Present Continuous Tense

Present continuous tense is also known as present progressive tense.

This tense is used to express an ongoing or continued action in the present

time. Such action is occurring exactly at the time when a person is speaking
about it. It is called Continuous tense because it describes an action which is
currently in progress.

For instance, a boy says, ‘I am drinking water’. This means that the action
(of drinking water) is being done exactly at the time when he is speaking
about it.

Structure of Sentence:
Main verb: 1st form of verb + ing, (Present participle) e.g., eating, writing,
buying.
Helping verb: Is, am, are

If the subject of the sentence is ‘he, she, it, or a singular noun’, the
helping verb ‘is’ is used.
If the subject of the sentence is ‘We, they, you or a plural noun’, the
helping verb ‘are’ is used.
If the subject of the sentence is ‘I’, the helping verb ‘am’ is used.

Subject + helping verb + main verb + object. Subject + is/are/am + (1st

form of verb + ing) + object.

Examples:
I am writing a letter. He is reading a poem. He is waiting for a bus.
She is singing a song. He is laughing at the joker. She is sleeping. They
are playing football. He is drinking water. She is making tea. They are
eating some food. We are decorating our house. We are buying some
fruits. I am washing my shirt. She is cleaning her room. Someone is
knocking at the door. He is going to school. It is raining.

In negative sentence, the word ‘not’ is added after ‘is’, ‘are’, or ‘am’.

Subject + helping verb + not + main verb + object. Subject + is/are/am

+ not + (1st form of verb + ing) + object.

Examples:
He is not going to school. He is not eating an apple. She is not driving
a car. You are not replying to me. She is not studying her books. I am
not wasting my time. They are not helping me. We are not waiting for
him. He is not coming here. She is not taking her medicine. They are
not listening to the music. Sara is not crying. It is not raining.

The question sentence starts with the is, am, or are.

Subject + helping verb + main verb + object. Is/are/am + Subject + (1st

form of verb + ing) + object.

Examples:
Is he going to school? Is he buying a new phone? Are they playing
football? Is she cooking some food? Are they doing their work?

Is she going to school? Are you enjoying the music? Is he speaking the
truth? Are they laughing at the joker? Is the kid crying? Are you
appreciating me? Is it raining?