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