In this ESL grammar lesson, students practice choosing the correct verb form (present continuous tense or past continuous tense) according to the context of the sentences.
Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense describes actions that are currently happening or ongoing at the present moment. It is formed using the verb “to be” (am/is/are) + the -ing form of the main verb. Here are some examples:
- Affirmative: I am eatingbreakfast right now.
- Negative: She is not workingtoday.
- Interrogative: Arethey playingsoccer?
When to Use:
- Actions occurring at the moment of speaking: She is readinga book right now.
- Ongoing actions: He is studyingfor his exams this week.
Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense describes actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past. It is formed using the past tense of the verb “to be” (was/were) + the -ing form of the main verb. Here are some examples:
- Affirmative: They were watchingTV when I called.
- Negative: I was not sleepingduring the movie.
- Interrogative: Wasshe workinglate last night?
When to Use:
- Actions occurring at a specific time in the past: At 8 PM, I was eatingdinner.
- Ongoing actions interrupted by another event: She was studyingwhen the phone rang.
ESL Grammar: Comparing Present and Past Continuous Tenses
- Time Frame:
- Present Continuous: Describes actions happening right now.
- Past Continuous: Describes actions that were happening at a specific time in the past.
- Examples:
- Present Continuous: I am writingan email.
- Past Continuous: I was writingan email when the power went out.
- Usage:
- Present Continuous: Use for current activities and plans: We are planninga trip.
- Past Continuous: Use for actions that were in progress at a past time: They were travelingto Paris last summer.
The English grammar lesson below reviews the present continuous tense and past continuous tense by having students choose the correct verb form in various sentences, according to the context of the sentences. Our series of ESL grammar lessons on subjects and verbs introduce these concepts and reinforce them through helpful and instructive exercises.
This lesson is available for free download, and you can download many more English grammar lessons focusing on advanced aspects of English grammar (past continuous tense, present perfect tense, present perfect continuous tense, passive voice, embedded questions, relative clauses) in our comprehensive, intermediate- to advanced-level ESL grammar textbook Great, Great Grammar! (Book 3: Tenses and More!) .
