Activities happening at the time of speaking: 

e.g.

• I’m training at home, today, not at the gym.

Longer activities continuing in the current period of time: 

e.g. 

• I’m living in Rome for a few months so let’s meet!

Something temporary:

e.g. 

• I’m playing voleyball. 
• He is eating dinner here.

Planned future events:

e.g.

• Dave’s working late next week so we can have lunch instead of dinner.
• I'm eating at Romeo's house tomorrow and I am inviting you.
  

The Present Continuous: Form

Affirmative (Positive)

Form: Subject + "to be" (am/is/are) + verb (ing)

Negative

Form: Subject + "to be" (am/is/are) + not + verb (ing)

Question (Interrogative

Form: "to be" (am/is/are) + subject + verb (ing)?

We form the present continuous with am/is/are + the -ing form of the verb.

The short forms of am/is/are are: ‘m/’s/’re.

The negative short forms of am not/is not/are not are: ‘m not/isn’t/aren’t.

We can use short forms only in negative short answers, but not in positive short answers.

Actions happening now

We use the present continuous for things happening now, at the moment of speaking.

Actions happening around now

We use the present continuous for temporary things that are happening around now (=not at the moment of speaking but these days, or weeks, etc.)

He is watching a good T.V. series at the moment. I hope he enjoys it!  

Now, these days, at the moment, etc.

We use the present continuous with time expressions that mean ‘now’ or ‘around now’: now, at the moment, at present, today, these days, this week, etc.