The verb to climb · Conjugation
Present Continuous of climb
The answer: am / is / are climbing
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to climb is am / is / are climbing.
Example: I am climbing the stairs right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am climbing | I'm climbing |
| You | are climbing | You're climbing |
| He / She / It | is climbing | He's / She's / It's climbing |
| We | are climbing | We're climbing |
| You (pl.) | are climbing | You're climbing |
| They | are climbing | They're climbing |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She climbing ❌
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 climbing, I am climbing. Without -ing, it is wrong too: she is climb ❌.
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 climb: I climb for a habit, I am climbing for right now.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate climb in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form climbing. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am climbing, she is climbing, they are climbing. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of climb?+
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 climb and I am climbing?+
I climb is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am climbing 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 climb in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not climbing, she isn't climbing, they aren't climbing. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you climbing…?, Is she climbing…? Do not add do: Do you are climbing? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of climb?+
The -ing form of climb is climbing. You just add -ing: climb → climbing. You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was climbing) and after a preposition (before climbing).
Related pages: climb Present Continuous
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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/climb/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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More forms of the verb to climb are coming soon.