A1 Questions & Negation 4 min read Easy

Present Continuous: Negatives & Questions (Am I working?)

Mastering Present Continuous negatives and questions makes you a pro at discussing ongoing actions.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To ask questions, swap 'am/is/are' with the subject; for negatives, add 'not' after the 'be' verb.

  • Questions: Move 'Am/Is/Are' to the front. Example: 'Are you working?'
  • Negatives: Put 'not' after 'Am/Is/Are'. Example: 'I am not working.'
  • Contractions: Use 'isn't' or 'aren't' for natural speech. Example: 'He isn't working.'
❓ [Am/Is/Are] + Subject + Verb-ing? | ❌ Subject + [Am/Is/Are] + not + Verb-ing

Overview

The Present Continuous is for things happening now.
It is for things happening for a short time.
You can say what you are doing. (Example: I am working.)
You also need to say what you are NOT doing.
And you need to ask about things.
This part helps you say "no" and ask questions.
It helps you talk clearly.
This is very important for you.

How This Grammar Works

You make the Present Continuous with two parts.
First, use am, is, or are.
This depends on who is doing the action.
Second, add a verb with -ing. (Example: work becomes working.)
So, I am working.
To say "no" (a negative statement):
Put not after am, is, or are.
It is very simple.
Example

He is working. becomes He is not working.

The word not stops the action.
To ask a question:
Move am, is, or are to the start.
Put it before the person or thing.
Example

You are studying. becomes Are you studying?

This shows you are asking.

Formation Pattern

1
It is good to know how to make these sentences.
2
You will always use am, is, or are.
3
And you will always use a verb with -ing.
4
Negative Statements
5
To say "no," put not after am, is, or are.
6
This shows the action is not happening.
7
Structure: Who/What + am/is/are + not + Verb-ing
8
We often make words shorter. This is called a "contraction."
9
It makes your English sound more natural.
10
You use them when you speak.
11
You use them when you write to friends.
12
I am not working. → I'm not working. (You cannot say I amn't.)
13
She is not listening. → She isn't listening. or She's not listening.
14
They are not coming. → They aren't coming. or They're not coming.
15
Look at all the ways to say "no":
16
| Who/What | am/is/are + not (short) | Other short way | Long way | Example (short way) |
17
| :------- | :-------------------------- | :-------------- | :----------------------- | :------------------------------- |
18
| I | I'm not | N/A | I am not working. | I'm not working. |
19
| You | You aren't | You're not | You are not reading. | You aren't reading. |
20
| He | He isn't | He's not | He is not driving. | He isn't driving. |
21
| She | She isn't | She's not | She is not waiting. | She isn't waiting. |
22
| It | It isn't | It's not | It is not functioning. | It isn't functioning. |
23
| We | We aren't | We're not | We are not going. | We aren't going. |
24
| They | They aren't | They're not | They are not studying. | They aren't studying. |
25
You can say isn't or aren't.
26
You can also say 's not or 're not.
27
Both ways are good.
28
isn't and aren't are very common.
29
Questions (Yes/No)
30
To ask a question, put am, is, or are at the start.
31
Put it before the person or thing.
32
This shows you are asking.
33
Structure: Am/Is/Are + Who/What + Verb-ing?
34
You can answer these questions with yes or no.
35
It is polite to give a short answer too.
36
Is he eating lunch? (Answer: Yes, he is. or No, he isn't.)
37
Are you watching the news? (Answer: Yes, I am. or No, I'm not.)
38
Am I speaking too quickly? (Answer: Yes, you are. or No, you aren't.)
39
Here is how to ask these questions:
40
| Am/Is/Are | Who/What | Verb-ing | Example |
41
| :---------- | :------- | :--------- | :----------------------------- |
42
| Am | I | bothering | Am I bothering you? |
43
| Are | you | feeling | Are you feeling well? |
44
| Is | he | working | Is he working late? |
45
| Is | she | reading | Is she reading that book? |
46
| Is | it | raining | Is it raining outside? |
47
| Are | we | leaving | Are we leaving now? |
48
| Are | they | waiting | Are they waiting for us? |
49
How to give short answers:
50
Yes, + Who/What word + am/is/are.
51
No, + Who/What word + am/is/are + not (short).
52
Are you coming? Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
53
Is she studying? Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.
54
Questions (Wh-Questions)
55
Wh-questions ask for more details.
56
They start with a question word.
57
(Like What, Where, When, Why, Who, How.)
58
Put the question word first.
59
Then am, is, or are.
60
Then the person or thing.
61
Then the verb with -ing.
62
Structure: Question word + am/is/are + Who/What + Verb-ing?
63
What are you doing?
64
Where is she going?
65
Why are they laughing?
66
Here is how to ask these questions:
67
| Question word | am/is/are | Who/What | Verb-ing | Example |
68
| :------------ | :---------- | :------- | :--------- | :----------------------------- |
69
| What | am | I | missing | What am I missing? |
70
| Where | are | you | going | Where are you going? |
71
| Why | is | he | shouting | Why is he shouting? |
72
| When | is | she | arriving | When is she arriving? |
73
| How | is | it | working | How is it working? |
74
| Who | are | we | meeting | Who are we meeting tonight? |
75
| What | are | they | watching | What are they watching? |

