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