Present Continuous Tense: Rules and Exercises

A1–A2 English grammar

Present Continuous Tense: Rules and Exercises

The present continuous shows an activity in progress, a temporary situation, a developing change or a future arrangement. Build it with am, is or are plus an -ing form, and learn when the meaning—not only a signal word—makes it the right tense.

A1–A231 minutesGuided practiceScored quiz

How to form the present continuous

subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

Subject Positive Negative Question
I I am working. I am not working. Am I working?
he/she/it She is working. She isn’t working. Is she working?
you/we/they They are working. They aren’t working. Are they working?
Two essential parts: You need both be and the -ing form. She working and She is work are incomplete. Say She is working.

The name present progressive means the same as present continuous. Different coursebooks prefer different names.

Four central uses

1. Happening now

The activity is in progress at the moment of speaking.

Please wait. I am sending the file now.

2. Temporary around now

The activity is limited, even when it is not happening at this exact second.

Ravi is staying with friends this month.

3. Developing change

A situation is gradually becoming different.

Food prices are rising.
Your pronunciation is improving.

4. Future arrangement

A personal plan has already been organised, usually with a future time.

We are meeting the designer on Friday.

Meaning check: Is the situation in progress, limited, changing, or personally arranged? If yes, the continuous form is likely.

-ing spelling rules

Most verbs: add -ing

work → working
read → reading
visit → visiting

Final silent -e: remove it

make → making
write → writing
use → using

Keep both es in see → seeing.

Short stressed form: double

run → running
sit → sitting
begin → beginning

Do not double in open → opening.

Final -ie: change to y

lie → lying
die → dying
tie → tying

Common spelling errors: writeing → writing; runing → running; lieing → lying.

Present continuous questions and negatives

Yes/no question

Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?

Are you listening?
Is the bus coming?

Short answers repeat be: Yes, I am. / No, it isn’t.

Wh-question

question word + am/is/are + subject + verb-ing?

What are they discussing?
Why is Ana leaving?

Negative position: Put not after am/is/are: I am not waiting; he isn’t waiting; we aren’t waiting. Standard English does not normally contract am not as “amn’t.”

Choose the meaning and avoid common errors

State verbs

Verbs such as know, need, own, understand, believe and belong usually describe states rather than activities.

I understand you. · This key belongs to me.

Flexible meanings

Some verbs can describe a state or an activity.

I think it is useful. = opinion
I am thinking about the problem. = considering

Always + continuous

This combination often adds irritation or criticism to a repeated behaviour.

You are always borrowing my charger!

Temporary is not permanent

Compare a normal situation with a limited one.

I work in Medellín.
I am working in Cali this week.

For a complete choice guide, use Present Simple vs Present Continuous. For exceptions such as have, see and taste, study State Verbs: Meaning and Exceptions.

Guided present continuous exercises

Build the full form before opening the answer.

1. Listen! Someone ___ (knock) at the door.

is knocking. The action is happening now, and knock doubles its final consonant.

2. We ___ (not use) the conference room today.

aren’t using / are not using. This is a temporary situation today.

3. What ___ Mia ___ (write)?

is Mia writing. A wh-question places is before the subject.

4. I ___ (meet) the dentist at three tomorrow.

am meeting. The appointment is an arranged future event.

5. Correct: “They are runing in the park.”

They are running in the park. A short stressed consonant-vowel-consonant form doubles the final consonant.

Production: Write four true sentences: something happening now, a temporary project, a change in your town, and a future arrangement. Turn two into present continuous questions.

Final check

Present continuous quiz

Check forms, uses and spelling. Each answer explains the decision.

Target: 9/12

1. I ___ for the bus right now.

Why: An action in progress now uses am plus the -ing form.

2. She ___ with her cousin this week.

Why: This week describes a temporary situation around now.

3. Which spelling is correct?

Why: Remove the final silent e before adding -ing.

4. ___ they ___ dinner?

Why: A present continuous question uses are plus subject plus -ing form.

5. The climate ___ warmer.

Why: The continuous can describe a developing change.

6. We ___ the manager on Monday.

Why: A scheduled personal arrangement can use the present continuous.

7. Which sentence is standard English?

Why: Understand normally describes a state and takes a simple form.

8. He ___ his phone today.

Why: Put not after is and keep the -ing form.

9. Choose the correct -ing form of lie.

Why: Final -ie changes to y before -ing.

10. Why ___ you ___?

Why: A wh-question uses question word plus are plus subject plus -ing form.

11. My English ___ gradually.

Why: A gradual change in progress uses the continuous.

12. Which sentence expresses irritation?

Why: Always plus the continuous can criticise repeated behaviour.