Present continuous

The point

Am, is, or are plus -ing is an action happening now. She is working now. Do not drop the be. The negative is not before the -ing form.

Form and use

The present continuous describes what is happening now, or a temporary situation around now. Build it with am, is, or are plus the -ing form. I am working. You are working. He is working. She is working. It is working. We are working. They are working. Short forms are I'm, you're, he's, she's, it's, we're, and they're, plus the -ing form.

Spelling of -ing follows a few rules. Most verbs add -ing: work becomes working. If the base ends in a silent e, drop the e: make becomes making, and write becomes writing. If the base is one short syllable with one vowel and one final consonant, double the consonant: sit becomes sitting, and run becomes running. Do not double when the verb ends in two consonants: help becomes helping. Do not double w, x, or y: snow becomes snowing, fix becomes fixing, and play becomes playing.

Choose the continuous for an action around this moment: She is writing a note now. Choose the present simple for a habit or a fact: She writes notes every morning. Water is freezing at zero degrees is wrong for the fact. Water freezes at zero degrees is right. Verbs of a lasting state usually stay simple: know, like, want, need. I know the answer is right. I am knowing the answer is not ordinary English.

Not follows am, is, or are. I am not working. She is not working. They are not working. A question moves am, is, or are before the subject. Are you working? Is she working? Short answers repeat that form. Yes, I am. No, I'm not. Yes, she is. No, she isn't. Yes, they are. No, they aren't. Do not use do. Do you working is wrong. Are you working is right.

Don't translate it like this

The -ing form needs is.

Short examples