Present Continuous Exercises
The present continuous tense is used to describe actions happening right now or around the present moment. It is also used to talk about future plans. This page provides explanations, interactive exercises, and common mistake corrections to help you step through the concept with your students.
Table of Contents
More Resources
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Present Continuous Uses
When do we use the present continuous?
We use the present continuous to talk about:
- Actions happening right now (e.g., She is listening to music.)
- Actions happening around the present time (e.g., We are painting the wall today.)
- Future plans (e.g., I am meeting my friends on Thursday.)
Spelling Rules
How do we write the "-ing" form of a verb for the present continuous?
We use these spelling rules for the "-ing" form:
- For most verbs, add "-ing" to the base form (eat → eating)
- If the base form ends in a single "e", drop the "e" before adding "-ing" (write → writing)
- If the base form ends in "ie", change the ie to "y" before adding "-ing" (lie → lying)
- If the base form is one syllable and ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant (not w,x,y or z!) double the consonant before adding "-ing" (run → running, swim → swimming)
- If the base form is two or more syllables, ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant, and the last syllable is stressed, double the consonant before adding "-ing" (begin → beginning)
- In British English 🇬🇧, if the base form ends in a vowel + "l", double the "l" before adding "-ing" (travel → travelling)
Sentence Structures and Exercises
Positive Statements
I + am + verb-ing + …
You / We / They + are + verb-ing + …
He / She / It + is + verb-ing + …
Examples:
They are playing football.
She‘s working from home this week.
1) I am doing (doing) my homework.
2) Kyle is writing (write) an article.
3) We are playing (play) on Saturday.
4) My brothers are watching (watch) TV.
5) The dog is swimming (swim) in the river.
Negative Statements
I + am + not + verb-ing + …
You / We / They + are + not + verb-ing + …
He / She / It + is + not + verb-ing + …
Examples:
Kate is not using her computer.
My friends aren’t going to the park.
6) We are not having (not having) a picnic this weekend.
7) Tom and Will are not doing (not do) doing anything.
8) I am not drinking (not drinking) alcohol at the moment.
9) You are not eating (not eat) your vegetables.
10) She is not studying (not study) German this year.
Closed Questions
Am + I + verb-ing + …
Are + you / we / they + verb-ing + …
Is + he / she / it + verb-ing + …
Examples:
Am I doing it right?
Is John cooking tonight?
11) Are Sue and Chris going (go)?
12) Is Liam moving (move) to London?
13) Are we taking (take) a taxi?
14) Are you chatting (chat) with Mila?
15) Is the train leaving (leave) soon?
Open (Wh-) Questions
Wh-word + am + I + verb-ing + …
Wh-word + are + you / we / they + verb-ing + …
Wh-word + is + he / she / it + verb-ing + …
Examples:
Where are we going tonight?
What is Desiree making?
16) Why is she lying (lie) on the floor?
17) Where are they playing (play) this weekend?
18) Which car are you taking (take)?
19) What is he buying (buy)?
20) Where am I sitting (sit)?
Bonus: Short Answers
Yes, I am.
No, I‘m not.
Yes you / we / they are.
No, you / we / they aren’t.
Yes, he / she / it is.
No, he / she / it isn’t.
21) Are we leaving at 6? Yes, we are. (Yes)
22) Is she working late? No, she isn’t. (No)
23) Is Zane watching TV? Yes, he is. (Yes)
24) Are your parents coming ? No, they aren’t. (No)
25) Are you doing your homework? No, I’m not. (No)
Common Mistakes
What mistakes should you look for in the present continuous?
Common mistakes in the present continuous are:
- Using the present continuous instead of the present simple
- She is liking chocolate.
- She likes chocolate.
- We don’t usually use the present continuous with stative verbs (e.g., love, like, want).
- Forgetting the auxiliary verb ‘to be’
- They playing outside.
- They are playing outside.
- Always include am, is, or are before the main verb.
- Incorrect spelling of -ing verbs
- She is runing.
- She is running.
- Check if you need to drop an -e or -ie, or double a consonant.
More Practice
Where can I find some more present continuous exercises?
We have lots of customisable exercises available both online and to print.
For interactive present continuous exercises on the board, use our Grammar Exercise Generator.
For printable present continuous worksheets, use our Grammar Worksheet Generator.
Teacher FAQs
Q: How can I introduce the present continuous in a simple way?
A: Start with real-time classroom actions. Act something out and describe what you are doing. Ask, ‘What am I doing?’ to elicit responses. Point to a student and describe what they are doing.
Q: What are effective activities for reinforcing this tense?
A: Try miming games (e.g., Charades, Reverse Charades), picture descriptions, and classroom surveys where students ask and answer questions in the present continuous.
Q: How can I help students distinguish between the present simple and the present continuous?
A: Provide contrastive examples like ‘He plays football (every Saturday)’ vs. ‘He is playing football (right now)’ and highlight time expressions.
Q: What’s a common mistake students make with this tense?
A: Many students forget to use am/is/are. Emphasize that the auxiliary verb is essential by using the tone of your voice and highlighting it in sentences.
Q: Can I use songs or videos to teach this tense?
A: Yes! Songs with continuous actions (She’s dancing, They are running) make the tense more engaging and memorable. Get kids to act out the actions as they see or hear them – this video is great for that. The song Tom’s Diner is a classic option for older learners.