Present Continuous Tense – English Grammar Exercises for A1
A friend is calling or texting to invite you to hang out, get coffee, or play a game right now. However, you are in the middle of doing something else. You need to politely decline their invitation and explain what you are currently doing.
Choose the best option to complete each sentence.
1 I can’t go to the cinema with you. I ______ for my math test.
(a) study
(b) am studying
(c) studying
2 I’d love to get coffee, but I ______ dinner right now.
(a) cooking
(b) cook
(c) am cooking
3 Sorry, I can’t talk on the phone right now. I ______ my car.
(a) am washing
(b) wash
(c) am wash
4 I can’t come to the park. We ______ our house today.
(a) clean
(b) are cleaning
(c) is cleaning
5 Thanks for the invite, but my sister and I ______ a movie right now.
(a) are watching
(b) watch
(c) am watching
6 I can’t go out for lunch. I ______ an important email to my boss.
(a) write
(b) am writeing
(c) am writing
7 Let’s meet later. Right now, I ______ my little brother with his homework.
(a) help
(b) am helping
(c) helping
8 I would love to play football, but my dad and I ______ the garage.
(a) are fixing
(b) is fixing
(c) fix
9 Sorry, I can’t join you. I ______ ready for a birthday party.
(a) get
(b) am geting
(c) am getting
10 I can’t come over right now. My mom ______ me to clean my room.
(a) is making
(b) makes
(c) making
11 Let’s hang out tomorrow. Today, I ______ a cake for my mom’s birthday.
(a) am baking
(b) bake
(c) am bakeing
12 I cannot answer the door! I ______ a shower!
(a) am taking
(b) take
(c) am takeing
13 I am sorry, but I can’t go shopping. I ______ money for a new laptop.
(a) am saving
(b) save
(c) am saveing
14 Not right now, sorry. I ______ to finish this book for school.
(a) try
(b) am trying
(c) am trieing
15 I would love to, but I can’t leave the house. We ______ for a package to arrive.
(a) are waiting
(b) wait
(c) is waiting
16 Let’s do it next weekend. Right now, my parents ______ to a new apartment.
(a) move
(b) are moving
(c) are moveing
17 I can’t meet you at the cafe. I ______ on my science project with Sarah.
(a) am working
(b) work
(c) am work
18 I’m busy! I ______ my dog in the park right now.
(a) walk
(b) am walking
(c) walking
19 I can’t play video games now. Everyone in my house ______ to sleep!
(a) are trying
(b) tries
(c) is trying
20 Sorry, I can’t help you with your computer. I ______ my own homework!
(a) do
(b) doing
(c) am doing
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (b) am studying
- Why it’s correct: The subject “I” takes “am” + V-ing. This explains the ongoing action that stops you from going to the cinema.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is the Present Simple, which describes a general habit, not what you are doing right now. (c) is missing the auxiliary verb “am”.
2 (c) am cooking
- Why it’s correct: “I” takes “am” + V-ing to describe the current activity.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is missing the “be” verb. (b) is the Present Simple.
3 (a) am washing
- Why it’s correct: “I” + am + washing. It is the reason you cannot talk right now.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) is missing the “-ing” suffix on the main verb.
4 (b) are cleaning
- Why it’s correct: “We” is a plural subject, so it takes “are” + V-ing.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (c) incorrectly uses “is”, which is only for singular subjects.
5 (a) are watching
- Why it’s correct: “My sister and I” means “we” (plural). Therefore, you must use “are” + V-ing.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) incorrectly uses “am”, failing to realize that “My sister and I” is a plural subject.
6 (c) am writing
- Why it’s correct: “Write” ends in a silent “e”. You must drop the “e” before adding “-ing” (writing).
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (b) is a spelling mistake because it keeps the silent “e” (writeing).
7 (b) am helping
- Why it’s correct: The phrase “Right now” is a strong signal to use the Present Continuous: “I” + am + helping.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (c) is missing the “be” verb (am).
8 (a) are fixing
- Why it’s correct: “My dad and I” is a plural subject (we), so it takes “are” + V-ing.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) uses “is”, which is for a singular subject. (c) is Present Simple.
9 (c) am getting
- Why it’s correct: “Get” is a short verb ending in Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC). You must double the final “t” before adding “-ing” (getting).
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (b) is a spelling error because it forgets to double the “t” (geting).
10 (a) is making
- Why it’s correct: “My mom” (she) takes “is”. “Make” drops the silent “e” to become “making”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) is missing the “be” verb entirely.
11 (a) am baking
- Why it’s correct: “I” takes “am”. “Bake” drops the silent “e” to become “baking”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) is a spelling error because it keeps the “e” (bakeing).
12 (a) am taking
- Why it’s correct: “Take” drops the silent “e” to become “taking”. The exclamation mark shows the action is urgent and happening right now.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) is a spelling error (takeing).
13 (a) am saving
- Why it’s correct: “Save” drops the silent “e” to become “saving”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) is a spelling error (saveing).
14 (b) am trying
- Why it’s correct: For verbs ending in “y”, simply add “-ing” directly (trying).
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (c) is a spelling mistake; you do not change “y” to “ie” in the Present Continuous tense.
15 (a) are waiting
- Why it’s correct: “We” takes “are” + V-ing.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) uses the singular “is”.
16 (b) are moving
- Why it’s correct: “My parents” is plural (they), taking “are”. “Move” drops the silent “e” to become “moving”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (c) is a spelling error (moveing).
17 (a) am working
- Why it’s correct: “I” + am + working. This explains your current commitment.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) is Present Simple. (c) is missing the “-ing” suffix on the verb.
18 (b) am walking
- Why it’s correct: “I’m busy!” is a signal that you are in the middle of an action right now. “I” + am + walking.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (c) is missing the “am” auxiliary verb.
19 (c) is trying
- Why it’s correct: In English, words like “Everyone”, “Everybody”, or “Nobody” are treated as a single unit (singular). Therefore, it takes “is” + V-ing.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) uses “are”, which is a very common mistake for learners who think “everyone” is a plural word. (b) is Present Simple.
20 (c) am doing
- Why it’s correct: “I” takes “am” + V-ing.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) is Present Simple. (b) is missing the “be” verb (am).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Grammar Function (The “I’m Busy” Excuse): When someone invites you to do something right now and you want to say no, you should use the Present Continuous. It is the most polite and natural way to explain that you are already in the middle of another activity (e.g., Sorry, I can’t come. I am studying.)
- Avoid the Present Simple Trap: A common A1 mistake is using the Present Simple to decline an invitation (e.g., I can’t go. I cook dinner ❌). This sounds unnatural because Present Simple is for everyday habits, not what is blocking you right at this very moment!
- Compound Subjects: Pay attention to subjects like My sister and I or My dad and I. Because it includes two people, it means “we”. Always use “are“, not “am” or “is”.
- Spelling Rules to Remember:
- Drop the ‘e’: write → writing, make → making, take → taking.
- Double the Consonant (CVC): get → getting.
- Keep the ‘y’: try → trying.