Present Continuous Tense Exercise 8 (Full Explanations — Present Progressive Practice)
This is Present Continuous Exercise, a practice set in our Present Progressive series. This quiz contains 10 fresh questions (no repeats) with carefully chosen distractors and full explanations for correct and incorrect options. Each explanation includes a short definition of the verb so you build vocabulary while mastering am/is/are + -ing for current actions, temporary situations, future arrangements and repeated actions.
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. They ______ the user interface this week to make it more accessible.
A) improve B) are improving C) improves D) improved
Verb: improve = to make better.
Correct: B) are improving
Why correct: Continuous work across this week → present continuous.
A wrong: simple present; not showing temporary focused effort.
C wrong: wrong form.
D wrong: past.
2. She ______ the budget numbers now; don’t interrupt.
A) review B) is reviewing C) reviews D) reviewed
Verb: review = to examine carefully.
Correct: B) is reviewing
Why correct: Present continuous for an immediate action in progress.
A wrong: base form not progressive.
C wrong: simple present habitual.
D wrong: past.
3. Why ______ they ______ the API again after yesterday’s fix?
A) are, test B) do, test C) are, testing D) do, tested
Verb: test = to run checks on software.
Correct: C) are / testing
Why correct: Present continuous question about current repeated testing.
A wrong: are test needs -ing.
B wrong: do test simple present; less natural.
D wrong: ungrammatical.
4. I ______ the user guide while you prepare the slides.
A) update B) am updating C) updates D) updated
Verb: update = to make current.
Correct: B) am updating
Why correct: Present continuous for present concurrent activities.
A wrong: base form not progressive.
C wrong: wrong person/form.
D wrong: past.
5. The client ______ questions in the live chat right now.
A) post B) are posting C) is posting D) posted
Verb: post = to publish a message.
Correct: C) is posting
Why correct: client (singular) → is posting for current action.
A wrong: base form not progressive.
B wrong: wrong auxiliary for singular.
D wrong: past.
6. They ______ the vendor contract at this moment.
A) sign B) are signing C) signs D) signed
Verb: sign = to formally agree by signature.
Correct: B) are signing
Why correct: Present continuous for action being carried out now.
A wrong: base form; not progressive.
C wrong: wrong form.
D wrong: past.
7. We ______ the weekly metrics live on the dashboard now.
A) post B) are posting C) posts D) posted
Verb: post = to upload or publish.
Correct: B) are posting
Why correct: Present continuous for current publishing action.
A wrong: base form; not progressive.
C wrong: incorrect person/form.
D wrong: past.
8. Why ______ she ______ the same email three times?
A) is, send B) does, send C) is, sending D) do, sends
Verb: send = to transmit a message.
Correct: C) is, sending
Why correct: Present continuous question about repeated current action.
A wrong: is send missing -ing.
B wrong: does send not natural for this situation.
D wrong: ungrammatical.
9. Are you ______ the meeting minutes or should I handle it?
A) taking B) take C) takes D) taken
Verb: take (minutes) = to record meeting notes.
Correct: A) taking (with auxiliary Are you → Are you taking the minutes?)
Why correct: Present continuous question asking about current arrangement.
B wrong: base form not correct after Are.
C wrong: wrong person/form.
D wrong: past participle.
10. He ______ a demo for the investor group tonight.
A) gives B) is giving C) give D) gave
Verb: give = to present or deliver (a demo).
Correct: B) is giving
Why correct: Present continuous for planned near-future action.
A wrong: simple present less natural for personal arrangement.
C wrong: base form.
D wrong: past.