Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous describes something in progress rather than something generally true. It is built from the present of be plus the -ing form of the main verb, and it covers four main ideas: happening now, temporary, changing, and already arranged for the future.

Learning objectives

Build the tense with am / is / are + verb-ing.
Use it for actions now, temporary situations, trends and future arrangements.
Apply the -ing spelling rules.
Recognise the stative verbs that do not normally take this form.

Meaning and usage

Use	Example	Typical marker
Happening at this moment	She is reading* a book.*	now, right now
Around this period	I'm studying for my exams.	these days, this week
Temporary situation	He's staying with friends.	at the moment
Changing or developing	Prices are rising.	more and more
Future arrangement	We're meeting at eight.	tomorrow, on Friday
Irritating repetition (with always)	He's always losing his keys.	always, constantly

The form

Subject	Affirmative	Negative	Question
I	I'm working	I'm not working	Am I working?
you	you're working	you aren't working	Are you working?
he / she / it	he's working	he isn't working	Is he working?
we	we're working	we aren't working	Are we working?
they	they're working	they aren't working	Are they working?

Short answers use be, not do: Yes, I am. / No, she isn't.

Spelling rules for -ing

Ending	Rule	Examples
most verbs	add -ing	work → working; play → playing
silent -e	drop the e	make → making; write → writing
one vowel + one consonant, stressed	double the consonant	sit → sitting; run → running; begin → beginning
-ie	ie → y	lie → lying; die → dying
-ee, -ye, -oe	keep the e	see → seeing; agree → agreeing
British -l after a vowel	double the l	travel → travelling (US: traveling)

Stative verbs

Verbs of thinking, feeling, possession and the senses normally avoid the continuous: know, believe, understand, want, need, like, love, hate, prefer, own, belong, seem, contain, cost.

Some verbs change meaning between the two forms:

Verb	Simple (state)	Continuous (action)
think	I think* you're right.* (opinion)	I'm thinking about it. (mental activity)
have	She has* a car.* (possession)	She's having lunch. (eating)
see	I see* what you mean.* (understand)	I'm seeing the doctor. (meeting)
taste	It tastes* good.* (quality)	He's tasting the soup. (action)

Signal words and time expressions

now, right now, at the moment, currently, today, this week, these days, still, at present, look!, listen!

Common mistakes

Mistake	Correct	Why
She working now.	She is working now.	be is required
I am go to school.	I am going to school.	the -ing form is required
He is writting.	He is writing.	drop the silent e, no doubling
I am wanting a coffee.	I want a coffee.	stative verb
Do you working?	Are you working?	the auxiliary is be
I am studing.	I am studying.	y is kept before -ing

Learning tips

Describe a photograph aloud. Every sentence will naturally be present continuous.
Memorise the doubling rule with three examples: sitting, running, beginning.
Whenever you write a continuous form, check the verb is not stative.

Summary checklist

Is there a form of be before the -ing verb?
Is the -ing spelling correct?
Is the verb dynamic rather than stative?
Do my questions and short answers use be, not do?

Shpjegim në gjuhën shqipe

Rregulli i anglishtes, i shpjeguar në shqip

Kjo kohë ndërtohet me foljen be në kohën e tashme (am, is, are) plus foljen kryesore me mbaresën -ing. Folja ndihmëse është be, prandaj pyetja bëhet me përmbysje dhe mohimi me not, kurrë me do.

Drejtshkrimi i -ing ndjek disa rregulla: shumica e foljeve e marrin drejtpërdrejt; foljet që mbarojnë me -e të pazëshme e humbin atë (make → making); foljet njërrokëshe me një zanore dhe një bashkëtingëllore e dyfishojnë bashkëtingëlloren (sit → sitting); foljet me -ie e kthejnë atë në y (lie → lying).

Koha përdoret për katër kuptime: veprim që po ndodh tani; situatë e përkohshme rreth kësaj periudhe; ndryshim ose zhvillim; dhe marrëveshje e caktuar për të ardhmen.

Ashtu si më lart, foljet e gjendjes nuk e marrin këtë formë. Disa folje e ndryshojnë kuptimin midis dy formave, si have, think, see dhe be.

Ekuivalenti në gjuhën shqipe

Kjo është një nga rastet ku dy gjuhët përputhen shumë mirë. Forma angleze am / is / are + verb-ing i përgjigjet gati saktësisht ndërtimit shqip me pjesëzën po + folja në kohën e tashme.

Anglisht	Shqip
I am reading.	Po lexoj.
She is working.	Ajo po punon.
They are waiting.	Ata po presin.
It is raining.	Po bie shi.

Ekuivalenti më i afërt në gjuhën shqipe është pra pjesëza po. Ekziston edhe ndërtimi jam duke lexuar, i cili është më i rëndë dhe përdoret më rrallë në ligjërimin e përditshëm.

Përdorimet dhe ekuivalentët

Përdorimi	Anglisht	Shqip
Tani	She is reading a book.	Ajo po lexon një libër.
Rreth kësaj periudhe	I'm studying for my exams.	Këto ditë po përgatitem për provimet.
Gjendje e përkohshme	He's staying with friends.	Ai po rri te shokët.
Ndryshim në zhvillim	Prices are rising.	Çmimet po rriten.
Marrëveshje për të ardhmen	We're meeting at eight.	Takohemi në orën tetë.

Kujdes: te rasti i fundit shqipja nuk e përdor po. Marrëveshja për të ardhmen shprehet me kohën e tashme të thjeshtë ose me do të. Prandaj We're meeting at eight nuk përkthehet me po takohemi.

Foljet që nuk marrin formën e vazhduar

Anglishtja i ndalon foljet e gjendjes në këtë formë. Shqipja e lejon po me shumicën e foljeve, prandaj ky kufizim duhet mësuar posaçërisht.

Shqip	Anglisht e saktë	Gabimi tipik
E di përgjigjen.	I know the answer.	I am knowing
Dua një kafe.	I want a coffee.	I am wanting
Më pëlqen kjo këngë.	I like this song.	I am liking
Ai ka një makinë.	He has a car.	He is having a car

Disa folje e ndryshojnë kuptimin: He is having lunch është e saktë, sepse aty have do të thotë «ha», jo «zotëron» — në shqip po ha drekë.

Gabime të zakonshme të folësve të shqipes

Gabimi	E saktë	Pse
She working now.	She is working now.	folja be është e detyrueshme
I am go to school.	I am going to school.	kërkohet forma me -ing
Do you working?	Are you working?	ndihmësja është be, jo do
Every day I am going to work.	Every day I go to work.	zakoni kërkon të tashmen e thjeshtë
He is writting.	He is writing.	bie e-ja, pa dyfishim

Present Continuous Tense