Use am / is / are + -ing for what is happening at this moment.
Happening now
Look, Amina is reading.
The children are playing in the park.
I am eating my lunch.
Not "Amina reads, right this minute." — say "Amina is reading, right this minute.". For this moment, use is + reading, not reads.
Every day
Use the base verb (with -s for he/she/it) for a habit, something you do again and again.
Amina reads every evening.
Hiroshi takes the bus to work.
We play football on Sundays.
Not "Amina is reading every evening." — say "Amina reads every evening.". For a habit you repeat, use the present simple reads, not is + reading.
Am, is, are
Match the person: I am + -ing, he / she / it is + -ing, you / we / they are + -ing. Verbs ending in -e: drop the e and add -ing: write → writing, make → making.
I am eating my lunch.
He is writing. (write → writing)
You are playing.
Not "She are writeing." — say "She is writing.". he / she / it goes with is (not are), and write drops the e: writing, not "writeing".
Try it: She ___ reading a book right now. (is / are / am) Answer: is — he / she / it goes with is: She is reading. Use are for you / we / they, and am only for I.
Try it: He is ___ a letter. (writing / writeing / writting) Answer: writing — "Write" ends in e, so the e drops before -ing: writing (not "writeing").
Add -s or -es
For a habit with he / she / it, add -s to the base verb: read → reads. Some verbs add -es: go → goes, watch → watches, do → does.
She reads every evening.
He goes to work by bus. (go → goes)
Mei watches TV after dinner. (watch → watches)
Not "He gos to work." — say "He goes to work.". go adds -es: goes, not "gos".
Try it: He ___ to work by bus every day. (goes / gos / go) Answer: goes — For he / she / it, go adds -es: goes (not "gos"). Keep the ending — with he, don't use the plain "go".
Saying no
For right now, say no with am not / isn't / aren't + -ing. For a habit, say no with don't / doesn't + the base verb.
Amina isn't reading now.
The children aren't playing.
Amina doesn't read in the morning.
We don't play on Mondays.
Not "Amina doesn't reading now." — say "Amina isn't reading now.". For this moment, use isn't + reading. For a habit, use doesn't + read (base verb).
Asking
To ask about right now, start with Am / Is / Are + person + -ing? To ask about a habit, start with Do / Does + person + base verb?
Is she reading?
Are they playing?
Does he go to the gym?
Do you read at night?
Not "Does she reading now?" — say "Is she reading now?". For this moment, use Is / Are + -ing. For a habit, use Do / Does + base verb.
Try it: Right now it is 7:42. Amina is on the sofa with her book. Which is true at this moment? (She is reading. / She reads.) Answer: She is reading. — It is happening right now, so use is + reading. "She reads" would mean it is a habit she does often, not what is happening now.
Try it: Hiroshi's week: the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Every week, the same. Which describes what he does as a habit? (He goes to the gym. / He is going to the gym.) Answer: He goes to the gym. — A habit he repeats → use the present simple goes. "He is going" is for one thing happening in this moment, not for something he does again and again.
Try it: Mei, right now. Mei, every day after lunch. Match each one. Which form fits each time? Answer: Mei, right now. → 1 → She is writing. · 2 → She writes. Mei, every day after lunch. → 1 → She writes. · 2 → She is writing. — Right now → is writing. Every day → writes. The time decides the form, so the first one is is writing and the second is writes.
Try it: Right now, Amina is at the window. Her book is on the table. How do you say she is not reading at this moment? (She isn't reading. / She doesn't read.) Answer: She isn't reading. — It is about this moment, so use isn't + reading. "She doesn't read" would say she never reads as a habit, not that she has stopped right now.
Try it: Hiroshi's week: the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You want to ask about this. How do you ask about his habit? (Does he go to the gym? / Is he going to the gym?) Answer: Does he go to the gym? — A habit he repeats → ask with Does + go. "Is he going?" asks about one thing happening in this moment, not about his habit.