Present Continuous

How to build it

• Affirmative: am / is / are + verb-ing: She is writing the letter. Short forms: I’m, you’re, she’s, we’re, they’re.
• Negative: add not: She isn’t writing the letter. I’m not working today.
• Question: put the form of be before the subject: Is she writing the letter? What are you doing?
• Spelling: drop silent -e (write → writing), double a final consonant after a short stressed vowel (sit → sitting, run → running), -ie becomes -y (lie → lying).

When to use it

• Actions happening at the moment of speaking: She’s on the phone — she’s talking to her boss.
• Temporary situations around now, even if not at this very second: I’m reading a great book this week.
• Changing and developing situations: Prices are going up. Your English is getting better.
• Fixed personal arrangements for the future, usually with a time word: I’m meeting Oleh tomorrow at five.
• With always to complain about an annoying habit: He’s always losing his keys!

Examples

• Listen — someone is knocking at the door. — happening now.
• We’re staying with friends until we find a flat. — temporary.
• Are you working this weekend? — a plan.
• The climate is changing fast. — a developing situation.
• She isn’t answering her phone. — right now.

Common mistakes

• Leaving out be: She writing a letter → She is writing a letter. Ukrainian has no auxiliary here, so learners tend to drop it.
• State verbs in the Continuous: I am knowing / I’m wanting / It’s belonging → I know / I want / It belongs. Verbs of knowing, liking, wanting and owning describe states, not actions. Some verbs change meaning: I think so (opinion) vs I’m thinking about it (process); I have a car vs I’m having lunch.
• Using it for habits: I’m going to the gym every day → I go to the gym every day.
• Using it for duration up to now: I’m waiting for an hour → I’ve been waiting for an hour.
• Using it for timetables: arrangements between people take the Continuous (I’m flying to Kyiv on Monday), official schedules take the Simple (The flight leaves at 7:40).

The passive

am/is/are + being + V3: The letter is being written. It is common and natural: The road is being repaired, so take the other way. Sorry, your order is being processed. Use it for something in progress right now when the doer doesn’t matter.