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