What Is The Present Continuous Tense?

Are you a teacher trying to educate your students on the present continuous tense?

Are you overwhelmed just thinking about introducing this concept easily and understandably? Don’t worry; you’ve come to the right place!

This blog post will discuss the present continuous tense, why it matters, and tips on teaching it.

Presenting such a complex concept can sometimes feel intimidating but break it down step-by-step. Soon, your students will understand exactly what the present continuous tense is about.

Related: For more, check out our article on The Future Perfect Continuous Tense here.

The Present Continuous Tense: Definition and Usage

The present continuous tense is a verb tense used to describe an action in progress when speaking or for a limited period around the moment. It is also known as the present progressive tense. In English, it is formed using the present tense of the verb to be (‘am’, ‘is ‘, ‘are’) and the present participle (verb + ing).

Examples:

• I am eating breakfast right now.
• She is reading a book at the moment.
• They are watching a movie tonight.
• He plays soccer every Saturday.
• We are studying English grammar this week.

Aspect	Description	Example Sentences
Form	Subject + am/is/are + verb(-ing)	– I am reading.
		– She is walking.
Usage	To describe actions happening now.	– He is studying for his exams right now.
	To indicate future plans or arrangements.	– They are leaving for Paris tomorrow.
	To express repetitive actions with ‘always’, conveying annoyance.	– She is always losing her keys.
Spelling Rules	Add -ing to the base verb, with adjustments for spelling.	– Write/writing, run/running, sit/sitting.
Negative Form	Subject + am/is/are + not + verb(-ing)	– We are not working today.
		– He isn’t coming to the party.
Question Form	Am/Is/Are + subject + verb(-ing)?	– Are you watching TV?
		– Is she eating lunch now?
Short Answers	Yes, subject + am/is/are. / No, subject + am/is/are + not.	– Yes, I am. / No, she isn’t.

Difference between the Present Continuous Tense and the Present Simple Tense:

The present continuous tense is often confused with the present simple tense, but there is a significant difference between the two. While the present continuous tense describes an action in progress at the moment of speaking or for a limited period around the moment, the present simple tense describes habitual or permanent actions.

For example:

• Present continuous: “I am reading a book right now.”
• Present simple: “I read books every day.”

Another difference is that the present simple tense describes general truths or laws of nature, while the present continuous tense describes temporary actions or situations.

For example:

• Present continuous: “He is learning French for his trip to France next week.”
• Present simple: “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”

Usage of the Present Continuous Tense:

Actions in Progress: The present continuous tense describes activities happening at the moment of speaking or for a limited period around the moment of speaking.

Example: “I am writing an essay right now.”

Temporary Situations: The present continuous tense describes transient situations or actions that may change soon.

Example: “She is staying with us for a few days.”

Future Plans: The present continuous tense can be used to describe plans or arrangements that are already made.

Example: “We are meeting at the park at 10 am tomorrow.”

Annoyance: The present continuous tense can describe an undesirable or frustrating action.

Example: “He always interrupts me when I’m trying to work.”

Multiple Actions Happening at the Same Time: The present continuous tense can simultaneously describe two or more actions.

Example: “I’m cooking dinner while my husband is doing the dishes.”

The present continuous tense is a very useful verb tense used in English to describe actions in progress when speaking or for a limited period around the moment. It can explain temporary situations, plans, and annoying or frustrating actions.

Steps for Teaching the Present Continuous Tense:

1. Introduce the Concept: Start by introducing the concept of verbs and tenses to your child. Explain what verbs are, what they do, and how they are used in sentences. Use simple examples such as “I am running” to show how using verbs can express actions or states of being in the present moment.
2. Review Existing Knowledge: Ask your child questions about sentences with verbs such as “What are you doing right now?” or “What happened yesterday?”. This will help them review and practice their knowledge of verb tenses while also giving you an idea of which areas need more focus during the lesson.
3. Break Down sentences: To make teaching easier, break down sentences into their parts so your child can understand them better. For example, “I am playing the guitar” can be broken down into two parts – “I” (subject) and “am playing the guitar” (verb). Help your child identify the subject and verb phrases within each sentence before explaining other aspects of the present continuous tense, such as usage, form sentence structure, etc.
4. Demonstrate Examples: To reinforce learning further, use examples to demonstrate when, where, why and how the present continuous tense should be used in day-to-day life situations. Use simple sentences such as “He is eating breakfast now” or “She is watching TV”. You can even involve your child in role-play activities to make learning fun and engaging!
5. Provide Practice Exercises: After introducing basic concepts, provide practice exercises so your child can apply what they have learned in real-life scenarios while making mistakes and learning from them through self-correction or feedback from you (or both!). Simple exercises like matching sentences with pictures or completing gaps will help assess understanding levels while reinforcing language skills simultaneously!

Lesson Plan: Teaching Children the Present Continuous Tense

Lesson Plan 1: Introduction to Present Continuous Tense

Objective: Students will be able to recognize and understand the use of the present continuous tense.

Materials: Whiteboard, markers, flashcards with actions, worksheets.

Duration: 40 minutes

Activities:

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes):
   • Start with a quick game of charades using action verbs. Have students guess the actions to engage them actively.
2. Introduction (10 minutes):
   • Introduce the present continuous tense by writing a few examples on the board (e.g., I am walking, She is eating).
   • Explain the structure (subject + am/is/are + verb-ing) and usage for actions happening right now.
3. Guided Practice (10 minutes):
   • Show flashcards with different actions, and ask students to form sentences using the present continuous tense.
   • Correct any mistakes and provide feedback.
4. Independent Practice (10 minutes):
   • Hand out worksheets with pictures depicting various actions. Students must write sentences in the present continuous tense to describe what is happening in the pictures.
5. Closure (5 minutes):
   • Review the key points of the lesson.
   • Ask students to say one thing they are doing after class using the present continuous tense.

