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