by Laura Jones
Published on June 19, 2025
Understanding and using the present progressive (continuous) in English
The present progressive tense, also called the present continuous, is used to talk about actions happening now, temporary situations, and future plans. It’s one of the first English tenses learners study, and one of the most commonly used in everyday conversation. But, it’s also a tense that learners struggle to use accurately.
In this article, you’ll learn how to form the present progressive, when to use it, and how it compares to the present simple. You’ll also see common examples and learn practical tips for using it correctly in real-life situations, from daily routines to professional settings. Whether you’re learning English for work, study, or travel, understanding this tense will help you speak more naturally and confidently.
The present progressive is an English present tense. It is used to describe actions currently in progress, temporary situations, and future arrangements. We can also use it to talk about situations that are changing and to express annoyance. We form the present progressive like this:
subject + am/is/are + present participle (-ing verb)
It’s very common to contract ‘be’ in the present progressive, especially in speech and informal writing. (I am → I’m; we are → we’re) Here are some examples of the present progressive:
We don’t tend to use stative verbs in the present progressive. We use the present simple instead.
One of the most common uses of the present continuous tense is to talk about actions happening now, either at the moment of speaking or around the time of speaking. These are unfinished actions — they’re in progress.
We use the present progressive to talk about situations or actions that we see as temporary rather than permanent or habitual.
The present progressive can also express future plans or arrangements. These are things in the future that have already been planned or organised.
To talk about situations that are evolving or developing over time, we can also use the present continuous. The implication is that the situation will continue to change as time goes on.
We can also use the present progressive with the adverb ‘always’ to express annoyance at habits or to make complaints. ‘Always’ appears after ‘be’.
To form negative sentences in the present progressive, we use this structure:
subject + be + not + -ing verb
We form yes/no questions in the present continuous like this:
be + subject + -ing verb
We form wh-questions similarly:
wh-word + be + subject + -ing verb
Here is a comparison table showing some of the main ways the present progressive and present simple are used, with examples.
| Present progressive | Present simple |
| actions happening now or around now I’m having breakfast. Can I call you back?. | regular habits and routines I have breakfast at 7 every morning. |
| temporary actions or situations He’s living in London for the summer. | permanent states or facts He lives in New York. |
| developing or changing situations The sun is rising earlier every day at the moment. | general truths and scientific facts The sun rises in the east. |
| future plans and arrangements We’re going to Berlin tomorrow. | timetables / fixed schedules The train leaves at 8 in the morning. |
One of the best and easiest ways to master the present progressive is to narrate your actions throughout the day.
To add more variation, try imagining what other people are doing at that moment or describe images of people (we use continuous tenses to do this in English). Doing this should help you nail the structure.
In professional settings, the present continuous is essential for describing what you’re currently working on, what your plans are, and to describe changes:
If you would like to master the present progressive, learn English online with Lingoda. Lingoda’s small-group classes give you plenty of time to practise, and you’ll be guided by a native-level teacher, who can provide useful, real-life examples and help you sound more natural.
“I am listening to a podcast.” This is an example of a present progressive sentence.
To form the present progressive, you need a subject, the auxiliary verb ‘be’ in the present tense, and a present participle (-ing verb).
Generally, we don’t use stative verbs in the present progressive. We use action verbs.
The present progressive helps you talk about what’s happening now, what’s changing, and what’s planned. Mastering it will help you make distinctions between temporary and permanent situations and future plans versus things you’d simply like to happen.
The best way to learn English, including practising the present progressive in real conversations, try online language learning with Lingoda. Classes are available 24/7, so you can study when it suits you. Thanks to Lingoda’s small class sizes, you’ll learn to use the present progressive and speak with confidence from day one.