2. Present Continuous: Negative & Question Forms

Subject Negative Form Question Form Short Answer (No)
I
I am not working
Am I working?
No, I'm not.
You
You are not working
Are you working?
No, you aren't.
He/She/It
He is not working
Is he working?
No, he isn't.
We
We are not working
Are we working?
No, we aren't.
They
They are not working
Are they working?
No, they aren't.

Common Contractions

Full Form Contraction 1 Contraction 2
I am not
I'm not
N/A
You are not
You're not
You aren't
He is not
He's not
He isn't
She is not
She's not
She isn't
It is not
It's not
It isn't
We are not
We're not
We aren't
They are not
They're not
They aren't

Meanings

Used to ask if an action is happening right now or to state that an action is not currently in progress.

1

Current Action Interrogative

Asking if someone is doing something at this exact moment.

“Are you eating lunch?”

“Is it raining outside?”

2

Current Action Negative

Stating that an action is not happening right now.

“I am not sleeping.”

“She isn't wearing a coat.”

3

Temporary Situations

Asking or denying actions that are happening 'around' now, but not necessarily this second.

“Are you staying at a hotel?”

“I'm not reading any books lately.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Present Continuous: Negatives & Questions (Am I working?)
Form Structure Example
Negative
Subject + am/is/are + not + V-ing
I am not eating.
Question
Am/Is/Are + Subject + V-ing?
Are you eating?
Negative Question
Aren't/Isn't + Subject + V-ing?
Aren't you eating?
Wh- Question
Wh- + am/is/are + Subject + V-ing?
What are you eating?
Short Answer (+)
Yes, Subject + am/is/are
Yes, I am.
Short Answer (-)
No, Subject + am/is/are + not
No, she isn't.
Formal Negative
Subject + am/is/are + not + V-ing
They are not participating.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Are you not attending the gala?

Are you not attending the gala? (Social invitation)

Neutral
Are you coming to the party?

Are you coming to the party? (Social invitation)

Informal
You coming?

You coming? (Social invitation)

Slang
You rollin' with us?

You rollin' with us? (Social invitation)

The Present Continuous Universe

Present Continuous

Questions

  • Inversion Swap Subject & Be

Negatives

  • Not Add after Be

Time

  • Now This exact second

Question vs. Statement

Statement
You are working. Subject first
Question
Are you working? Verb first

Is it a Question?

1

Is it a question?

YES
Put Am/Is/Are first
NO
Put Subject first
2

Is it negative?

YES
Add 'not' after Be
NO
No 'not' needed

Helper Verbs (Be)

🙋‍♂️

Am

  • • I
👤

Is

  • • He
  • • She
  • • It
👥

Are

  • • You
  • • We
  • • They
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Examples by Level

1

Are you drinking water?

2

Is he playing a game?

3

I am not wearing shoes.

4

They are not coming.

1

Aren't you feeling well today?

2

She isn't working this week.

3

Why are you not eating your dinner?

4

Is it not snowing in London?

1

Aren't they considering our offer?

2

I'm not planning to stay long.

3

Is she still seeing that doctor?

4

We aren't expecting any problems.

1

Why are you always complaining about the weather?

2

Aren't you being a bit dramatic?

3

Is the economy not recovering as fast as we hoped?

4

I'm not exactly enjoying this movie.

1

Am I not entitled to an explanation?

2

Are we not witnessing a historical turning point?

3

He isn't exactly thriving in his new role, is he?

4

Aren't you forgetting something crucial?

1

Is it not the case that the system is failing?

2

The project isn't so much failing as it is evolving.

3

Aren't I the one who suggested this in the first place?

4

Why are we not seeing more robust intervention?

Easily Confused

Present Continuous: Negatives & Questions (Am I working?) vs Present Simple vs. Continuous

Learners use 'Are you work?' instead of 'Do you work?' or 'Are you working?'.

