PRESENT CONTINUOUS
FORM
Affirmative
- I'm (am) reading.
- You / We / They are reading.
- He / She / It's (is) reading.
SPELLING RULES
General rule: eat → eating
Exceptions:
- write → writing
- cry → crying
- die → dying
- swim → swimming
- begin → beginning
- travel → travelling
- picnic → picnicking
Negative
- I'm not (am not) reading.
- You / We / They aren't (are not) reading.
- He / She / It isn't (is not) reading.
Interrogative
- Am I reading?
- Are you / we / they reading?
- Is he / she / it reading?
Short answers
- Yes, I am.
- Yes, you / we / they are.
- Yes, he / she / it is.
- No, I am not.
- No, you / we / they are not.
- No, he / she / it is not.
USE
- Actions taking place or in progress at the moment of speaking - Example: I am studying right now.
- Temporary actions - Example: I am living in the city temporarily.
- To express annoyance with an action - Example: He is always interrupting me.
VS
PRESENT SIMPLE
USE
- Routines, habits - Example: I have breakfast at 7 in the morning.
- Permanent situations and things that are always true - Example: The Earth revolves around the Sun.
- Timetables in the near future - Example: My train arrives at 10 AM tomorrow.
SIGNAL WORDS
Present continuous:
- (right) now, at the moment, currently, presently
Present simple:
- usually, always, often, sometimes, rarely, never