Present Continuous: Basic Form Exercises

The present continuous tense (also called the present progressive) describes actions happening right now or around the present time. To form it, use the correct form of be — am, is, or are — followed by a verb with -ing. Use am with "I": "I am working." Use is with he, she, and it: "She is reading a book." Use are with you, we, and they: "They are playing outside." The subject always decides which form of "be" you need.

The most common mistake beginners make is choosing the wrong form of "be" — remember, it must match the subject. "She are working" is wrong because "she" needs "is." Another frequent error is forgetting the -ing ending: "He is read" should be "He is reading." In spoken English, we often use short forms: "I'm working," "He's reading," "We're playing." These short forms are perfectly natural and correct. Practise matching each subject to the right form of "be" until it feels automatic.