The verb to watch · Conjugation
Present Continuous of watch
The answer: am / is / are watching
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to watch is am / is / are watching.
Example: I am watching a film right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am watching | I'm watching |
| You | are watching | You're watching |
| He / She / It | is watching | He's / She's / It's watching |
| We | are watching | We're watching |
| You (pl.) | are watching | You're watching |
| They | are watching | They're watching |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She watching ❌
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 watching, I am watching. Without -ing, it is wrong too: she is watch ❌.
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 watch: I watch for a habit, I am watching for right now.
Practice quiz
Going further
The English contest tests the Present Continuous of watch in real sentences
Instead of a single school exercise, your students meet this tense in context, in a contest that really motivates them.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYMaster the Present Continuous of watch when you speak, not just on paper
The conjugation is clear in your head. On PLAY, you practise it in a game, with instant feedback, until it comes out on its own.
Practise the Present Continuous of watch on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Present Continuous of watch, and you follow each student
The Academy has self-marking activities on this form, with a dashboard for each student: you see at a glance who is falling behind.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate watch in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form watching. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am watching, she is watching, they are watching. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of watch?+
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 watch and I am watching?+
I watch is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am watching 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 watch in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not watching, she isn't watching, they aren't watching. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you watching…?, Is she watching…? Do not add do: Do you are watching? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of watch?+
The -ing form of watch is watching. You just add -ing: watch → watching. You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was watching) and after a preposition (before watching).
Related pages: watch 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/watch/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.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to watch are coming soon.