Exploring the Present Continuous: Actions in Progress

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• ESL
• Higher Education (non-degree)

Exploring the Present Continuous: Actions in Progress

Learning objective

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to use the present continuous tense to describe actions happening at the moment of speaking.

What are you doing right now?

"I am teaching a lesson"

Warm-Up Activity

Match the photo to the sentence:

1. She is walking her dog

2. He is cooking dinner

3. They are chatting in a café

4. He is lifting weights

5. He is swimming

6. They are learning to write

Present Continuous Tense

We use the present continuous tense to describe actions happening at the time of speaking.

"He is swimming" (he is doing this NOW)

"They are chatting in a café." (they are doing this NOW)

How to we make it?

She is walking her dog.

Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

Negative Sentences

To make negative sentences, we add 'not' after the form of 'be':

Subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing)

I am not sleeping.

She isn't speaking

They aren't dancing.

Fill in the gaps in the sentences with the correct verb in the present continuous form:

1. I __________________________ dinner right now.

2. She __________________________ on the phone with her friend.

3. They __________________________ a movie at the cinema.

4. We __________________________ for our English test this week.

5. Look! It __________________________ outside.

6. My brother __________________________ football in the park.

7. The children __________________________ to the teacher.

8. What __________________________ you __________________________ at the moment?

9. __________________________ to fix my computer.

10. He __________________________ today because it’s Sunday.

11. The dog __________________________ under the table.

12. Listen! Someone __________________________ in the next room.

13. My parents __________________________ around Europe this summer.

14. She __________________________ a beautiful red dress tonight.

1. I am cooking dinner right now.

2. She is talking on the phone with her friend.

3. They are watching a movie at the cinema.

4. We are studying for our English test this week.

5. Look! It is raining outside.

6. My brother is playing football in the park.

7. The children aren’t listening to the teacher.

8. What are you doing at the moment?

9. I am trying to fix my computer.

10. He isn’t working today because it’s Sunday.

11. The dog is sleeping under the table.

12. Listen! Someone is singing in the next room.

13. My parents are travelling around Europe this summer.

14. She is wearing a beautiful red dress tonight.

Yes/No Questions

Examples: Are you studying? Is she coming? Yes, I am. No, she isn't.

Wh- Questions

Examples: What are you doing? Where is he going? Why are they laughing?

Speaking Practice

Describe pictures using the present continuous tense. Share with the class.

Review and Summary

speaking activity

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.