Present Continuous Tense: Definition, Structure, Rule, Examples, Exercises

I am planning to go on a trip on the upcoming weekend. Me and my two other friends are coming along. We are arranging our stay in a 5-star resort to chill and recuperate from our tiring schedules. So many ‘ing’ ending verbs, what does it suggest? Some planning going on in the moment, meaning planning going on in the ‘present continuous tense’.

Check out the entire guide on present continuous tense and ease your IELTS exam preparation. Let us discuss it in detail and know about the following areas covered:

• What is Present Continuous Tense?
• Structure of Present Continuous Tense
• Present Continuous Tense Use Across Different Sentence Types
• Where is the Present Continuous Tense Used
• Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Present Continuous Tense
• Present Continuous Examples with Exercises

Related Blogs

• Present Perfect Continuous Tense
• Present Perfect Tense

What is Present Continuous Tense?

Tenses form the biggest part of English grammar and without tenses, it is also impossible to determine the time of action. Present Continuous tense is a sub-type of present tense which suggests an ongoing action. So if you are jogging, or are reading or even if you are writing, these actions are all ongoing, suggesting present continuous tense. 

Present Continuous Tense Examples

• I am going to study at MIT.
• We are driving to the metro station.
• She is sitting idly in the class.
• He is brewing some fresh coffee for the guests.
• You are starting lunch before time again today. 

Thus, to define any ongoing action within a particular moment or time is the present continuous tense. Present Continuous as the name suggests, is an action that is going on continuously in the present. 

Structure of Present Continuous Tense

The structure of the present continuous tense can be better understood from the following sections. Check out the present continuous rule and how present continuous sentences are formed in negative, interrogative and negative-interrogative sentences.  

Present Continuous Tense Rule

Did you notice something different in the above-given examples? Did you see there is a use of a helping verb to describe the actionable verb? So here goes the present continuous tense rule:

Present Continuous Tense Rule: S + [helping verb (am, is, are) + ing form of V] + O 

In simpler words - the present continuous rule goes like this - the subject is followed by the verb (in its ‘ing’ form) preceded by a helping verb and then the rest of the sentence follows. 

Present Continuous Tense Structure
Subject (S)	Helping Verb	Verb (ing) Form
I	am	sleeping
You	are	sleeping
She	is	sleeping
He	is	sleeping
They	are	sleeping
It	is	sleeping
We	are	sleeping

So present continuous tense sentences go like this based on the structure given above:

• I (S) am going (helping verb & V+ing) tomorrow (O). 
• You (S) are coming (helping verb & V+ing) tonight (O).
• He/she (S) is writing (helping verb & V+ing) his/her exam (O).
• We (S) are partying (helping verb & V+ing) this week (O). 
• Arun (S) is trekking (helping verb + V+ing) today (O).

As given above, we can say that the ongoing action verb requires a helping verb and an ‘ing’ (present participle) to show that the action is still going on. 

Note: The easiest way to learn present continuous tense is to remember that the helping verb changes with the subject but the ‘ing’ form of the verb remains the same. The spellings of verbs may or may not change after adding an 'ing' to the verb. For example: change - changing, travel - travelling, lie - lying, etc. 

Remember, the 'ing' is used in progressive verb tenses with auxiliary verbs (helping verbs), and in simpler words in present continuous (progressive) tenses. 

Check out:

IELTS Eligibility	IELTS Registration
IELTS Important Dates	IELTS Centres

Present Continuous Tense Use Across Different Sentence Types

In English grammar, there are different types of sentences. We will In this section understand how present continuous tense is used across different types of sentences. 

Sentence Types in Present Continuous	Negative Sentences	Interrogative Sentences	Negative - Interrogative Sentences
Rule Followed	S + [helping V + not + (V+ing)] + O (helping verb can be merged with negation for eg: are not, aren’t, is not, isn’t)	Helping V + S + (V+ing) + O	Helping V + Negation + S + (V+ing) O? Or Helping V + S + Negation + (V+ing) + O?
Examples	I am not going to the party. She is not going to the party. Or She isn’t going to the party.	Are you going to the party? Is she going to the party?	Aren’t you going to the party? Or  Are you not going to the party? + Isn’t she going to the party? Or  Is she not going to the party?