Lesson Plan 2: Spelling Rules in Present Continuous Tense

Objective: Students will learn the spelling rules for adding ‘-ing’ to verbs in the present continuous tense.

Materials: Whiteboard, markers, list of verbs, worksheets.

Duration: 40 minutes

Activities:

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes):
   • Review the present continuous tense structure by asking students to describe what their classmates are doing right now.
2. Introduction (10 minutes):
   • Introduce the spelling rules for adding ‘-ing’ to verbs (e.g., drop the ‘e’ in ‘come’ to make ‘coming’, double the last consonant in ‘sit’ to make ‘sitting’).
   • Write examples on the board and explain the rules.
3. Guided Practice (10 minutes):
   • Provide a list of verbs and ask students to convert them into the ‘-ing’ form on the board.
   • Discuss any exceptions to the rules.
4. Independent Practice (10 minutes):
   • Distribute worksheets with exercises to practice the spelling rules.
   • Students complete the exercises individually, applying the spelling rules to a variety of verbs.
5. Closure (5 minutes):
   • Go over the answers to the worksheet as a class.
   • Highlight the importance of memorizing these rules for accurate verb usage in the present continuous tense.

Lesson Plan 3: Present Continuous Tense for Future Arrangements

Objective: Students will understand how to use the present continuous tense to talk about future plans and arrangements.

Materials: Whiteboard, markers, schedule templates, role-play cards.

Duration: 40 minutes

Activities:

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes):
   • Ask students to share one thing they are doing this weekend using the present continuous tense.
2. Introduction (10 minutes):
   • Explain that the present continuous tense can also be used for future plans that are already arranged.
   • Provide examples and write them on the board (e.g., “I am meeting my friend tomorrow.”).
3. Guided Practice (10 minutes):
   • Hand out schedule templates to students. In pairs, they fill out their partner’s schedule for the next week using the present continuous tense.
4. Independent Practice (10 minutes):
   • Give students role-play cards with different scenarios. They will write sentences using the present continuous tense to describe their future plans based on their role-play card.
5. Closure (5 minutes):
   • Have a few pairs share their schedules and role-plays with the class.
   • Emphasize that the present continuous tense is not only for actions happening now but also for fixed future events.

Lesson Plan 4: Negative Sentences in Present Continuous Tense

Objective: Students will learn how to form negative sentences in the present continuous tense.

Materials: Whiteboard, markers, flashcards with action verbs, worksheets with affirmative sentences.

Duration: 40 minutes

Activities:

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes):
   • Play a quick game where students act out an action, and their peers guess what they are not doing, prompting negative sentences.
2. Introduction (10 minutes):
   • Explain how to make negative sentences in the present continuous tense by adding ‘not’ (e.g., “He is not running,” “They are not sleeping”).
   • Write examples on the board and highlight the contraction forms (e.g., “isn’t,” “aren’t”).
3. Guided Practice (10 minutes):
   • Show flashcards with affirmative sentences in the present continuous tense. Ask students to convert these sentences into negative ones.
   • Write their responses on the board and correct any mistakes together.
4. Independent Practice (10 minutes):
   • Provide worksheets with a mix of affirmative sentences. Students must rewrite them into negative sentences using the present continuous tense.
   • Encourage students to use contractions where appropriate.
5. Closure (5 minutes):
   • Review the negative form of the present continuous tense by asking students to say one thing they are not doing that evening.
   • Recap the importance of using negative sentences to describe actions that are not occurring.

Lesson Plan 5: Questions in Present Continuous Tense

Objective: Students will be able to form and answer questions in the present continuous tense.

Materials: Whiteboard, markers, question word flashcards, pair-work activity sheets.

Duration: 40 minutes

Activities:

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes):
   • Engage students in a quick review by asking them to describe what their classmates are doing at the moment using the present continuous tense.
2. Introduction (10 minutes):
   • Introduce how to form questions in the present continuous tense by inverting the subject and the form of “to be” (e.g., “Are you reading?” “Is she going?”).
   • Write question examples on the board, focusing on question words like “What,” “Why,” “Where,” “When,” and “How.”
3. Guided Practice (10 minutes):
   • Use question word flashcards to prompt students to form questions in the present continuous tense.
   • Students take turns asking and answering questions with a partner, prompted by the teacher.
4. Independent Practice (10 minutes):
   • Distribute pair-work activity sheets with a list of prompts for students to form questions and answer them in pairs.
   • Monitor the pairs, providing help and feedback as needed.
5. Closure (5 minutes):
   • Bring the class together and have a few pairs demonstrate their questions and answers.
   • Summarize the lesson by emphasizing the structure of forming questions in the present continuous tense and the importance of using correct question words.

Assessment:

• Observe students during the pair-work activity to assess their ability to form and answer questions correctly.
• Review the responses from the quick quiz at the end of the class to gauge individual understanding.

Follow-Up:

• For homework, assign students to write a short dialogue using the present continuous tense, including affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. They can present these dialogues in the next class.
• Plan a review session in the next class to reinforce the present continuous tense before moving on to a new topic.

By the end of these five lesson plans, students should have a strong grasp of the present continuous tense in various contexts, enabling them to communicate more effectively in English about current actions and future plans.

FAQ: Present Continuous Tense