Present continuous - I am doing

The present continuous (also called present progressive) describes actions that are happening now or around the present time. It is used for temporary situations, current activities, planned near-future events, and changing situations.

• Formation: subject + am/is/are + verb-ing (I am working; She is calling; They are planning).
• Use it for actions in progress (I am reading the report now).
• Use it for temporary situations or actions around now (We are staying in a hotel this week).
• Use it for arranged future events (He is meeting the client tomorrow).
• Use it for developing or changing situations (Sales are growing this quarter).

The present continuous always uses the auxiliary verb be (am/is/are) + the -ing form of the main verb.

• Positive: I am speaking. / He is speaking. / They are speaking.
• Negative: I am not speaking. / He isn't speaking.
• Question: Are they speaking? / Is she speaking?
• Spelling rules for -ing: double final consonant (run → running), drop final e (make → making), change ie to y (lie → lying).

For temporary or in-progress actions use present continuous; for general facts use simple present.

Watch out for frequent errors that learners make when using the present continuous.

• Forgetting the auxiliary verb be (e.g., Wrong: 'I working' → Correct: 'I am working').
• Using present continuous with stative verbs that are not usually used in continuous form (e.g., 'know', 'believe', 'prefer').
• Incorrect -ing spelling (e.g., 'writting' instead of 'writing').
• Using present continuous for habitual actions that should use simple present (e.g., Wrong: 'I am going to the office every day' → Correct: 'I go to the office every day').
• Confusing use for future plans vs. predictions (use continuous for arranged plans, not for general predictions).

Always check the verb (stative vs dynamic), the auxiliary, and the spelling of the -ing form.