The present continuous tense structure is such that there is a use of the present participle (ing+V) along with a helping verb. Based on the above present continuous tense sentences, this is how the sentences look like when used in negation, interrogation and negative-interrogative. 

Where is Present Continuous Tense Used?

The Present Continuous Tense is used across five major happenings. Each of them has been explained below in the table for reference along with examples:

Use Case Scenario of Present Continuous	Examples
Case 1: Actions happening right now	I am going to see the doctor. We are ordering apple pie, do you want to try some? She is saying that she doesn’t like these clothes.
Case 2: Actions happening around now	She is cleaning the house today, as promised. We are learning a new language. I am watching FRIENDS for the last time now.
Case 3: Temporary actions happening now	She is sorting her wardrobe after that she can go to the mall. I am going to the supermarket to buy some cheese. They are exercising their right to vote.
Case 4: Future plans with specific arrangements	We are sitting on this project tomorrow for a rejig. I am drinking this latte again tonight, it smells divine. The day after tomorrow we are going on an excursion from school.
Case 5: Describing ongoing events of importance	The voters are beginning to cast their votes at the voting centre. The public is protesting over the law today in different parts of Delhi. The global warming is increasing at an alarming rate.

Now that you have understood the use of the present continuous tense, can you identify the use context? You can check your knowledge of the use of present continuous tense by identifying the use case scenario in the following sentences:

1. The girls are rehearsing their lines for the play every afternoon. 
2. The birds are singing a beautiful melody.
3. I am taking a break from my homework for a few minutes.
4. We are presenting our project in the next 10 minutes.
5. Nowadays, people are spending more and more time online.
6. With climate change, sea levels are rising constantly.
7. The debate about renewable energy sources is gaining momentum.
8. We are hosting a family dinner to celebrate Dad's birthday this weekend.
9. I am helping my mom with the dishes tonight.
10. The artist is meticulously blending different colours to create a stunning effect. 

Based on the above table, mark these sentences based on which present continuous tense case is used. Write to us in the comments below and tell us how many you got right.

Also read about:

• How to Build English Vocabulary?
• Importance of Building Communication Skills
• Best Spoken English Books for Indian Students

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Present Continuous Tense

Present Continuous Tense use can be confused in some cases while preparing for the IELTS syllabus. Here’s a list of common mistakes to avoid when using the present continuous tense:

1. Mistake Type 1: Do not Forget the ‘ing’ Ending:

Example: I am eat the whole portion. (Incorrect) 

Fix: I am eating the whole portion.

2. Mistake Type 2: Use the correct form of the verb "to be"

Example: He are studying for his exams. (Incorrect) 

Fix: with he only ‘is’ can be used, so the correct conjugation will be - he ‘is studying’ for his exams.

3. Mistake Type 3: Never Confuse Simple Present with Present Continuous

Example: The sun is shining brightly. (Incorrect) 

Fix: This is a universal truth that the sun ‘shines’ brightly, more like a habit. And for habits, simple present is used not present continuous. 

4. Mistake Type 4: Stative Verbs do not change form in the present continuous

Example: I am knowing the schedule for tomorrow. 

Fix: There is a list of stative words in English which do not change their form, and they describe a state or even a perception. So when stative verbs like these are used, they are used in simple present tense and do not add an ‘ing’ at the end. The correct usage is “I know the schedule for tomorrow.”

Note: Some of the commonly used stative verbs are as follows:

Categories	Stative Verbs
Mental States	believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, mean, recognize, remember, suspect, think, understand
Emotions	dislike, hate, like, love, prefer, want, wish
Senses	appear (seem), look, smell, taste
Possession	belong, have (to possess), own
Measurements	cost, measure, weigh
Others	be (exist), depend on, need, owe, seem

5. Mistake Type 5: Incorrect Spelling of Present Participles

Example: We are runing a marathon today.

Fix: Some spellings of the verbs change when an ‘ing’ is added to them. The verbs ending with ‘e’ are replaced by an ‘ing’ like choose becomes choosing and there can be cases where a consonant doubles with ‘ing’ use like run becomes running. So ‘We are running a marathon today.’

Avoiding these common mistakes will help students in acing the present continuous tense. Check out the following section for more examples and some brain-teasing exercises to test your knowledge of the present continuous tense. 

