Present Continuous Tense

The Present Continuous Tense is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (is/are/am) with a present participle (= a verb ending in ‘ing’).

Auxiliary Verb (is/are/am) + Present Participle = Present Continuous Tense

Examples:

is + going = is going

are + standing = are standing

am + walking = am walking


The present continuous tense is used:

(i) for an action that is going on at the time of speaking. In other words, it is used to talk about an action that is happening now, at this very moment.

Examples:

Uncle Sam is drawing now.

The students are playing baseball at this moment.

I am vacuuming the carpet now.

Look at Sandra. She is telling the children a story.

Please have a seat. My mother is bathing.

The scouts are camping overnight by the river.

I am strolling along the beach now.




(ii) show a planned action that will take place in the near future.

Examples:

We are visiting our grandparents next week.

Brad is watching a movie tonight.

I am preparing dinner for everyone this evening.

Sue’s children are participating in a talent contest tomorrow.

Robin is seeing a doctor in a while because he is not feeling well.


Exercises

A. Fill in each blank with ‘is’, ‘are’ or ‘am’.

1. You ________ sieving flour now.

2. The monkeys ________ climbing up the trees.

3. Jennifer ________ buying a new pair of shoes tomorrow.

4. I ________ reading a magazine at this moment.

5. The burglar ________ breaking into a bungalow.

6. Teresa ________ knitting by the fireplace now.

7. The students ________ sitting their final examination next week.

8. What ________ your kids doing now?

9. My maid ________ baking cookies in the kitchen.

10. My car is dirty. I ________ washing it this evening.


B. Fill in the blanks with the present continuous tense of the verbs in brackets.

1. I ____________________ (look) up a word in a dictionary.

2. Tina ____________________ (strum) on a guitar and singing a song in her bedroom.

3. Mr. Brown ____________________ (paint) his house next Sunday.

4. The farmers ____________________ (harvest) their crops.

5. My mum ____________________ (sew) on a button.

6. My friends and I ____________________ (fish) tomorrow morning.

7. That’s my brother. He ____________________ (weed) in the garden.

8. Can you guess what I ________ (hold) in my hand?

9. Please lower your voice. The children ____________________ (sleep) in the bedroom.

10. I ____________________ (write) an essay tonight.


Answers

A.

1. are

2. are

3. is

4. am

5. is

6. is

7. are

8. are

9. is

10. am


B.

1. am looking

2. is strumming

3. is painting

4. are harvesting

5. is sewing

6. are fishing

7. is weeding

8. am holding

9. are sleeping

10. am writing