The verb to answer · Conjugation
Present Continuous of answer
The answer: am / is / are answering
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to answer is am / is / are answering.
Example: I am answering the question right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am answering | I'm answering |
| You | are answering | You're answering |
| He / She / It | is answering | He's / She's / It's answering |
| We | are answering | We're answering |
| You (pl.) | are answering | You're answering |
| They | are answering | They're answering |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She answering ❌
The Present Continuous always has two parts: am, is or are + the -ing form. Without the helper verb, the sentence is wrong: say she is answering, I am answering. Without -ing, it is wrong too: she is answer ❌.
2. I am knowing ❌
Some verbs describe a state, not an action: know, understand, want, need, like, love, believe, remember. They are not normally used in the continuous, even for right now: I know the answer, I don't understand.
3. I am playing football every Saturday ❌
For habits and routines, use the Present Simple: I play football every Saturday. Use the Present Continuous only for now or for a short time: I am playing football right now. With answer: I answer for a habit, I am answering for right now.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate answer in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form answering. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am answering, she is answering, they are answering. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of answer?+
Use it for an action happening now, at the moment of speaking. Also use it for a situation that is only temporary (this week, these days). Common signal words are now, right now, at the moment and Look!
What is the difference between I answer and I am answering?+
I answer is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am answering is the Present Continuous: an action happening now, or for a short time. Compare: I play football every Saturday and I am playing football right now.
How do you make the negative and the question of answer in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not answering, she isn't answering, they aren't answering. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you answering…?, Is she answering…? Do not add do: Do you are answering? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of answer?+
The -ing form of answer is answering. You just add -ing: answer → answering. You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was answering) and after a preposition (before answering).
Related pages: answer Present Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/answer/present-continuous
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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