Present Continuous Tense Rules with Examples: Rohan sat on the edge of his bed at 9:30 a.m., school uniform half-worn, his eyes were fixed on his English notebook. Outside, his mother was calling him again and again. His younger sister was laughing at a cartoon on TV. The clock was ticking, and Rohan’s heart was beating faster. Yesterday, his English teacher had told the class that “Tomorrow, I will check who really understands tenses, not who just memorizes rules.” Rohan remembered his last exam. He had written sentences with full confidence—I am knowing the answer. She is liking ice cream. But when the result came, it was painful. Red circles were everywhere because he had written the wrong sentences.
That morning, Rohan wasn’t just wearing his uniform — he was carrying confusion, fear, and self-doubt. And honestly, I’ve been Rohan. I still remember sitting in my own classroom, knowing vocabulary, knowing stories, yet losing marks again and again because I didn’t understand when to use which tense. Present Continuous Tense felt simple, but I kept misusing it. So this article is written for Rohan, and maybe for you, if you’ve ever thought - “I know English, but my sentences still feel wrong.” Therefore, today in this article we will fix that problem — slowly, deeply, and clearly.
Table of Contents
Present Continuous Tense Rules with Examples
What Is the Present Continuous Tense? (In Real Life Terms)
The Present Continuous Tense talks about actions that are happening right now or temporary actions happening around the present time.
Think of it like: If something is moving, changing, happening, or in progress,
Present Continuous Tense is working there.
Right now:
- You are reading this.
- I am explaining.
- Rohan is learning.
Nothing is finished yet. Everything is going on.
Why Students Like Rohan Make Mistakes
Rohan’s biggest mistake was, he used Present Continuous for permanent states.
❌ I am knowing the answer
❌ She is liking chocolate
These verbs (know, like, believe, understand) usually do not show action, they show state.
Rohan’s biggest mistake was, he used Present Continuous for permanent states.
When to Use Present Continuous Tense
⭐ Action Happening Right Now
Something that is happening at this very moment.
- I am writing this article.
- Rohan is solving his English homework.
⭐ Temporary Actions
Actions happening for a short period, not permanent.
- Rohan is staying with his uncle this week.
- I am preparing for an exam these days.
⭐ Ongoing Trends or Changes
Something that is slowly changing.
- The temperature of the earth is rising day by day.
- Students are using mobile apps for study.
⭐ Repeated Actions with “Always” (Often Emotional)
Used to show annoyance, habit, or emotion.
- He is always forgetting his homework.
- She is always complaining.
⭐ Planned Future (Very Important for Exams)
Future plans that have already been decided.
- I am meeting my teacher tomorrow.
- Rohan is giving his test on Monday.
Present Continuous Tense Structure
Affirmative (Positive) Structure
Structure
Subject + is / am / are + verb + ing + Object
Positive Sentence Examples
- I am reading my English book.
- Rohan is preparing for his exam.
- She is writing answers carefully.
- They are playing in the playground.
- We are learning present continuous tense.
- The teacher is explaining the rules.
- My sister is watching television.
- The students are listening quietly.
- He is solving the question step by step.
- The clock is ticking on the wall.
“Is / Am / Are” changes according to the subject.
Negative Structure (How to Say “Not Happening”)
Structure
Subject + is / am / are + not + verb + ing + Object
Negative Sentence Examples
- I am not watching TV.
- Rohan is not wasting time.
- She is not sleeping now.
- They are not playing outside.
- We are not ignoring our studies.
- He is not writing wrong answers.
- The teacher is not shouting.
- Students are not cheating.
- My sister is not crying.
- I am not feeling nervous anymore.
Interrogative Structure (Asking Questions)
Structure
Is / Am / Are + subject + verb + ing + Object?
Interrogative Sentence Examples
- Am I doing it correctly?
- Is Rohan understanding the rule?
- Are you listening carefully?
- Is she preparing for the exam?
- Are they following instructions?
- Is the class going on now?
- Are we improving our English?
- Is he reading the story?
- Are students practicing daily?
- Is the teacher explaining clearly?
WH-Interrogative Structure in Present Continuous Tense
Sometimes, we do not want to answer in “yes” or “no”. WE want to ask clear questions — about time, reason, person, place, or activity. That is where WH-questions helped him.
WH-questions are used when we want specific information, not just confirmation.
Structure
WH-word + is / am / are + subject + verb + ing + Object?
Common WH-words Used
- What
- Why
- Where
- When
- Who
- How
WH-Question Examples
- What are you doing now?
- Why is Rohan looking worried?
- Where are the students sitting?
- What am I learning today?
- Why is she crying?
- Who is teaching English in the class?
- How are you preparing for the exam?
- Where is the teacher going?
- What are they discussing?
- Why are we practicing this tense?
Common Verbs NOT Used in Present Continuous (Golden Rule)
Usually avoid:
- know
- like
- love
- believe
- understand
- want
- need
✔ Correct: I know the answer.
❌ Wrong: I am knowing the answer.
Practical Advice
Rohan stopped memorizing.
He started observing real life.
Just ask yourself:
- “Is this action happening now?”
- “Is it temporary?”
- “Can I see it happening?”
If yes → Present Continuous
If no → Use another tense
I did the same thing. And slowly, English stopped feeling like a subject. It started feeling like a language.
Final Words
If you reached here, one thing is clear:
- You are learning.
- You are improving.
- You are not the same student anymore.
Just like Rohan, you don’t need perfect English. You need clear understanding and daily awareness. Right now, you are building a strong foundation. And trust me — that is how confidence is formed. Keep practicing. Keep observing. You are becoming better — day by day.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with Correct Form of Verb
- Rohan _____ for his final exam these days. (prepare)
Answer: is preparing - I _____ a letter to my best friend right now. (write)
Answer: am writing - The teacher _____ the lesson on the board. (explain)
Answer: is explaining - They _____ football in the school ground. (play)
Answer: are playing - My sister _____ her homework at the moment. (do)
Answer: is doing - We _____ English grammar very carefully today. (study)
Answer: are studying - The children _____ loudly in the park. (laugh)
Answer: are laughing - Rohan’s mother _____ dinner in the kitchen. (cook)
Answer: is cooking - I _____ attention to the teacher now. (pay)
Answer: am paying - The bus _____ at the stop. (wait)
Answer: is waiting - She _____ a new chapter in English. (read)
Answer: is reading - The students _____ questions in the class. (ask)
Answer: are asking - My father _____ the newspaper quietly. (read)
Answer: is reading - We _____ for the result eagerly. (wait)
Answer: are waiting - The dog _____ outside the house. (bark)
Answer: is barking
