ESL Grammar: PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE (7) – Past Continuous vs. Present Continuous

In this ESL grammar lesson, students practice choosing the correct verb form (present continuous tense or past continuous tense) according to the context of the sentences.

Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense describes actions that are currently happening or ongoing at the present moment. It is formed using the verb “to be” (am/is/are) + the -ing form of the main verb. Here are some examples:

• Affirmative: I am eating breakfast right now.
• Negative: She is not working today.
• Interrogative: Are they playing soccer?

When to Use:

• Actions occurring at the moment of speaking: She is reading a book right now.
• Ongoing actions: He is studying for his exams this week.

Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense describes actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past. It is formed using the past tense of the verb “to be” (was/were) + the -ing form of the main verb. Here are some examples:

• Affirmative: They were watching TV when I called.
• Negative: I was not sleeping during the movie.
• Interrogative: Was she working late last night?

When to Use:

• Actions occurring at a specific time in the past: At 8 PM, I was eating dinner.
• Ongoing actions interrupted by another event: She was studying when the phone rang.

ESL Grammar: Comparing Present and Past Continuous Tenses

• Time Frame:
  • Present Continuous: Describes actions happening right now.
  • Past Continuous: Describes actions that were happening at a specific time in the past.
• Examples:
  • Present Continuous: I am writing an email.
  • Past Continuous: I was writing an email when the power went out.
• Usage:
  • Present Continuous: Use for current activities and plans: We are planning a trip.
  • Past Continuous: Use for actions that were in progress at a past time: They were traveling to Paris last summer.

The English grammar lesson below reviews the present continuous tense and past continuous tense by having students choose the correct verb form in various sentences, according to the context of the sentences. Our series of ESL grammar lessons on subjects and verbs introduce these concepts and reinforce them through helpful and instructive exercises.

This lesson is available for free download, and you can download many more English grammar lessons focusing on advanced aspects of English grammar (past continuous tense, present perfect tense, present perfect continuous tense, passive voice, embedded questions, relative clauses) in our comprehensive, intermediate- to advanced-level ESL grammar textbook Great, Great Grammar! (Book 3: Tenses and More!).