Present continuous

Describe actions happening now with am/is/are + -ing, in positive, negative and question forms.

For teachers:Download worksheet + answer key (PDF)

Explanation

The present continuous tense, also known as the present progressive tense, is used to describe actions that are happening at the present moment or are in progress around the present time. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "be" in the present tense (am, is, are) followed by the main verb with the -ing suffix.

The basic structure of the present continuous tense is as follows:

Structure: Subject + be (am, is, are) + verb-ing

Examples:

I am studying for my exam.
He is playing soccer with his friends.
They are watching a movie at the cinema.
She is cooking dinner in the kitchen.

The present continuous tense can be used to express the following:

Actions happening at the present moment: "I am reading a book right now."
Temporary situations or actions: "He is staying with us for a few days."
Planned future actions: "We are meeting for lunch tomorrow."
Annoyances or complaints about repeated actions: "They are always making noise."

Negative forms of the present continuous tense are formed by adding "not" after the auxiliary verb "be":

Structure: Subject + be (am, is, are) + not + verb-ing

Examples:

I am not studying for my exam.
He is not playing tennis with his friends.

Question forms are created by inverting the subject and the auxiliary verb "be":

Structure: Be (am, is, are) + subject + verb-ing?

Examples:

Are you studying for your exam?
Is he playing football with his friends?

Practice

Exercise 1

Complete the sentences and questions with the correct form of the present continuous.

1. She (read) a book at the moment.

2. they (dance) at the party?

3. We (play) basketball in the park.

4. He not (watch) a movie with his friends.

5. you (study) for your English exam right now?

6. The cat not (sleep) on the couch.

7. they (have) dinner at a fancy restaurant?

8. They not (learn) how to swim in the pool.

9. The children (play) in the garden.

10. he (work) on a new project this week?

11. you (watch) the game on television?

12. The children (play) in the garden.

13. The dog (not bark) in the backyard.

14. The birds (sing) in the trees.

15. The students (not listen) to the teacher.

16. you (wait) for the bus?

17. She (not wear) a hat today.

18. he (teach) English?

19. What she (do) in her free time?

20. She (eat) dinner right now.

Exercise 2

Complete the conversation between a teacher and his student with the correct use of the present continuous.

Teacher: Hello, Sarah! How are you today?

Student: Hi, Mr. Johnson! I'm good, thank you. I (1) (work) on my science project.

Teacher: That's great to hear, Sarah! What (2) (you / research) for your project?

Student: I (3) (study) about renewable energy sources, like solar and wind power.

Teacher: Excellent topic! How (4) (it / go) so far? Any interesting findings?

Student: Yes, it's fascinating! I (5) (discover) that solar energy is becoming more affordable and widely used.

Teacher: That's true. What other sources (6) (you / investigate)?

Student: I (7) (also / explore) the benefits of wind energy. It's a clean and sustainable option.

Teacher: Wonderful! Keep up the good work!