Present Continuous

Home » Grammar » Present Continuous

Present Continuous Exercises with Answers (A1)

When Do We Use the Present Continuous?

We use the present continuous for things that are happening now or around now.

Use	Time words	Example
Happening now	now, right now, at the moment	Sam is talking on the phone right now.
Happening around now	today, this week, this month	Nina is staying in a hotel this week.

Things happening now

The action is happening at this moment. You can see it or hear it.

Leo is buying a ticket at the station.
The children are eating lunch.
It's raining in London.

Things happening around now

The action is not always happening at this moment. It is for a short time, and it will change soon.

Mia is learning Spanish this month.
We are renting a car this week.
Ben is working in Madrid this month.

Not for things we do every day

For things we do again and again, like every day or on Mondays, use the present simple

Present Continuous Form: Positive Sentences

The present continuous has three parts: a subject, am / is / are, and a verb + -ing.

Positive pattern

Subject	am / is / are	Short form	Example
I	am	I'm	I'm reading the menu.
you	are	you're	You're wearing a blue jacket.
he	is	he's	He's packing his suitcase.
she	is	she's	She's calling her mother.
it	is	it's	It's snowing in Toronto.
we	are	we're	We're waiting for a taxi.
they	are	they're	They're carrying two bags.

Only am / is / are changes. The verb + -ing always stays the same.

Short forms

In speaking and in informal writing, we use short forms. We can use them with names too.

Ana's shopping at the mall.
Tom's making tea.

Word order in positive sentences

The order is: subject, am / is / are, verb + -ing, then the rest.

Subject	am / is / are	verb + -ing	The rest
Amy	is	drinking	orange juice.
We	are	walking	to the hotel.
Paul	is	cleaning	his room.

Spelling Rules: Adding -ing

To make the verb + -ing, look at the end of the verb. There are four rules.

Most verbs: add -ing

Verb	Verb + -ing
walk	walking
help	helping
cook	cooking
study	studying
try	trying
carry	carrying

Verbs that end in y keep the y. Example: Jack is walking in the park.

Verbs that end in e: drop the e

Verb	Verb + -ing
dance	dancing
live	living
make	making
take	taking
write	writing
come	coming

Example: Paul is making dinner.

One vowel and one consonant: double the consonant

Use this rule for short verbs with one vowel letter and one consonant letter at the end.

Verb	Verb + -ing
shop	shopping
swim	swimming
run	running
sit	sitting
get	getting
stop	stopping

Example: Eva is running to the bus.

Two vowels, or w, x, y: do not double

Verb	Verb + -ing
wait	waiting
rain	raining
sleep	sleeping
snow	snowing
fix	fixing
play	playing

Example: The children are sleeping.

A quick way to choose

Does the verb end in e? Drop the e. Is it a short verb with one vowel and one consonant at the end? Double the consonant. Is it anything else? Just add -ing.

Present Continuous Negative: Isn't, Aren't and I'm Not

To make a negative sentence, put not after am / is / are. The verb + -ing stays the same.

Negative pattern

Subject	Full form	Short form	Example
I	am not	I'm not	I'm not wearing a coat.
you	are not	you aren't / you're not	You aren't listening to me.
he	is not	he isn't / he's not	He isn't using his phone.
she	is not	she isn't / she's not	She isn't watching TV.
it	is not	it isn't / it's not	It isn't snowing today.
we	are not	we aren't / we're not	We aren't shopping today.
they	are not	they aren't / they're not	They aren't playing tennis.

Both short forms are correct. For example, he isn't and he's not mean the same thing.

There is no amn't

With I, we only say I'm not.

✗ I amn't ✗ I aren't ✓ I'm not

Negative sentences with but and because

Ben isn't reading, but he's listening to music.
Ana isn't working today because she's traveling.

Present Continuous Questions and Short Answers

To make a question, put am / is / are before the subject. The verb + -ing stays the same.

