H K M A K S L o C o l l e g e S 1 E N G L I S H G r a m m a r
Unit 3 Present Continuous Tense
Name: ______________________ Class: _______ ( ) Group: ______ Date: ____________________
Warm up: Write down the present participle forms (verb - ing) of the words below.
Base form Present participle Base form Present participle
1. try 2. fly
3. run 4. swim
5. visit 6. eat
7. have 8. lie
Present Continuous = be [ _____ / _____ / _____ ] + ___________
Task 1: Complete the following sentences below.
1. _______ you _____________ (work) hard right now?
2. Listen! My puppies ________________ (howl). What’s going on?
3. I ____________________ (not / sing). Lorry is.
4. Children ________________ (play) on the playground.
Task 2: Complete the table below.
Positive Negative Questions
We are trying to leave this place. Example: We are not trying to Example: Are we trying to
leave this place.
leave this place?
1. I’m not being unreasonable about the 2.
whole thing.
3. 4. Is Leo dancing with his dog?
FUNCTION 1
We use present continuous tense to talk about actions happening at the time of speaking.
Common time expressions: now, ___________________ , ___________________ , ___________________ , Listen,
___________________ , ___________________, etc.
1
H K M A K S L o C o l l e g e S 1 E N G L I S H G r a m m a r
Examples:
I am playing basketball with my friends now.
play basketball with my friends
past now future
Listen! Someone is singing so terribly.
sing so terribly
past now future
FUNCTION 2
We use present continuous tense to talk about temporary actions around now, and they are expected to change.
Common time expressions: this year , ___________________ , ___________________ , ___________________,
temporarily, ___________________ , etc.
Examples:
These days, Jacky and Polly are learning Spanish to prepare for their trip to Spain.
(Jacky and Polly will not learn Spanish after their trip.)
I’m studying Drama in San Francisco this year.
(I will return to Hong Kong next year.)
Jay is temporarily staying with us until his apartment is ready.
(Jay will leave when his apartment is ready.)
FUNCTION 3
We use present continuous tense when we want to talk about changing situations or trends.
Common expressions: Comparative forms (e.g. ___________________ , ___________________ , etc.)
Examples:
More and more people are getting used to wearing masks.
The weather is becoming warmer.
2
H K M A K S L o C o l l e g e S 1 E N G L I S H G r a m m a r
Function 4
We use present continuous tense when we want to talk about actions in photographs or pictures.
Examples:
Gavin is drinking hot chocolate. Gavin is crying.
Function 5
We use present continuous tense when we want to talk about actions that are annoying.
Examples:
Are you using my computer without my permission again?
Come on James! You are already 30, and you are still talking like a baby.
Note
There are some verbs that we rarely use in present continuous tense. These verbs are about non-actions.
(e.g. ___________ , ___________ , ___________ , ___________, ___________, etc.)
Task 3: Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of verbs.
1. Doing Seesaw every day ___________ (sound) like a good idea.
2. Our teacher ___________ (think) we should do English Builder every day.
(Expressing opinions / Doing the action)
3. Students ___________ (think) about the test tomorrow. They ___________ (be) worried about it.
(Expressing opinions / Doing the action)
Challenge: For each question, choose the correct answer and write down a reason for your choice.
Reasons for your choice:
A. actions happening at the time of speaking B. temporary actions around now that are expected
to change
C. changing situations or trends D. actions in photographs or pictures
E. actions that are annoying F. actions that are habitual
1. I think I _________ taller and taller. I need to buy more trousers.
get am getting Reason: _____
2. “What ___ you _____ in this photo, James?”
do…do are… doing Reason: _____
3
H K M A K S L o C o l l e g e S 1 E N G L I S H G r a m m a r
3. People _________ masks these days to prevent themselves from getting COVID-19.
wear are wearing Reason: _____
4. My mum normally works in her office. But she ________ from home this week.
works is working Reason: _____
5. Watch out! The vase _________ down.
falls is falling Reason: _____
6. Jared never ________ the public transport. He likes to travel on foot instead.
takes is taking Reason: _____
7. Every Sunday, Marvin and Edith go to the church. They ___________ their grandparents today, so we won’t be
seeing them.
visit are visiting Reason: _____
8. Ugh! Raymond ________ again. He’s never happy with anything in his life. I seriously don’t know how to get along
with him.
complains is complaining Reason: _____
Round-up: Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of verbs. You may use either simple present tense or present
continuous tense.
Jenny’s cousin Judy (1)_________________________ (stay) with Jenny for a few weeks. Actually, Judy
(2)_________________________ (live) and (3)_________________________ (study) in Kowloon City, but her parents
(4)_________________________ (renovate) their home at the moment. Jenny (5)_________________________ (be)
very happy about it because Judy and her (6)_________________________ (spend) more and more time together these
days.
The two girls (7)_________________________ (love) shopping very much. In fact, they seldom
(8)_________________________ (do) sports. Jenny (9)_________________________ (not / like) sweating. Today,
however, Jenny (10)_________________________ (not / shop); she (11)_________________________ (play)
badminton with Judy. Judy (12)_________________________ (hate) it very much though.