Present Continuous: Negatives & Questions (Am I working?) vs Stative Verbs

Verbs like 'love', 'hate', 'know' don't usually take -ing.

Present Continuous: Negatives & Questions (Am I working?) vs Am I not vs. Aren't I

Learners don't know which one to use for 'I'.

Common Mistakes

✗

You working?

✓

Are you working?

Missing the auxiliary verb 'be'.
✗

I not working.

✓

I am not working.

Missing the verb 'be' in the negative.
✗

Is he work?

✓

Is he working?

Missing the -ing ending.
✗

Do you working?

✓

Are you working?

Using 'do' instead of 'be' for continuous.
✗

Is not she coming?

✓

Isn't she coming? / Is she not coming?

Incorrect word order for full 'not' in questions.
✗

I'm no working.

✓

I'm not working.

Using 'no' instead of 'not'.
✗

Are you knowing the answer?

✓

Do you know the answer?

Using a stative verb in the continuous form.
✗

Am not I invited?

✓

Am I not invited? / Aren't I invited?

Prescriptive grammar error with 'am not' inversion.

Sentence Patterns

Are you ___ing ___?

Why is he not ___ing?

Aren't they ___ing ___ tomorrow?

Is it not ___ing yet?

Real World Usage

Texting a friend constant

Are you coming to the gym?

Zoom/Teams Meeting very common

Are you seeing my screen?

Customer Service common

Is the machine not working?

At a Restaurant very common

Are you still using that plate?

Social Media common

Why aren't you guys posting?

Job Interview occasional

Are you currently working for another company?

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💡

The 'Be' Rule

Always check for 'am, is, or are'. If you don't have one, it's not a Present Continuous sentence!
⚠️

No 'Do' Support

Never use 'do' or 'does' with -ing verbs. It's a very common mistake that sounds very wrong to native speakers.
🎯

Short Answers

When someone asks 'Are you working?', you don't need to say 'Yes, I am working.' Just say 'Yes, I am.' It sounds much more natural.
💬

Polite Checking

Use 'Are you...?' to check if someone is busy before starting a long conversation. It's very polite in English-speaking cultures.

Smart Tips

Stop! If you see '-ing', you must use 'Am/Is/Are'.

Do you working today? → Are you working today?

Use the 'Be' verb from the question in your answer.

Are you coming? Yes, I come. → Are you coming? Yes, I am.

Avoid contractions like 'isn't' and use 'is not' instead.

The system isn't working. → The system is not working.

Drop the 'g' sound at the end of '-ing' and use 'n'.

What are you doing? → What are you doin'?

Pronunciation

He ISN'T coming.

Contraction Stress

In negatives, the 'not' part (n't) is often stressed to emphasize the denial.

Are you workING? ↗

Question Intonation

Yes/No questions usually have a rising intonation at the end.

Rising Intonation

Are you coming? ↗

Asking for confirmation

Falling Intonation

Why are you leaving? ↘

Asking for information (Wh- question)

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'B-S-I': Be verb, then Subject, then Ing-verb for questions.

Visual Association

Imagine a seesaw. In a statement, the Subject is on the left and the Verb is on the right. In a question, they swap places!

Rhyme

To ask a task that's in the flow, move the 'Be' and you will know!

Story

Meet 'Not'. Not is a shy ghost who always hides right behind the 'Be' verb (am, is, are) but before the action (-ing). He only appears when things aren't happening.

Word Web

AmIsAreNotIsn'tAren'tWorkingQuestion

Challenge

Look around you. Find three things people are NOT doing right now and say them aloud (e.g., 'The cat is not barking').

Cultural Notes

British speakers often use 'aren't I' as a question tag or in first-person questions, which can be confusing for learners.

In very casual American speech, the 'g' in '-ing' is often dropped (e.g., 'Are you workin'?).

In international meetings, using the Present Continuous for questions is seen as more polite and less aggressive than the Present Simple.

The continuous aspect in English developed from an Old English construction involving a preposition 'on' and a verbal noun.

Conversation Starters

“

Are you working on anything interesting today?

“

Is it raining in your city right now?

“

What are you not doing today that you usually do?

“

Are you planning any trips this month?

Journal Prompts

Write 5 things you are doing right now and 5 things you are NOT doing.
Imagine you are at a busy airport. Write 5 questions you would ask the staff or other passengers.
Describe a scene in a movie where everything is going wrong. Use negatives to say what people aren't doing correctly.
Write a dialogue between two people on a bad phone connection.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the missing word to make a question.

