Present Continuous Tense: Negatives, Questions, and Negative Questions

Building on your knowledge of the affirmative Present Continuous tense, this lesson covers how to form negative statements, questions, and negative questions. These forms are essential for complete communication in English and allow you to express what isn't happening right now, ask about current activities, and seek confirmation about ongoing actions.

The Present Continuous in negative and question forms follows specific patterns that are crucial for natural English communication about current situations and temporary activities.

1. Forming Negative Statements

To make a negative statement in the Present Continuous, we add not after the be verb (am/is/are). The contractions am not, isn't, and aren't are very commonly used in spoken English.

Structure:

Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing + (rest)

Contraction Forms:

Subject Full Form Contraction Example
I am not I'm not I am not working today. / I'm not working today.
You are not aren't / you're not You aren't studying hard enough. / You're not studying hard enough.
He is not isn't / he's not He isn't playing football today. / He's not playing football today.
She is not isn't / she's not She isn't coming to the party. / She's not coming to the party.
It is not isn't / it's not It isn't raining right now. / It's not raining right now.
We are not aren't / we're not We aren't watching TV. / We're not watching TV.
They are not aren't / they're not They aren't listening to music. / They're not listening to music.

More Examples:

  • I am not feeling well today.
  • She isn't wearing her uniform.
  • We aren't having dinner at home tonight.
  • They aren't building the bridge anymore.
  • The children aren't sleeping yet.
  • It isn't working properly.

Note about "am not":

Unlike "isn't" and "aren't," there is no standard contraction for "am not." In very informal speech, some people say "ain't," but this is not considered proper English. Always use "I'm not" as the contraction.

2. Forming Yes/No Questions

To ask a yes/no question in the Present Continuous, we move the be verb (am/is/are) before the subject. The -ing verb stays in its position after the subject.

Structure:

Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing + (rest)?

Formation Pattern:

  • Statement: You are working hard. → Question: Are you working hard?
  • Statement: She is studying English. → Question: Is she studying English?
Be Verb Subject Verb-ing Question Short Answer (+) Short Answer (-)
Am I doing Am I doing this correctly? Yes, you are. No, you aren't.
Are you coming Are you coming to dinner? Yes, I am. No, I'm not.
Is he working Is he working today? Yes, he is. No, he isn't.
Is she studying Is she studying for the exam? Yes, she is. No, she isn't.
Is it raining Is it raining outside? Yes, it is. No, it isn't.
Are we making Are we making progress? Yes, we are. No, we aren't.
Are they playing Are they playing football? Yes, they are. No, they aren't.

3. Forming WH- Questions

WH- questions in the Present Continuous are formed by placing a question word (what, where, when, why, how, who, which) before the be verb and subject.

Structure:

Wh-word + am/is/are + subject + verb-ing + (rest)?

Common WH- Questions with Present Continuous:

What

  • What are you doing right now?
  • What is she cooking for dinner?
  • What are they building over there?

Where

  • Where are you going this weekend?
  • Where is he working these days?
  • Where are they staying during their visit?

When

  • When are you leaving for vacation?
  • When is she starting her new job?
  • When are they arriving?

Why

  • Why are you crying?
  • Why is he laughing so much?
  • Why are they making so much noise?

How

  • How are you feeling today?
  • How is she getting to work?
  • How long are you staying here?
  • How many people are coming to the party?
  • How much are you spending on this project?

Who (Special Cases)

When "who" is the subject of the question, we don't use auxiliary inversion:

  • Who is calling you? (Who is the subject)
  • Who is making that noise? (Who is the subject)

When "who" is the object, we use the normal question structure:

  • Who are you calling? (You is the subject)
  • Who is she visiting? (She is the subject)

Note: Present Continuous questions often focus on current activities, temporary situations, or near-future plans that are already arranged.

4. Forming Negative Questions

Negative questions in the Present Continuous are used to express surprise, seek confirmation, or show concern. They can be formed with contractions (more common in spoken English) or without contractions (more formal).

Two Structures:

1. With Contractions (More Common)

Aren't/Isn't + subject + verb-ing + (rest)?

  • Aren't you coming to the meeting?
  • Isn't she feeling well today?
  • Aren't they working on the project?
  • Isn't it raining outside?

2. Without Contractions (More Formal)

Am/Is/Are + subject + not + verb-ing + (rest)?

  • Are you not feeling well?
  • Is she not coming with us?
  • Are they not understanding the instructions?

Special Case: "Am I not"

For first person questions, we use "Am I not" (formal) or "Aren't I" (informal):

  • Am I not doing this correctly? (formal)
  • Aren't I supposed to be there? (informal)

Uses of Negative Questions:

1. Expressing Surprise:

  • Aren't you working today? I thought you had the day off!
  • Isn't he coming to the party? He said he would be here.

2. Seeking Confirmation:

  • Aren't we meeting at 7 PM? I thought that was the plan.
  • Isn't this the right address? It doesn't look familiar.

3. Showing Concern or Care:

  • Aren't you feeling cold? You look like you're shivering.
  • Isn't she eating enough? She seems to have lost weight.

4. Making Suggestions:

  • Aren't you going to wear a coat? It's quite cold outside.
  • Isn't he taking a break soon? He's been working for hours.

5. Summary Table of All Forms

Type Structure Example
Affirmative Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing She is studying English.
Negative Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing She isn't studying English.
Yes/No Question Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing Is she studying English?
WH- Question Wh-word + am/is/are + subject + verb-ing What is she studying?
Negative Question Aren't/Isn't + subject + verb-ing Isn't she studying English?

6. Short Answers with Present Continuous

When answering yes/no questions in the Present Continuous, we use short answers with the be verb (am/is/are), not the -ing verb.

