Present Continuous: Actions Happening Now (Pre-A1 English Grammar) — Pre-A1 English grammar lesson by Langcom

Present Continuous: Actions Happening Now (Pre-A1 English Grammar)

Raúl Maguiña

Fundador da Langcom | Examinador dos exames de Cambridge e SIELE

setembro 13, 2026

PRÉ-A1✏️ Gramática⏱️ 4 min de leitura📅 Atualizado em setembro de 2026
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The Present Continuous tense helps you talk about actions happening right now, at this exact moment. It’s like saying ‘now’ with your verb! We use a special form: am, is, ou are (from the verb to be) + a verb ending in -ing. For example, if you say I am reading, it means you are reading a book at this very moment. This tense is very important for describing what you, your friends, or other people are doing right now. It is different from actions you do every day, which use the Simple Present. The Present Continuous shows an action in progress, like a ‘snapshot’ of what is happening. You will learn how to make affirmative sentences, negative sentences, and ask questions with this simple and useful English grammar point.

What is the Present Continuous?

The Present Continuous tense describes actions that are happening at the moment of speaking. It tells us what is in progress right now.

Think about what you are doing. Are you reading? Are you listening? These are actions happening at this moment.

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How do we form the Present Continuous?

To make the Present Continuous, we use two parts:

  • O verbo to be (am, is, ou are)
  • The main verb + -ing

Affirmative Sentences

Uso Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing.

  • I am watching TV.
  • He is reading a book.
  • They are playing football.

Negative Sentences

Add not after am/is/are. Use Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing.

  • I am not watching TV.
  • She is not reading a book. (ou She isn't reading a book.)
  • We are not playing football. (ou We aren't playing football.)

Questions

Start the question with Am/Is/Are. Use Am/Is/Are + Subject + verb-ing?

  • Are you watching TV?
  • Is he reading a book?
  • Are they playing football?

Short Answers

For 'Yes/No' questions, use short answers:

  • Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
  • Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.
  • Yes, we are. / No, we aren't.

When do we use the Present Continuous?

We use the Present Continuous for these main situations:

  • Actions happening now: Things that are in progress at this exact moment.
  • Temporary actions: Things that are happening for a short time, not forever.

Look for these words to help you:

  • now
  • right now
  • at the moment
  • today
Present Continuous Forms
Subject Affirmative Negative Question
I I am working. I am not working. Am I working?
You You are working. You are not working. Are you working?
He/She/It He is working. He is not working. Is he working?
We We are working. We are not working. Are we working?
They They are working. They are not working. Are they working?

Exemplos

  • I am learning English right now.
  • She is listening to music.
  • They are having dinner at the moment.
  • He is not sleeping.
  • Are you working today?
  • What are you doing?

Prática

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Erros comuns entre falantes de espanhol

Os falantes de espanhol às vezes cometem estes erros:

  • Missing the verb to be: In Spanish, you might say "Yo trabajando" (I working). In English, you must include am/is/are.
    Errado: I working now.
    Direita: I am working now.
  • Using Simple Present for actions happening now: In Spanish, sometimes the simple present can mean 'now'. In English, use Present Continuous.
    Errado: She reads a book now.
    Direita: She is reading a book now.
  • Esquecendo o -ing ending: Every main verb in the Present Continuous needs -ing.
    Errado: They are play football.
    Direita: They are playing football.

Perguntas frequentes

What is the main use of the Present Continuous?

The main use is to talk about actions that are happening now, at the moment of speaking.

How is the Present Continuous different from the Simple Present?

The Present Continuous is for actions happening now (e.g., I am eating). The Simple Present is for habits or routines (e.g., I eat breakfast every day).

Do all verbs use -ing in the Present Continuous?

Yes, for the Present Continuous, the main verb always ends with -ing (e.g., reading, playing, sleeping).

Can I use 'now' with the Present Continuous?

Yes, now, right now, e at the moment are common words to use with the Present Continuous to show an action is happening immediately.

Aulas relacionadas

Sobre o autor: Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña é diretor da Asociación Educativa Langcom, um centro autorizado de preparação para o Cambridge English em seu país. Com mais de uma década de experiência no ensino de idiomas e em certificações internacionais, ele já ajudou milhares de alunos, professores e instituições de ensino em 25 países a obter as certificações de inglês da Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL e Michigan.

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