Present Continuous Tense.

The present Continuous Tense is used to talk about an action that is going on at the time of speaking. 

What is the Present Continuous Tense?

The Present Continuous Tense describes an action that is:

• Happening at this very moment.
• Happening around the current period.
• Already planned for the near future.

Structure of the Present Continuous.

The basic formula is:

Subject + am / is / are + Verb (–ing)

Subject	Helping Verb	Main Verb
I	am	working
You	are	studying
He/She/It	is	eating
We/They	are	playing

Examples.

• I am reading a book. (Happening now)
• She is studying for her exam. (Current activity)
• They are coming over tonight. (Future arrangement)

---

In this article, we will study in detail the Present Continuous Tense. Tense itself means time. So let’s talk about this continuous tense. We have to first grab the meaning of the title.

When Do We Use Present Continuous?

Here are the main uses with examples:

1. Actions happening right now

“She is teaching you right now.”

2. Temporary actions or situations.

“He is walking with his uncle this week.”

3. Planned future events.

“We are driving the new car.”

4. Annoying habits (with ‘always’)

“They are always interrupting me!”

---

She is teaching you now.  In this sentence, the action is in progress at the time of speaking in the present. There is quite a difference between the present continuous tense and the simple present tense.

Present continuous tense formula.

A) Positive structure:

Subject + helping verb + 1st verb (ing) + object.

Example:

• She is washing the clothes.
• He is talking to me.
• We are reading a book.
• They are sitting on the grass.
• The cat is jumping.

B) Negative Structure:

Subject + helping verb + not + 1st verb (ing) + object.

Example:

• She is not washing the clothes.
• He is not talking to me.
• We are not reading a book.
• They are not sitting on the grass.
• The cat is not jumping.

C) Interrogative Structure:

Helping verb + Subject + 1st verb (ing) + object?

• Is she washing the clothes?
• Is he talking to me?
• Are we reading a book?
• Are they sitting on the grass?
• Is the cat jumping?

D) Negative-interrogative structure:

Helping verb + not + subject + ist verb (ing) + object?

• Isn’t she washing the clothes?
• Isn’t he talking to me?
• Are not we reading a book?
• Are not they sitting on the grass?
• Is it not the cat jumping?

Present continuous tense exercises.

Fill in the blanks correctly and use the present continuous tense.

1. You are _______ to the news. (listen, listening)
2. He _____________ the movie. (is watching, are watching)
3. I ___________ learning English. (am, are, is)
4. Khan and Golfer ______________playing football. (are, is, am)
5. Our teacher ___________teaching us present continuous tense. (are, is, am)
6. Your friend ________ going to the cinema. (are, is, am)
7. Their relatives’ __________traveling to Iran. (is, are, am)
8. I am_____________the food. (Cooked, cooking.
9. They __________the movie. ( are watching, watch)
10. We ___________ speaking now. ( is, are )
11. At school, I am __________ the book. (read, was reading, reading).
12. Kamran is______________ the paint.( draw, drawing )
13. Shumaila is not ____________ in the class. ( fights, fighting)
14. Kamran & Taniya _____________ working hard. ( is not, are not)
15. King_____________ the public.( is ordering, are ordering).

Answers: Check out the correct answers and rectify your one.

1. You are listening to the news. (listen, listening)
2. He is watching a movie. (is watching, are watching)
3. I am learning English. (am, are, is)
4. Khan and Golfer are playing football. (are, is, am)
5. Our teacher is teaching us the present continuous tense. (are, is, am)
6. Your friend is going to the cinema. (are, is, am)
7. Their relatives are traveling to Iran. (is, are, am)
8. I am cooking the food. (Cooked, cooking.
9. They are watching a movie. ( are watching, watch)
10. We are speaking now. ( is, are )
11. At school, I am reading a book. (read, are reading, reading).
12. Kamran is drawing the paint. ( draw, drawing )
13. Shumaila is not fighting in class. ( fights, fighting)
14. Kamran & Taniya are not working hard. ( is not, are not)
15. King is ordering the public.( is ordering, are ordering)

Put ‘t’ for the correct one and ‘f’ for the False one, use the present continuous Tense.

1. I am writing a letter.
2. She were reading books.
3. They are linking them.
4. We was fighting now.
5. He is like the movie.
6. Shumaila were drinking milk.
7. Kamran and Shumaila was speaking.
8. Kamran is reducing the amount of money.
9. I is living in the area.
10. John & khan were singing.
11. We are proud of you.
12. Kamran and Elfin was plugging the switch.
13. Nelofer is noting down the book.
14. I and Shumaila are learning English.
15. They are do the work now.

Answers: check out the correct answers and rectify your one.

1. I am writing a letter. true
2. She were reading books. false
3. They are linking them. true
4. We was fighting now. false
5. He is like the movie. false
6. Shumaila were drinking milk. false
7. Kamran and Shumaila was speaking. false
8. Kamran is reducing the amount of money. true
9. I is living in the area. false
10. John & khan were singing. true
11. We are prouding of you. false
12. Kamran and Elfin was plugging the switch. false
13. Nelofer is noting down the book. true
14. I and Shumaila are learning English. true
15. They are do the work now. false

MCQS (Multiple-choice questions for present continuous tense.)

Fill in the blanks with the correct present continuous tense.

1. Why _______ you ______? 

• Did, shouting
• Are, shout
• Are, shouting

 2) Please be quiet, the doctor ___________.

• Is working
• Is at work.
• Was working

 3) Why are you ___________ that fish? It smells terrible.

• Smell
• Smelling
• Is smelling

4) She ______________ her favorite game.

• Are watching
• Is watching
• Was watching

 5) I think your phone is ___________.

• rings
• Ringing
• ringed

  6) The students ____________ their homework.

• do
• does
• doing

 7) They ___________ to their teacher. 

• listen
• are listening
• was listening

 8) John is _______________ outside for you.

• waits
• waiting
• waited

 9) Why ____________ you sleeping here?

• did you
• Are
• were

10) Shane is lying down on the roof.

• Lying
• Lie
• Lied
  
  11) They are ______________a new shop.
• Opening
• Opened
• Opens 
  
  12) Why ______________ he playing football tomorrow?
• He isn’t
• Isn’t he
• Is he?
  
  13) We are ______________the movie.
• Watching
• Watch
• Watched
• 
  14) I _____________ at the noon.
• Like work
• Am working
• Is working.
•  
  15) They _______________ my dinner right now.
• Eating
• Are eating
• Was eating
  
  16) My sister _________________ to learn Spanish.
• Was preferring
• Is not preferring
• preferring
• 
  17) When is he _______________to home?
  
• Come
• Coming
• Gone
  
  18) Where is she __________________now?
• Gone
• Going
• Has gone
• 
  19) They are ________________games on time.
• Play
• Playing
• played

20) Is she _______________the books?

• Reading
• Reads
• read

The answers are listed down, check it & make your answers correct.

1. are, shouting
2. is working
3. smelling
4. is watching
5. Ringing.
6. Are doing
7. Are listening
8. waiting
9. are
10. sleeping
11. opening
12. isn’t he
13. watching
14. am working
15. are eating
16. is not preferring
17. coming
18. going
19. playing
20. reading

worksheet Exercises.

Related Tenses

Simple Present Tense

Present perfect tense

Present perfect continuous tense