Present Continuous Tense Practice | Grammar Worksheets | Verb Tense Activities

Present continuous tense practice built for grades 3 to 6

This present continuous tense resource gives young grammar learners three ways to work with the same skill: choosing the right form, filling in a blank, and rewriting a sentence from scratch.

It is built for a teacher or parent who wants students to move past recognizing is, am, and are and start using them correctly on their own.

The sentences stay simple and familiar: kids reading in the library, a dog wagging its tail, a plane landing, a fire burning in the fireplace. Nothing here needs pre teaching before students can start, which makes it a good fit for review as well as first instruction.

What students actually do

Section one is multiple choice. Students read a sentence like “She ___ a book in the library right now” and pick between four options such as is reading, are reading, am reading, and reads.

Other items cover a cat sleeping on a sofa, birds flying in the sky, and a phone ringing, so kids see the same rule applied to people, animals, and everyday objects. Thirty questions in a row keep the practice from feeling short.

Section two asks students to fill in a blank themselves. Given a prompt like “The chef (prepare) ___ the meal” or “The wind (blow) ___ hard,” they supply the full present continuous form without choices to lean on.

This section also covers trickier spelling changes, such as swim becoming swimming and bake becoming baking, so students practice more than the basic pattern. A student who only memorizes multiple choice patterns cannot skip this part.

Section three is sentence transformation. Students rewrite a simple present sentence such as “He eats an apple” into the present continuous tense, then turn statements like “They are playing” into negatives and “She is singing” into questions.

By the last page, a student has practiced statements, negatives, and questions built on the present continuous tense from three different angles, which is a fuller workout than most single format worksheets offer.

What is in the download

The set includes three PDF documents. The worksheet itself runs 14 pages and holds all three sections: 30 multiple choice items, 30 fill in the blank prompts, and 30 sentence transformation tasks.

A 20 page teacher key gives the correct answer for every question along with a short grammar explanation, such as why a plural subject takes are or why a verb ending in a single consonant doubles that letter before adding ing.

Those explanations mean the key works as a teaching tool during a review session and as an answer sheet for grading.

A 1 page lesson plan lists three objectives, the materials needed, a 90 minute estimated duration, and a six step procedure for introducing the auxiliary verbs before students work through the sections.

How to use this set

Print the worksheet for a full grammar lesson, or split it across a few short class sessions since the sections stand on their own.

The teacher key makes it easy to lead a whole class review, since each explanation gives you the reasoning to share out loud, not just the answer.

It also works well for homeschool present continuous tense practice, an early finisher folder, or a sub plan, since the lesson plan spells out each step in order.

Small groups or centers can use section one for a quick check, then move to sections two and three for a deeper independent task once the basics are steady.

Files download as PDF. Take a look at the preview pages before you buy so you can see the exact wording of the questions and the layout of each page.

For more grammar practice, visit the grammar category, or browse the full worksheets collection for other language arts resources. You can also check the ELA section for related reading and language activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this present continuous tense worksheet set include?

The download has three PDF files: a worksheet with 14 pages covering multiple choice, fill in the blank, and sentence transformation sections, a teacher key with 20 pages of answers and grammar explanations, and a 1 page lesson plan with objectives, materials, and a six step procedure.

What grade level is this for?

The cover and every document say Grades 3 to 6, so it fits upper elementary and lower middle school students who are learning or reviewing the present continuous tense.

Does the answer key explain the grammar, or just give answers?

Each answer in the 20 page teacher key comes with a short explanation, such as why a plural subject takes are or why a verb doubles its final consonant before adding ing, so it works well for review and for grading.

Does this practice negative and question forms of the present continuous tense?

Yes. The sentence transformation section has students turn statements into negatives, such as changing They are playing into a negative sentence, and into questions, such as turning She is singing into a question.

Can I use this for homeschool or as a sub plan?

Yes. The lesson plan lists objectives, materials, and a step by step procedure, and the worksheet sections work well split across a few short sessions or handed to students to complete independently.