subject is “the dogs” or “they,” you would use a plural verb like “are.” If you are the subject, you would say “I am.”
3. 3. Include a dynamic verb. A dynamic verb describes the progressive, dynamic action that the subject is performing. Do not use stative verbs—or verbs describing a fixed state of being—for the present continuous tense. Your progressive verb should end in “-ing” to indicate the action is currently happening. “Crying,” “laughing,” and “moving” are all -ing forms of dynamic verbs.
4. 4. Insert an adverb. If you’re describing an action that continues to happen, you can throw in an adverb like “always” or “constantly” to further express the verb in its present continuous form.

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Present continuous tense, also referred to as present imperfect or present progressive tense, is a verb tense used to represent a presently ongoing or repeated action in a piece of writing. In English grammar, the main categories of verb tense include simple tense, perfect tense, progressive tense, and perfect progressive tense; we then refer to these tenses as present, past, or future. Present continuous can include action happening either at the time of speaking or in the near future. It typically consists of a subject attached to a present tense form of “be” (like “is,” “are,” or “am”) and the present participle form of the main verb.

With present continuous tense structure, a subject is combined with an “-ing” verb (the present particle form of the verb) to express that something is currently happening (positive sentences), something that will not be happening (negative sentences), future plans or arrangements, or something that has always been happening. In some cases, the present tense verb can precede the subject, which occurs when the sentence is in the form of a question. Here are some sentences that illustrate how to use the present continuous tense.

1. 1. “I am fixing the sink.” The present continuous phrase in this sentence, “I am fixing,” combines the subject “I” with the verb “am” and the verb “fixing,” referring to the present ongoing action of fixing the sink, which is the object.
2. 2. “She is not coming to the meeting.” This sentence illustrates how to use the present continuous in the negative form by placing the negative determiner “not” after the verb “is” to illustrate that the subject “she” will not be attending the meeting that is currently happening or will be happening in the future.
3. 3. “The dogs are running.” This present continuous sentence indicates that the subjects “the dogs” are presently running.
4. 4. “My friends are moving away after the summer.” This sentence uses the present continuous to indicate that the speaker’s friends (“my friends”) will be performing the action “moving away” in the near future, specifically “after the summer.”
5. 5. “He is always correcting me.” This sentence uses the present continuous tense to describe an action that the subject “he” does often with the phrase “is always correcting me.”

Here is a quick overview of how to structure a sentence in the present continuous tense.

1. 1. Select your subject. Subjects are always nouns, which is the person/place/thing doing or receiving the action in your sentence. “You,” “he,” “them,” “my friend,” or any proper noun will all work as subjects in the present continuous tense. The subject should always introduce your sentence when you’re writing phrases in this structure.
2. 2. Pair your subject with the correct present tense of “be.” The next step is to add a present form of the word “be” to indicate that the subject is currently performing an action. Depending on whether your object is singular or plural and whether the sentence is in the first or third person, you will use “is, “am,” or “are.” Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. If your subject is “The teacher” or “she,” you would use a singular verb like “is.” If your subject is “the dogs” or “they,” you would use a plural verb like “are.” If you are the subject, you would say “I am.”
3. 3. Include a dynamic verb. A dynamic verb describes the progressive, dynamic action that the subject is performing. Do not use stative verbs—or verbs describing a fixed state of being—for the present continuous tense. Your progressive verb should end in “-ing” to indicate the action is currently happening. “Crying,” “laughing,” and “moving” are all -ing forms of dynamic verbs.
4. 4. Insert an adverb. If you’re describing an action that continues to happen, you can throw in an adverb like “always” or “constantly” to further express the verb in its present continuous form.

Become a better writer with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Amy Tan, Roxane Gay, Neil Gaiman, Walter Mosley, Margaret Atwood, Dan Brown, and more.