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