El present continuous es construeix amb les formes del temps present simple del verb ser o estar + la forma -ing del verb que correspongui. Per exemple:
- eat - menjar
- I'm eating
- you're eating
- he's eating
- she's eating
- it's eating
- we're eating
- you're eating
- they're eating
La forma negativa del present continuous es construeix col·locant la partícula not entre l'auxiliar i la forma -ing del verb, de la següent manera:
- eat - menjar
- I'm not eating
- you're not eating
- he's not eating
- she's not eating
- it's not eating
- we're not eating
- you're not eating
- they're not eating
Les formes interrogatives s'obtenen invertint l'ordre del subjecte i l'auxiliar en la frase.
- Are you coming? Vens?
- What are you doing? Que fas?
Excepte still (encara), les expressions now, at the moment, these day... poden anar situades al principi o al final de les frases afirmatives i negatives. En les frases interrogatives quasi sempre van al final.
La paraula still es col·loca en la frase davant de la forma -ing del verb que correspongui.
- I'm still working for TWA - Encara treballo per a la TWA.
- It's still raining - Encara plou
Hi ha verbs que no s'acostumen a utilitzar en present continuous: want (voler), like (agradar), understand (entendre), know (saber, conèixer).
Observar el diferent sentit que té el verb think segons estigui en present simple o en present continuous:
- I thing it's nearly 12 o'clock - Penso (em sembla) que són quasi les dotze
- I'm thinking... - Penso (estic donant voltes a la idea)...
