Present Continuous Exercises
Do more with this exercise
The present continuous
Use am, is or are plus a verb ending in -ing for an action happening now.
- Form:
- I am reading. She is reading. They are reading.
- Negative:
- Put not after am, is or are: He is not reading.
- Question:
- Put am, is or are first: Are you reading?
- Spelling:
- Make → making; swim → swimming.
Examples
I am reading now.
I takes am plus -ing.
She is cooking dinner.
She takes is plus -ing.
They are playing outside.
They take are plus -ing.
Are you listening?
Put are before you in a question.
He is not sleeping.
Put not after is.
Practice exercises
Choose the correct answer
Select the option that completes the sentence.
1.Look! It ___ outside.
2.I ___ dinner right now.
3.They ___ in the park at the moment.
4.Listen! The baby ___.
5.The dogs ___ in the garden now.
Fill the gaps
Type the missing word or words.
Put the words in order
Click the parts in the correct order.
11. Build the sentence:
12. Build the sentence:
13. Build the sentence:
14. Build the sentence:
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each sentence is correct.
15.He is playing tennis now.
16.They is watching a film.
17.I am listening to music.
18.Is she working today?
Present continuous form and use
The present continuous describes an action in progress now. Build it with a form of be and a verb ending in -ing. The form of be changes with the subject; the -ing form does not.
To make a question, move the be verb before the subject: They are playing becomes Are they playing? To make a negative, put not after be: They are not playing.
Some verbs change spelling before -ing. Drop the final e in make → making; double the final consonant in swim → swimming. Practise both the form and the meaning in the exercises above.
Frequently asked questions
When do I use the present continuous?
Use it for an action in progress now: I am reading.
Which form of be do I need?
Use am with I, is with he/she/it, and are with you/we/they.
How do I form a question?
Move am, is or are before the subject: Is she reading?
Answer key
1. Look! It ___ outside.
Answer: is raining
Use is + -ing with it for an action happening now.
2. I ___ dinner right now.
Answer: am cooking
Use am + -ing with I.
3. They ___ in the park at the moment.
Answer: are walking
Use are + -ing with they.
4. Listen! The baby ___.
Answer: is crying
The baby is singular, so use is + -ing.
5. The dogs ___ in the garden now.
Answer: are running
A plural subject takes are + -ing.
6. She ___ (read) a book now.
Answer: is reading
She takes is before the -ing verb.
7. We ___ (study) together right now.
Answer: are studying
We takes are before the -ing verb.
8. You ___ (learn) English right now.
Answer: are learning
You takes are before the -ing verb.
9. Look! My brother ___ (work) right now.
Answer: is working
My brother is singular, so use is working.
10. We ___ (swim) in the lake right now.
Answer: are swimming
Double the final consonant in swim: swimming.
11. a book. / She is / reading
Answer: She is reading a book.
She takes is + reading.
12. are playing / The children / outside.
Answer: The children are playing outside.
A plural subject takes are.
13. you / Are / listening?
Answer: Are you listening?
A question begins with are.
14. not sleeping / He is / now.
Answer: He is not sleeping now.
Not follows the be verb in a negative.
15. He is playing tennis now.
Answer: True
He is playing is the correct present continuous form.
16. They is watching a film.
Answer: False
They takes are, never is. Correct: They are watching a film.
17. I am listening to music.
Answer: True
I am listening uses am + -ing correctly.
18. Is she working today?
Answer: True
Questions put is before the subject: Is she working?