1
English Language Resource Center, C-212
Free tutoring in writing, speaking, reading & grammar
for BCC students who speak English as a second language
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Exercise 1: Put the verbs in the parenthesis in the correct form.
Mary and Sam go to the same school. Like everyday, now they (wait) ____________for the bus.
The bus is late. Sam (show) ______________Mary his homework. The bus is here. They (get)
________________ on the bus. It is not crowded. They (sit) ______________behind the driver; Sam
takes the window seat. They get to school. Now they (get) ____________ off the bus. Mary is a year
younger than Sam. She (go) ____________ to her class, Sam to his. In the class, Sam’s friends (talk)
____________ about the new cartoon they watched on television the night before. They all love cartoons.
The teacher comes in. Today she (talk) ___________ about addition and subtraction. Mary’s teacher
(talk) ______________about reading.
After school, they take the bus and go home. Then their mother gives them a snack. Sam (eat)
vanilla ice cream and Mary (have) a chocolate cookie.
Exercise 2: Put the words in the parentheses in the correct form. Some of these sentences are
negatives or yes/no questions.
1. (The teacher, explain) the present continuous to the class now?
2. (The patient, fill) ______________out a form at the hospital.
3. Did you hear that? I think (the baby cry) ________________
4. (Tom, write, not) ______________ his research paper
5. (Jane’s husband, take) ____________a trip to Tokyo?
6. I know you want to carry everything quickly, but (this box, get) _____________ heavier and heavier.
7. (I, check, not) _____________the oil in my car now because the car’s engine is too hot. I will check it
later when the engine is cold.
8. Bob lost a lot of money in the stock market, so (he, drive, not) ______________his dream car. He is
very sad.
9. (My secretary copy) _____________the forms for you.
10. (I, listen) ______________to music on my new CD player.
11. (She, clean) ______________ her room because (her friend, come) ________________ from
Boston to visit her.
12. (She, swim, not) _______________right now because the lifeguards won’t let anyone go in the water.
Written by the tutors and staff of the English Language Resource Center at Bergen Community
College, NJ
2
English Language Resource Center, C-212
Free tutoring in writing, speaking, reading & grammar
for BCC students who speak English as a second language
Answer Key
Mary and Sam go to the same school. Like everyday, now they (wait) are waiting for the bus. The bus is
late. Sam (show) is showing Mary his homework. The bus is here. They (get) are getting on the bus. It is
not crowded. They (sit) are sitting behind the driver; Sam takes the window seat. They get to school. Now
they (get) are getting off the bus. Mary is a year younger than Sam. She (go) is going to her class, Sam to
his. In the class, Sam’s friends (talk) are talking about the new cartoon they watched on television the
night before. They all love cartoons. The teacher comes in. Today she (talk) is talking about addition and
subtraction. Mary’s teacher (talk) is talking about reading.
After school, they take the bus and go home. Then their mother gives them a snack. Sam (eat) vanilla ice
cream and Mary (have) a chocolate cookie.
Exercise 2: Put the words in the parentheses in the correct form. Some of these
sentences are negatives or yes/no questions.
1. (The teacher, explain) Is the teacher explaining the present continuous to the class now?
2. The patient, fill) The patient is filling out a form at the hospital.
3. Did you hear that? I think (the baby cry) the baby is crying
4. (Tom, write, not) Tom is not writing his research paper
5. (Jane’s husband, take) Jane’s husband is taking a trip to Tokyo?
6. I know you want to carry everything quickly, but (this box, get) this box is getting heavier and
heavier.
7. (I, check, not) I am checking the oil in my car now because the car’s engine is too hot. I will check
it later when the engine is cold.
8. Bob lost a lot of money in the stock market, so (he, drive, not) He is not driving his dream car. He
is very sad.
9. (My secretary copy) My secretary is copying the forms for you.
10. (I, listen) I am listening to music on my new CD player.
11. (She, clean) she is cleaning her room because (her friend, come) her friend is coming from
Boston to visit her.
12. (She, swim, not) She is not swimming right now because the lifeguards won’t let anyone go in the
water.