Structure for Short Answers:

  • Positive: Yes, + subject + am/is/are
  • Negative: No, + subject + am not/isn't/aren't
Question Positive Short Answer Negative Short Answer
Are you working today? Yes, I am. No, I'm not.
Is she coming to the party? Yes, she is. No, she isn't.
Are they playing football? Yes, they are. No, they aren't.
Is it raining outside? Yes, it is. No, it isn't.

Important Notes about Short Answers:

  • We never use the -ing verb in short answers: ❌ "Yes, I am working." ✅ "Yes, I am."
  • We usually use contractions in negative short answers: "No, I'm not" (not "No, I am not")
  • In very informal speech, sometimes just "Yes" or "No" is used, but proper short answers are preferred

7. Common Uses of Questions and Negatives

When to Use Questions

1. Asking About Current Activities
  • What are you doing right now?
  • Are you watching the game?
  • Is she working on the report?
2. Asking About Temporary Situations
  • Where are you staying while you're in town?
  • How long are you living with your parents?
  • Are you taking any medication for that?
3. Asking About Future Arrangements
  • Are you meeting John tomorrow?
  • Is she flying to London next week?
  • What time are you leaving for the airport?

When to Use Negatives

1. Describing What's Not Happening Now
  • I am not working today because it's a holiday.
  • She isn't feeling well, so she's staying home.
  • They aren't coming to the meeting this afternoon.
2. Correcting Misunderstandings
  • No, I am not leaving early today.
  • He isn't playing tennis; he's playing badminton.
  • We aren't moving to a new house; we're just renovating.
3. Expressing Temporary Changes
  • The elevator isn't working today, so we need to use the stairs.
  • I am not eating meat this month as part of my diet.
  • The store isn't selling that product anymore.

8. Common Mistakes with Negatives and Questions

Incorrect Correct Explanation
I not working today. I am not working today. Don't forget the be verb (am/is/are) in negatives.
She doesn't working now. She isn't working now. Use be verb + not, not "do/does + not" for Present Continuous.
Do you working today? Are you working today? Use be verb (am/is/are) not "do/does" for Present Continuous questions.
What you are doing? What are you doing? Use correct word order: Question word + be verb + subject.
Yes, I am working. Yes, I am. Don't include the -ing verb in short answers.
Isn't she come tomorrow? Isn't she coming tomorrow? Use -ing form after be verb, not base form.
Why she is crying? Why is she crying? Put be verb before subject in questions.
I amn't working. I'm not working. Use "I'm not," not "I amn't" for negative contractions.

9. Time Expressions with Questions and Negatives

These time expressions are commonly used with Present Continuous questions and negatives:

Current Moment
  • Right now
  • At the moment
  • Currently
  • Just now
  • At present

Examples:

  • What are you doing right now?
  • She isn't working at the moment.
Temporary Periods
  • Today
  • This week/month
  • These days
  • Nowadays
  • Still
  • Yet (in questions/negatives)

Examples:

  • Are you working this week?
  • They aren't living there anymore.

Present Continuous Negatives and Questions Test

Choose the correct form for each sentence.

1. She ______ to work today because she's sick.

2. ______ you ______ TV right now?

3. What ______ she ______ for dinner tonight?

4. ______ they ______ to the party tomorrow?

5. "Are you feeling better?" "Yes, ______."

Transform Sentences

Change the following affirmative sentences to negative or questions as indicated.

Fill in the Blanks - WH- Questions

Complete each WH- question with the correct form of the Present Continuous.

Practice Test - Negative Questions

Choose the correct negative question form.

1. ______ you ______ well? You look tired.

2. ______ she ______ to the meeting? I don't see her.

3. ______ they ______ too much noise? The neighbors are complaining.

4. ______ it ______ harder than before? This exercise seems difficult.

5. ______ I ______ this correctly? I'm not sure about the process.

Short Answers Practice

Complete each short answer with the correct form.

1. "Are you working today?" "No, ______."

2. "Is she coming to dinner?" "Yes, ______."

3. "Are they playing football?" "No, ______."

4. "Is it raining outside?" "Yes, ______."

5. "Am I doing this correctly?" "Yes, ______."

Advanced Mixed Practice

Choose the correct option for each situation.

1. You want to ask what someone is doing at this moment. Which is correct?

2. You want to say you're not watching TV right now. Which is correct?

3. You're surprised someone isn't coming to the party. Which is correct?

4. Someone asks "Are you feeling better?" and you want to say yes. Which is correct?

5. You want to ask where someone is staying temporarily. Which is correct?

Summary: Key Points to Remember

  1. Negative Forms: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing (I'm not working)
  2. Questions: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing? (Are you working?)
  3. WH-Questions: Question word + am/is/are + subject + verb-ing? (What are you doing?)
  4. Negative Questions: Aren't/Isn't + subject + verb-ing? (Aren't you coming?)
  5. Short Answers: Use am/is/are (not the -ing verb) - "Yes, I am." not "Yes, I am working."
  6. Contractions: I'm not (not "I amn't"), isn't, aren't
  7. Don't use "do/does" with Present Continuous - use am/is/are
  8. Word Order: Question word + be verb + subject + -ing verb
  9. Time Expressions: right now, at the moment, today, this week
  10. Uses: Current activities, temporary situations, future arrangements, expressing surprise/concern

Mastering negative forms and questions in the Present Continuous allows you to ask about current activities, express what's not happening now, and engage in natural conversations about ongoing situations. Practice these forms regularly to become more confident in discussing temporary activities and current states. Remember that the be verb (am/is/are) carries the negative and question meanings, while the main verb always stays in its -ing form!