Present continuous worksheets for ESL
48 worksheets and 1 lesson · Tenses
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Present continuous worksheets
48 printable worksheets with answer keys; the 24 most used, easiest level first.
Present continuous lessons
1 ready lesson for the four skills: teach on the board, set online or print.
About Present continuous
The present continuous is formed with am, is or are plus the -ing form: She's reading. They aren't listening. Is it raining? It describes actions in progress now, temporary situations (I'm staying with my aunt this month) and, from A2, fixed future arrangements: We're meeting at six.
It is usually taught at A1 and with young learners through pictures and mime, then contrasted with the present simple at A2. Learners often leave out be (*He playing), make -ing spelling slips (*runing, *makeing) and use state verbs in the continuous (*I'm knowing, *She's wanting). Its use with always for annoying habits (He's always losing his keys) is usually left until B1–B2.
This page brings together printable present continuous worksheets with answer keys that you can print as PDFs or assign online via a class link.
Teaching tips: Present continuous
- Mime an action and ask 'What am I doing?' for instant, meaningful practice with no preparation.
- Use busy scene pictures, such as a park or a beach, for describe-and-find or spot-the-difference tasks.
- Teach the -ing spelling rules explicitly: drop the silent e (make – making) and double the final consonant after a short stressed vowel (run – running, swim – swimming).
- Watch for missing be (*She dancing); ask learners to underline both parts of the verb in their writing.
- Contrast it with the present simple using a 'usually … but today' frame: He usually wears a suit, but today he's wearing jeans.
Questions teachers ask
Which verbs are not normally used in the continuous?
State verbs such as know, believe, like, want, need and belong usually stay in the simple form: I know the answer, not *I'm knowing. Some, like think and have, change meaning: I'm thinking about it vs I think it's good.
Can the present continuous refer to the future?
Yes, for personal arrangements that are already fixed, usually with a time expression: I'm flying to Rome on Friday. It is normally introduced at A2 alongside going to.
How do I teach the present continuous to young learners?
Keep it physical with mime, action games and picture descriptions. Focus on He's, She's and They're + -ing before introducing questions and negatives.