Now vs Presently

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Now

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

Presently

Top 2,000 (common) C1 adverb

Most common: Now

	Now	Presently
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/naʊ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/naʊ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈprezntli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈprezntli/"]/
Meaning	at this moment or time	Right now; at this time.
Example	I am reading a book now.	The crime is presently being investigated by the police.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	A1	C1
Part of speech	adverb	adverb
Collocations	now or never, from now on, now and then	presently available, presently under review, presently working, presently experiencing, presently engaged
Antonyms	later, after	formerly, previously, later, eventually
Common mistakes	Confused with 'then' when referring to time., Using 'now' too formally in written communication., Overusing 'now' in conversation, leading to redundancy.	'Presently' used to mean 'soon' instead of 'now'., Confusing 'presently' with 'currently' in terms of formality., 'Presently' used too often in formal contexts.
Usage notes	Used to indicate the present time. Avoid using 'now' in very formal contexts where 'currently' might be more appropriate.	Use 'presently' in neutral contexts to indicate something happening now. Avoid in very formal writing where 'currently' or 'at this moment' might be clearer.

See it in real clips

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

and are presently ridding the stepstones of its pirate infestation.

Agent Carter › S1 E1

I am presently supervising her extraction.

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

and are presently ridding the stepstones of its pirate infestation.

Agent Carter › S1 E1

I am presently supervising her extraction.

Presently

Frequently asked questions: Now vs Presently

What's the difference between Now and Presently?

Now: at this moment or time Presently: Right now; at this time.

Which is more common: Now and Presently?

Now is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Now and Presently?

Presently is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Now and Presently the same CEFR level?

Now: A1, Presently: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Now and Presently?

Now: adverb, Presently: adverb.

Can you show an example of each?

Now: I am reading a book now. Presently: The crime is presently being investigated by the police.

Can I use Now and Presently interchangeably?

Not always. Now and Presently are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.