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