Present Continuous Positive Sentences Practice Tests A1 Grammar Rules & Examples

Present Continuous: Positive Sentences

The present continuous tells us about something that is happening right now, at this moment. We use it to describe actions that are in progress.

For example, imagine you look out of the window. You see a dog. The dog is running. You say:

"The dog is running."

The dog is running right now. It is not finished. This is the present continuous.

Here are a few more simple examples:

• I am eating breakfast.
• She is reading a book.
• They are playing football.

In this lesson, we will learn how to make positive present continuous sentences step by step.

What Do We Need to Make a Present Continuous Sentence?

Every positive present continuous sentence has three parts:

1. A subject – the person or thing doing the action.
2. The verb "to be" – am, is, or are.
3. A main verb + -ing – the action that is happening now.

Let's look at these three parts together:

Subject + am/is/are + verb + -ing

For example:

I + am + eat + -ing → I am eating.
She + is + read + -ing → She is reading.
They + are + play + -ing → They are playing.

Step 1: Understand the Subject

A subject is the person or thing we are talking about. In English, we often use small words called pronouns as subjects. A pronoun replaces a name. For example, instead of saying "Tom is sleeping," we can say "He is sleeping."

Here are the subject pronouns we use in English:

Pronoun	Meaning / Example
I	yourself (me)
You	the person you are talking to
He	one man or boy (e.g. Tom → he)
She	one woman or girl (e.g. Anna → she)
It	one thing or animal (e.g. the cat → it)
We	you and other people together
They	more than one person or thing

Step 2: Choose the Correct Form of "To Be"

The verb "to be" is very important in the present continuous. We use three different forms: am, is, and are. The form you choose depends on the subject.

Think of it like a matching game. Each subject has its own partner:

Subject	Verb "to be"	Example
I	am	I am working.
You	are	You are working.
He	is	He is working.
She	is	She is working.
It	is	It is working.
We	are	We are working.
They	are	They are working.

Easy tip: Only use am with I. Use is with one person or thing (he, she, it). Use are with you, we, and they.

Step 3: Add -ing to the Main Verb

The main verb is the action word — what somebody is doing. In the present continuous, we always add -ing to the end of the main verb.

eat → eating
sleep → sleeping
read → reading
play → playing
walk → walking

So the full sentence looks like this:

I + am + eating → I am eating.

She + is + sleeping → She is sleeping.

They + are + playing → They are playing.

Special Spelling Rules for -ing

Most of the time, we simply add -ing to the verb. But sometimes the spelling changes a little. Here are the main rules:

Rule 1: Most Verbs – Just Add -ing

eat → eating
read → reading
play → playing
walk → walking
sleep → sleeping

Rule 2: Verbs That End in a Silent -e – Remove the -e, Then Add -ing

Some verbs end in the letter -e, but we do not say this letter. We call it a silent -e. We remove the -e before adding -ing.

make → make → making
write → write → writing
come → come → coming
dance → dance → dancing
ride → ride → riding

Rule 3: Short Verbs With One Vowel + One Consonant – Double the Last Letter

A vowel is one of these letters: a, e, i, o, u. A consonant is any other letter (b, c, d, f, g, etc.).

If a short verb ends in one vowel + one consonant, we double the last consonant before adding -ing.

run → running (u = vowel, n = consonant → double the n)
sit → sitting (i = vowel, t = consonant → double the t)
swim → swimming (i = vowel, m = consonant → double the m)
get → getting (e = vowel, t = consonant → double the t)

Summary Table: -ing Spelling Rules

Rule	Verb	+ -ing Form
Most verbs: just add -ing	eat	eating
Most verbs: just add -ing	play	playing
Silent -e: remove -e, add -ing	make	making
Silent -e: remove -e, add -ing	write	writing
Short verb (vowel + consonant): double last letter	run	running
Short verb (vowel + consonant): double last letter	sit	sitting

Full Present Continuous: Positive Sentences

Now let's put everything together. Here is a complete table of positive present continuous sentences with different subjects and actions:

Subject	am / is / are	Verb + -ing	Full Sentence
I	am	eating	I am eating lunch.
You	are	reading	You are reading a book.
He	is	sleeping	He is sleeping.
She	is	dancing	She is dancing.
It	is	running	It is running fast.
We	are	watching	We are watching TV.
They	are	playing	They are playing football.

Using Names and Nouns as Subjects

We do not always use pronouns like he, she, or they. Sometimes we use a name or a noun (a word for a person, place, or thing) as the subject.

When we use a name or a singular noun (one person or thing), we use is.

Tom is eating dinner.
My mum is cooking.
The dog is sleeping.
My teacher is writing on the board.

When we use a plural noun (more than one person or thing), we use are.

The children are playing.
My friends are watching a film.
The cats are sleeping on the sofa.

Contractions in the Present Continuous

In everyday English, we often shorten the subject and the verb "to be" together. We call this a contraction. A contraction uses an apostrophe ( ' ) to show where letters are missing.

Contractions sound more natural in speaking and informal writing.

Full Form	Contraction	Example Sentence
I am	I'm	I'm eating lunch.
You are	You're	You're reading a book.
He is	He's	He's sleeping.
She is	She's	She's dancing.
It is	It's	It's running fast.
We are	We're	We're watching TV.
They are	They're	They're playing football.

Both forms are correct. "I am eating" and "I'm eating" have the same meaning. In tests and formal writing, you may want to use the full form.

A Simple Story: What Is Everybody Doing?

Read this short story. Notice all the present continuous sentences.

It is Saturday morning. The family is at home. Dad is cooking breakfast in the kitchen. Mum is sitting at the table and reading a newspaper. My sister is listening to music in her room. My brother is playing a video game. The dog is sleeping on the floor. I am drinking a cup of tea and looking out of the window. The birds are singing in the garden. Everyone is busy!

All of these actions are happening right now, at this moment. That is why we use the present continuous.

Common Mistakes

Here are some mistakes that beginners often make with positive present continuous sentences. Read carefully!

Mistake 1: Forgetting "am", "is", or "are"

❌ She reading a book.
✅ She is reading a book.

You must always include am, is, or are in the present continuous. Do not leave it out.

Mistake 2: Using the Wrong Form of "To Be"

❌ He are eating lunch.
✅ He is eating lunch.

❌ They is playing football.
✅ They are playing football.

Remember: he, she, it → is. You, we, they → are. I → am.

Mistake 3: Forgetting -ing

❌ I am eat breakfast.
✅ I am eating breakfast.

In the present continuous, the main verb must always have -ing at the end.

Mistake 4: Not Doubling the Last Letter

❌ He is runing.
✅ He is running.

❌ She is siting on the chair.
✅ She is sitting on the chair.

Remember to double the last consonant for short verbs that end in one vowel + one consonant.

Mistake 5: Keeping the Silent -e

❌ She is makeing a cake.
✅ She is making a cake.

❌ He is writeing a letter.
✅ He is writing a letter.

Remove the silent -e before adding -ing.

Present Continuous Positive Sentences: Quick Summary

Let's review everything we have learned in this lesson.

• We use the present continuous to talk about actions happening right now.
• Positive present continuous sentences have three parts: subject + am/is/are + verb-ing.
• Use am with I.
• Use is with he, she, it, or a singular name/noun.
• Use are with you, we, they, or a plural noun.
• Always add -ing to the main verb.
• Remember the three spelling rules: just add -ing / remove silent -e then add -ing / double the last consonant then add -ing.
• You can use contractions (I'm, he's, we're, etc.) in everyday and informal English.

Now practise present continuous positive sentences in the exercises below.