Present Continuous

An action happening right now, or around this period of your life.

Urdu marker: ‑رہا ہوں / ‑رہی ہے / ‑رہے ہیں

The structure

Positive

Subject + am / is / are + V-ing

Negative

Subject + am / is / are + not + V-ing

Question

Am / Is / Are + subject + V-ing ?

When you use it

Something happening at this moment, while you speak.
A temporary situation around now, even if not at this exact second: I am living with my cousin this month.
A fixed personal plan in the near future: I am meeting my counsellor on Monday.
A changing situation: The weather is getting colder.

Words that signal this tense

nowright nowat the momentcurrentlytodaythis weeklook!listen!

Examples

I am reading an English book.میں انگریزی کی کتاب پڑھ رہا ہوں۔
She is cooking dinner in the kitchen.وہ باورچی خانے میں رات کا کھانا پکا رہی ہے۔
They are not playing cricket today.وہ آج کرکٹ نہیں کھیل رہے۔
Are you listening to me?کیا تم میری بات سن رہے ہو؟
My English is improving every week.میری انگریزی ہر ہفتے بہتر ہو رہی ہے۔

The mistake almost everyone makes

I am knowing the answer.

I know the answer.

State verbs (know, understand, like, love, want, need, believe, own, belong) do not take -ing. They describe a state, not an action in progress.

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