___ you listening to the teacher?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Are
We use 'Are' with the subject 'you'.
Choose the correct negative sentence. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I am not eating.
The negative form is Subject + am/is/are + not + Verb-ing.
Find the mistake in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Is they playing football in the park?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is
'They' requires the verb 'Are', not 'Is'.
Change this statement into a question: 'She is sleeping.' Sentence Transformation

She is sleeping. -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is she sleeping?
Swap the subject 'She' and the verb 'Is'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Are you coming to the cinema? B: No, I ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: am not
The short answer for 'Are you...?' is 'No, I am not.'
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

not / working / he / today / is

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He is not working today.
The order is Subject + Be + Not + Verb-ing.
Match the subject with the correct question start. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Am, 2-Are, 3-Is
I am, You are, He is.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

We use 'do' to make questions in the Present Continuous.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
We use 'am/is/are', never 'do/does'.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the missing word to make a question.

___ you listening to the teacher?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Are
We use 'Are' with the subject 'you'.
Choose the correct negative sentence. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I am not eating.
The negative form is Subject + am/is/are + not + Verb-ing.
Find the mistake in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Is they playing football in the park?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is
'They' requires the verb 'Are', not 'Is'.
Change this statement into a question: 'She is sleeping.' Sentence Transformation

She is sleeping. -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is she sleeping?
Swap the subject 'She' and the verb 'Is'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Are you coming to the cinema? B: No, I ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: am not
The short answer for 'Are you...?' is 'No, I am not.'
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

not / working / he / today / is

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He is not working today.
The order is Subject + Be + Not + Verb-ing.
Match the subject with the correct question start. Match Pairs

1. I, 2. You, 3. He

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Am, 2-Are, 3-Is
I am, You are, He is.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

We use 'do' to make questions in the Present Continuous.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
We use 'am/is/are', never 'do/does'.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Complete the question with the correct form. Fill in the Blank

___ she watching that new show on Netflix?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is
Find and fix the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

They not working on the report today.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They are not working on the report today.
Which sentence correctly forms a 'wh-' question? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What are you doing this weekend?
Type the correct English sentence. Translation

Translate into English: '¿Por qué no están comiendo?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Why aren't they eating?","Why are they not eating?"]
Put the words in order to form a correct question. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Are they listening to the professor?
Match each subject with its correct negative Present Continuous verb form. Match Pairs

Match the subjects with the correct form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Choose the correct option to complete the question. Fill in the Blank

What ___ you reading these days?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: are
Identify and correct the grammatical error. Error Correction

Is the baby crying not?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is the baby not crying?
Select the grammatically correct negative statement. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We aren't going to the concert.
Type the correct English sentence. Translation

Translate into English: 'Ella no está durmiendo.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["She is not sleeping.","She isn't sleeping."]
Put the words in order to form a correct 'wh-' question. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: What are you doing?
Correct the mistake in the question. Error Correction

Are you understanding what I am saying?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Do you understand what I am saying?

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

No, that is incorrect. You should say `Am I not?` (formal) or `Aren't I?` (informal).

It is a strange exception in English! `Aren't I` is the standard contraction for `Am I not` in questions.

In very casual speech, people sometimes drop the 'are', but for learners and in writing, it is better to say `Are you working?`.

`Isn't he` is more common and natural. `Is he not` is very formal or used for emphasis.

No, the main verb always stays in the `-ing` form. Only the verb `be` changes.

Yes! You can say `Are you coming tomorrow?` to ask about future plans.

Drop the 'e' before adding '-ing'. So, `Are you dancing?`.

No, `I aren't` is never correct. Always use `I'm not`.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

estar + -ando/-iendo

English uses the continuous much more strictly for 'right now'.

French moderate

être en train de

French usually uses the simple present for questions like 'Tu travailles ?' (Are you working?).

German low

Simple Present + 'gerade'

German uses 'Arbeitest du?' for both 'Do you work?' and 'Are you working?'.

Japanese moderate

-te iru

Japanese word order is Subject-Object-Verb, so the 'be' equivalent comes at the end.

Arabic low

Prefixes/Suffixes

Arabic doesn't have a direct equivalent to the 'am/is/are' auxiliary in the present tense.

Chinese partial

zài (在)

Chinese verbs never change their form (no -ing).

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Verb 'have': Questions and negatives (do/does)

Learn These First

A1 Requires

Present Continuous: Actions Happening Now

Overview The **Present Continuous** is a very important tense. You use it for actions happening **right now**. It is lik...

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