Present Continuous: Always + Continuous Exercises

The present continuous with always (or constantly, forever, continually) expresses annoying, surprising, or frustrating repeated actions. Compare: "He always forgets his keys" (present simple — a neutral fact about his habit) and "He is always forgetting his keys!" (present continuous — the speaker finds this annoying or frustrating). The continuous form adds a layer of emotion to the statement. The structure is: subject + am/is/are + always + verb-ing: "My sister is always borrowing my clothes without asking!" Notice that "always" sits between the form of "be" and the -ing verb.

This use of the present continuous is less common than describing actions happening now, but it appears regularly in spoken English and in exams at B1 level and above. It is sometimes used for positive surprise too, though this is rarer: "She is always thinking of others" (admiration). The most common mistake learners make is using the wrong word order — "always" must come after am/is/are, not before: "She always is complaining" is wrong; the correct form is "She is always complaining." Practise with real examples from your own life to make this pattern feel natural.