Question pattern

Question	Yes	No
Am I waiting at the right gate?	Yes, you are.	No, you aren't.
Are you renting a car?	Yes, I am.	No, I'm not.
Is he wearing a suit?	Yes, he is.	No, he isn't.
Is she taking a taxi?	Yes, she is.	No, she isn't.
Is it raining in Rome?	Yes, it is.	No, it isn't.
Are we leaving now?	Yes, we are.	No, we aren't.
Are they staying at a hotel?	Yes, they are.	No, they aren't.

Short answers

A short answer has Yes or No, the subject, and am / is / are. We do not repeat the verb + -ing.

In a yes answer, do not use a short form.

✓ Yes, I am. ✗ Yes, I'm.

Word order in yes/no questions

Sentence	Question
You are waiting for a friend.	Are you waiting for a friend?
Mia is sitting here.	Is Mia sitting here?
The girls are singing.	Are the girls singing?

Present Continuous Wh-Questions

For a wh-question, put the question word first. Then use am / is / are, the subject, and the verb + -ing.

Wh-question pattern

Question word	Asks about	Question	Answer
what	things and actions	What are you eating?	I'm eating a sandwich.
where	places	Where is she going?	She's going to the airport.
why	reasons	Why are they waiting?	Because their bus is late.

Word order in wh-questions

The order is: question word, am / is / are, subject, verb + -ing.

✓ Where are you staying? ✗ Where you are staying?

✓ What is Tom doing? ✗ What Tom is doing?

Who and when questions

Two more question words use other patterns. You will study them in other lessons.

who: you will study who questions in our lesson about questions and word order.
when: in the present continuous, when questions are about plans for later. You will study them in the present continuous lesson at level A2.

Time Expressions with the Present Continuous

Time words help us see if an action is happening now or around now.

Time words for now and around now

Time word	Use	Example
now, right now	happening now	Lucia is sleeping now.
at the moment	now or around now	Jack is studying French at the moment.
today	around now	Amy is working from home today.
this week	around now	Leo is staying with his sister this week.
this month	around now	Eva is taking a French class this month.

Where the time word goes

The time word usually goes at the end of the sentence. You can also put it at the start. Then use a comma.

At the end	At the start
Tom is cooking rice right now.	Right now, Tom is cooking rice.

Other clues: Look and Listen

Words like Look! and Listen! also show that something is happening now.

Look! A dog is swimming in the river.
Listen! A man is singing.

Words for other tenses

Words like every day, on Mondays and usually go with the present simple page.

Words like tomorrow, tonight and next week show a plan for later. You will study this at the next level.

Common Mistakes with the Present Continuous

Check your sentences for these common mistakes.

Forgetting am / is / are or -ing

Not correct	Correct	Tip
✗ Jack waiting for the bus.	✓ Jack is waiting for the bus.	Do not forget am / is / are.
✗ Lucia is watch a movie.	✓ Lucia is watching a movie.	Add -ing to the verb.
✗ Tom are wearing a hat.	✓ Tom is wearing a hat.	Match am / is / are to the subject.

Spelling mistakes

Not correct	Correct	Tip
✗ We are swiming.	✓ We are swimming.	Double the m.
✗ She is makeing lunch.	✓ She is making lunch.	Drop the e.
✗ The cat is siting on the chair.	✓ The cat is sitting on the chair.	Double the t.

Negatives, answers and questions

Not correct	Correct	Tip
✗ I aren't working today.	✓ I'm not working today.	With I, say I'm not.
✗ Yes, I'm.	✓ Yes, I am.	Do not use a short form for yes.
✗ What she is cooking?	✓ What is she cooking?	Put is before she.

Weather words

Not correct	Correct	Tip
✗ It's rain in Tokyo.	✓ It's raining in Tokyo.	Use -ing with rain and snow.
✗ It's sunning today.	✓ It's sunny today.	With sunny, windy, cloudy, foggy, hot and cold, use It's + the word.

Present simple for now

Not correct	Correct	Tip
✗ Nina cooks dinner right now.	✓ Nina is cooking dinner right now.	Right now means present continuous.