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