PE-12: Present Continuous: Happening Right Now
The tense for this exact moment: am/is/are + verb-ing. Includes the -ing spelling rules and the three other jobs this tense quietly does.
PE-12: Present Continuous: Happening Right Now
Look around you. Somebody is talking, a phone is ringing, you are reading this sentence. For actions in progress at this very moment English uses a different tense from the one you learned in PE-9 — the Present Continuous. It is built from two pieces you already know: the verb to be, plus -ing.
In this lesson you will learn
- The formula am / is / are + verb-ing and how to negate and question it
- The spelling rules for -ing (make → making, sit → sitting)
- Four jobs this tense does, not just "now"
- The signal words that tell you to use it
1. The picture: an action in progress
Present Simple was a row of repeated dots. Present Continuous is a band around NOW — the action started before this moment and has not finished yet.
Afsona is cooking dinner, and the children are playing in the garden.
Afsona kechki ovqat pishiryapti, bolalar esa bogʻda oʻynashyapti.
2. Negatives and questions — the same as "to be"
Because the first word is am/is/are, you already know how to do this from PE-6: add not, or swap the first two words.
He isn't listening to me. — Are you waiting for the bus? — Yes, I am.
U meni eshitmayapti. — Avtobus kutyapsizmi? — Ha.
No do/does here — that helper belongs to the Present Simple only.
3. Spelling the -ing form
- Most verbs: just add -ing — play → playing, read → reading, study → studying (yes, y stays!)
- Verb ends in silent -e: drop the e — make → making, write → writing, come → coming (but see → seeing, the e is not silent)
- Short verb, one vowel + one consonant: double the consonant — sit → sitting, run → running, swim → swimming, get → getting
- -ie → -y — lie → lying, die → dying
4. Four jobs, not one
1At this moment
Be quiet — the baby is sleeping.
2Around now (temporary)
I am reading a great book these days.
3Changing situations
The weather is getting warmer.
4Annoying habits
He is always losing his keys!
Job 2 is worth a second look. I am reading a great book does not mean the book is open in your hands right now — it means "in this period of my life". The action is temporary, and that is the real heart of this tense.
Jasur is living with his uncle this year.
Jasur bu yil amakisinikida yashayapti.
Compare: Jasur lives in Namangan — that is permanent, so Present Simple.
5. Signal words
These words point straight at this tense: now, right now, at the moment, at present, today, this week, these days, still, and the two little words that open a window on the present — Look! and Listen!
Look! Sherbek is running to catch the bus.
Qara! Sherbek avtobusga yetib olish uchun yuguryapti.
6. Common mistakes
I am go to the shop now.
I am going to the shop now.
She reading a book.
She is reading a book. (the "be" part is not optional)
They are writeing / He is siting.
They are writing / He is sitting.
Do you playing football now?
Are you playing football now?
I am studying English every day.
I study English every day. (a habit → Present Simple)
Practice
1 Write the -ing forms: make · run · study · lie · take
Show answer
making (drop the e), running (double the n), studying (y stays!), lying (ie → y), taking (drop the e).
2 Complete: Be quiet! The baby ? (sleep).
Show answer
is sleeping — happening right now, and Be quiet! is the signal.
3 Make a question and a negative: They are watching the match.
Show answer
Are they watching the match? / They aren't watching the match.
Only the be part moves or takes not — the -ing word never changes.
4 What does the speaker feel? My little brother is always taking my things!
Show answer
Annoyance. Always + Present Continuous is a complaint, not a neutral statement of frequency. In Uzbek: "Ukam narsalarimni doim olib ketadi-ya!"
5
Which sentence is about a temporary situation?
(a) Afsona works in a pharmacy. (b) Afsona is working in a pharmacy this
summer.
Show answer
(b). The Continuous plus this summer says it is only for now; (a) is her permanent job.
Key words — Kalit soʻzlar
- Present Continuoushozirgi davomli zamon
- In progressdavom etayotgan
- At the momentayni paytda
- Temporaryvaqtinchalik
- Permanentdoimiy
- To double (a letter)harfni takrorlamoq
- Silent eoʻqilmaydigan e
- Annoyingjahlni chiqaradigan
- These daysshu kunlarda
- Stillhali ham
🎯 Remember this
- am / is / are + verb-ing — both parts, always.
- Negatives and questions work like to be: no do/does anywhere.
- Spelling: drop silent -e, double the consonant in short verbs, -ie → -y.
- It means now or temporarily — not a habit.
- always + -ing = a complaint, not a frequency.