Exercise:

Match the sentences with the situations in which the Present Continuous Tense is used

1. Don't disturb him now -- he is working.

2. My brother is studying at the University of Pennsylvania.

3. I am seeing a lot of Tom these days.

4. Someone is knocking at the door. Can you answer it?

5. I am living in a dormitory.

6. Don't take the ladder away. Your father is using it. (but perhaps not at the moment)

7. We are spending next winter in Austria.

8. You look nice when you are smiling.

9. People are becoming less tolerant of smoking these days.

10. Our burglar alarm is forever going off for no reason.

11. I am reading a play by Shaw.

12. I'm meeting Mike tonight. He is taking me to the theatre.

13. He is constantly playing the trombone at night.

14. At six I am bathing the baby.

15. She is at her best when she is making big decisions.

16. The weather is getting better and better.

17. I don't like to be disturbed if I am working.

18. I'm standing there minding my own business, when this policeman walks up to me...

19. She is continually borrowing money and forgetting to pay it back.

20. The railway system is gradually being improved.

21. I'm always meeting Henry in the Red Lion.

22. Oxford are drawing slightly ahead of Cambridge now; they are rowing with a beautiful rhythm; Cambridge are looking a little disorganized...

23. You are being silly today.

a. action happening now / at the moment

b. temporary action / situation which is temporary or incomplete

c. action in progress going on in general (at any time)

d. developing or changing situation

e. action happening about this time

f. habitual action in progress

g. repeated action happening about this time

h. frequently repeated annoying action

i. frequently repeated unexpected action

j. temporary state

k. background for informal narration

l. sport commentary (in slower sports describing situations)

m. definite future arrangement

Practical Grammar Year 1

Agnieszka Piasecka

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