The continuous present

The tense of a verb tells us when the action was done. The action can be done in the past, present or future.

When do I use the present tense?
There are two types of present tense -

Use the present continuous form of a verb when:

• The action isn't a single action, it is an action that carries on. It is good for describing what people are doing at a particular moment.
  e.g. I am kicking the ball.
  He is walking the dog.

The present continuous is made by having am, is or are + the verb + 'ing'.

NOTE! Sometimes you can use the present continuous to talk about the future.
e.g. I am going on holiday on Friday.
This is explained in factsheet 5.