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