Present Continuous Tense Exercise 1 (Basic English Level)
Welcome to the Present Continuous (Present Progressive) practice quiz with full explanations of every options. This set helps you learn am/is/are + -ing formation, uses for ongoing actions, temporary activities, future arrangements, and typical negative/question forms. Every question includes a clear verb definition and a line-by-line explanation of why the correct option is correct and why each incorrect option is wrong — so you learn grammar and vocabulary together.
Definition: Present Continuous (Present Progressive)
- Form: am / is / are + verb-ing (e.g., I am working; she is studying; they are preparing).
- Use: actions happening now, temporary actions, near-future plans/arrangements, changing situations, and repeated irritating actions with adverbs like always.
- Negatives/Questions: form negatives with am not / is not (isn’t) / are not (aren’t) and form questions by inverting the subject and auxiliary: Am I…? Is she…? Are they…?.
- To learn more about Present Continuous Tense – Visit Here
Quiz Instructions
- Read each question and choose the best answer out of four given options.
- On top, header section of the quiz, you will see the “title of the quiz,’ ‘spending-time,’ ‘value of question in points,’ and ‘number of questions.”
- Below on footer, you will see Full Screen mode. As the name suggests, it covers the whole screen. It will save a lot of your time attempting the quiz.
- You can zoom the images given in the questions.
- After submitting the quiz, you can see your score and compare with other users.
- The Full Leaderboard link will take you to a page, where you can see all users attempts.
- Below the quiz box, there are explanation of each options. You can study and try again.
- Best of Luck!
Quiz Question, Answer and Explanation
Note: Do remember in the quiz box above, the questions and options will shuffle, so they won’t have the same sequence like 1, 2, 3, or A, B, C as below.
1. Right now, she ______ the new user interface for bugs.
A) test B) tests C) is testing D) tested
Verb definition: test = to check something to make sure it works.
Correct: C) is testing
Why C is correct: Present Continuous for an action happening right now: she is testing.
Why A is wrong: test is base/simple present; not used for a current ongoing action without is.
Why B is wrong: tests is simple present 3rd person habitual, not an action in progress.
Why D is wrong: tested is past tense.
2. We ______ the slides for tomorrow’s meeting at the moment.
A) prepare B) are preparing C) prepared D) preparing
Verb definition: prepare = to make ready.
Correct: B) are preparing
Why B is correct: We are preparing = temporary ongoing action now in progress.
Why A is wrong: prepare simple present suggests habit, not current activity.
Why C is wrong: prepared past — not present progressive.
Why D is wrong: preparing alone lacks auxiliary (are).
3. I ______ my laptop because it keeps freezing.
A) reboot B) am rebooting C) rebooting D) reboots
Verb definition: reboot = to restart a device.
Correct: B) am rebooting
Why B is correct: First-person present continuous: I am rebooting (action happening now).
Why A is wrong: reboot base form not correct without auxiliary in progressive sense.
Why C is wrong: rebooting needs auxiliary (am) to be correct finite verb.
Why D is wrong: reboots is 3rd person singular simple present.
4. They ______ a new marketing campaign this week.
A) launch B) are launching C) launched D) launches
Verb definition: launch = to start or introduce (a product/service).
Correct: B) are launching
Why B is correct: Present continuous used for near-future plan/arrangement or for activity happening during this period: are launching.
Why A is wrong: launch simple present would suggest habitual action or timetabled event; less clear for temporary plan.
Why C is wrong: launched is past.
Why D is wrong: launches 3rd person singular simple present.
5. He ______ for the client call right now.
A) get B) gets C) is getting D) got
Verb definition: get = to obtain or receive; in context, “getting ready” or “getting on the call”.
Correct: C) is getting
Why C is correct: Present continuous fits an action in progress: he is getting (ready).
Why A is wrong: get base form — not progressive.
Why B is wrong: gets simple present — habitual, not in-progress.
Why D is wrong: got past tense,
6. You ______ coffee with the vendor tomorrow, aren’t you?
A) meet B) are meeting C) meets D) met
Verb definition: meet = to come together for discussion.
Correct: B) are meeting
Why B is correct: Present continuous often used for arranged future events: you are meeting (tomorrow).
Why A is wrong: meet base form would be used in questions with do (Do you meet?) but not for arranged future.
Why C is wrong: meets 3rd person singular simple present — wrong subject and form.
Why D is wrong: met past tense.
7. She ______ new staff this week, so she’s very busy.
A) interview B) is interviewing C) interviewed D) interviews
Verb definition: interview = to ask questions to evaluate someone for a role.
Correct: B) is interviewing
Why B is correct: Ongoing series of actions this week — present continuous.
Why A is wrong: interview base form implies habit, not current process.
Why C is wrong: interviewed past.
Why D is wrong: interviews simple present suggests habit.
8. Right now, the IT team ______ the server for maintenance.
A) check B) checks C) is checking D) checked
Verb definition: check = to examine something to ensure correct operation.
Correct: C) is checking
Why C is correct: Ongoing action in progress: is checking.
Why A is wrong: check base — not progressive.
Why B is wrong: checks simple present — habitual.
Why D is wrong: checked past.
9. I ______ for the invoice; can you wait a minute?
A) look B) am looking C) looked D) looks
Verb definition: look = to search for something.
Correct: B) am looking
Why B is correct: Present continuous: I am looking (right now).
Why A is wrong: look base not progressive.
Why C is wrong: looked past.
Why D is wrong: looks 3rd person singular.
10. They ______ refreshments in the kitchen at the moment.
A) prepare B) are preparing C) prepares D) prepared
Verb definition: prepare = to make ready or arrange food or materials.
Correct: B) are preparing
Why B is correct: Present continuous for current action.
Why A is wrong: Base form not progressive.
Why C is wrong: prepares 3rd person simple present; wrong for they and progressive meaning.
Why D is wrong: prepared past.