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