Also check out:

IELTS Pattern	IELTS Cutoff
IELTS Books & Resources	IELTS Practice Test Papers

Present Continuous Examples with Exercises

To have an in-depth knowledge of the present continuous tense, the following are some more examples before beginning with the present continuous tense exercises. 

10 Sentences of Present Continuous Tense

1. I am planning to apply for US university admissions.
2. Are you learning grammar rules in English period? 
3. We are discussing the plan of action for the next meeting. 
4. Isn’t he meeting his boss today for the next plan?
5. She is yawning in the class constantly. 
6. I am investing to finance my education abroad. 
7. The kids are rocking the cradle together and are watching over the baby. 
8. He is presenting his research paper in class right now. 
9. We aren’t going for the annual awards this time. 
10. I am sewing my torn shirt with the new machine. 

Present Continuous Tense Exercises

Based on the present continuous examples and rules given above, practice these sentences and check your performance. 

Present Continuous Tense Exercises - Beginner

1. We __________ (eat) lunch right now. 
2. She _______ (read) a book in the garden.
3. They _________ (listen in negative) to the music. (not paying attention right now)
4. ____ it ______ (rain) outside?
5. I _________ English from your teacher.
6. They ________ (run) a marathon at the club. 
7. The sun _________ (set) beautifully.
8. ______ you ______ (wait) for the bus?
9. We _______ (clean) the house this afternoon. 
10. My friend _______ (visit) me from another country.

Answers:

1. are having	2. is reading	3. are not listening	4. Is | raining	5. am learning
6. are running	7. is setting	8. Are | waiting	9. are cleaning	10. is visiting

Did you get the answers right? Let us check if you can get the next set of questions correctly. Get, set, go!

Present Continuous Tense Exercises - Intermediate

1. We __________ (brainstorm) new ideas for the project deadline. 
2. She __________ (feeling in negation) well, so she's skipping her workout today.
3. The delivery person _________ (bring) our groceries right now.
4. _______ you _______ (consider) a career change? 
5. The local artist _______ (exhibit) her work at the gallery this month.
6. They _________ (argue) again! It seems like a daily occurrence.
7. I ________ (improve) my French with daily practice.
8. What ______ you _______ (work) on this weekend? 
9. The new restaurant down the street ________ (get) good reviews.
10. We ________ (rely - negation) solely on luck; we're putting in the hard work. 

Answers: 

1. We're / are brainstorming	2. She's / is not feeling	3. is bringing	4. Are | considering	5. is exhibiting
6. They're / are arguing	7. I'm / am improving	8. Are | working	9. is getting	10. We're / are not relying

Are you feeling more confident about present continuous tense sentences? If yes, then go ahead and practice the next set of sentences. 

Also Read:

IELTS Listening Section Tips	IELTS Reading Section Tips
IELTS Writing Section Tips	IELTS Speaking Section Tips

Present Continuous Tense Exercises - Advanced

1. Our we _________ (research) on a groundbreaking experiment that will bring a big revolution in the field.
2. As the deadline ___________ (approach), managers __________ (motivate) everyone in their teams to work harder.
3. The government __________ (facing) increasing pressure to address the climate crisis.
4. The negotiation process ________ (prove) to be more complex than anticipated.
5. The family reunion ________ (take) place next month in Hawaii.
6. ______ (be) we _______ (witness) a paradigm shift in the way we approach education?
7. Despite the criticism, the company ________ (hold) firm to its controversial decision.
8. ______ (be) you ________ (consider) a career change, or are you happy in your current position?
9. These days _______ (be - negation) everyone _______ (use) their phones aimlessly? 
10. Public opinion _________ (lean) towards stricter regulations on social media.

Answers:

1. are researching	2. is approaching | are motivating	3. is facing	4. is proving	5. is taking
6. Are | witnessing	7. is holding	8. Are | considering	9. isn’t | using	10. is leaning

Understanding present continuous is the easiest among other types of present tense forms. Anything that is going on or is happening at the moment can be easily identified as present and continuous. Thus, students will not have a problem understanding the usage of present continuous when they read the examples again and again. Students who are preparing for IELTS can use some materials to learn for free through Shiksha's Free Online IELTS Training. This will help them learn faster and more conveniently. 

1. Simple Present Tense
2. Present Perfect Tense
3. Present Perfect Continuous Tense