The verb to cut · Conjugation
Present Continuous of cut
The answer: am / is / are cutting
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to cut is am / is / are cutting.
Example: I am cutting the bread right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am cutting | I'm cutting |
| You | are cutting | You're cutting |
| He / She / It | is cutting | He's / She's / It's cutting |
| We | are cutting | We're cutting |
| You (pl.) | are cutting | You're cutting |
| They | are cutting | They're cutting |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She cutting ❌
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 cutting, I am cutting.
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 cut: I cut for a habit, I am cutting for right now.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate cut in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form cutting. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am cutting, she is cutting, they are cutting. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of cut?+
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 cut and I am cutting?+
I cut is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am cutting 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 cut in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not cutting, she isn't cutting, they aren't cutting. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you cutting…?, Is she cutting…? Do not add do: Do you are cutting? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of cut?+
The -ing form of cut is cutting. The last consonant is doubled: cut → cutting. This often happens when a verb ends in one vowel + one consonant (like stop → stopping). You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was cutting) and after a preposition (before cutting).
Related pages: cut 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/cut/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 cut are coming soon.