今天上午十点我在 / 正在打电话。 Jīntiān shàngwǔ shí diǎn wǒ zài/zhèngzài dǎ diànhuà. Talking about ongoing activities – Key note 1 – Put the continuous particle 在 zài (equivalent to the English continuous suffix ‘-ing’) or the full form 正在 zhèngzài before the verb or verbal phrase:

If the location preposition 在 zài (in; at) is used in the same sentence, use 正 zhèng (NOT 在 zài or 正在 zhèngzài) to give the action-in- progress meaning: 明年这个时候，我正在北京学习汉语。 Míng nián zhège shíhòu, wǒ zhèng zài Běijīng xuéxí hànyǔ. Talking about ongoing activities – Key note 2 –

Talking about ongoing activities in the negative For present and past actions, use 不 bù or méi in front of 在 zài (NOT 正在 zhèngzài): 我现在不 / 没在打工 。 Wǒ xiànzài bú/méi zài dǎgōng. I am not working at the moment. 没 méi is more frequently used for the past action: 今天上午十点，我没在打工 。 Jīntiān shàngwǔ shí diǎn, wǒ méi zài dǎgōng. I wasn’t working at ten o’clock this morning.

For future actions, use 不 bù in front of 在 zài: 明天这个时候，我不在打工。 Míngtián zhège shíhòu, wǒ bú zài dǎgōng. I won’t be working this time tomorrow.

Describing simultaneous actions Put the expression 一边儿 yībiānr (while), with or without 儿 er, before each verb or verbal phrase: 小李一边 ( 儿 ) 打电话，一边 ( 儿 ) 开车。 Xiǎo Lǐ yībiān(r) dǎ diànhuà, yībiān(r) kāichē. Lao Li is talking on the phone while driving.