A2business

Present Continuous - Business English

Type your answer in each blank and press Enter to check it, or use Check answers below. A cue in (brackets) is the word to put in the right form.

Use the present continuous to talk about an action happening right now or around now: "I am writing to you," "She is leading the meeting at the moment." You form it with the verb to be (am, is, are) plus the -ing form of the main verb: I am working, you are working, he/she/it is working, we/they are working. To make it negative, add not: "We are not hiring this quarter." To ask a question, put am, is, or are first: "Are you joining the call?" Spelling matters: make becomes making (drop the e), and sit becomes sitting (double the final consonant). You also use this tense for temporary situations and for fixed future plans: "I am working from home this week," "We are meeting the client on Thursday." A common pitfall is using it with state verbs that describe feelings or thoughts, not actions. Say "I understand" and "I want this report," not "I am understanding" or "I am wanting." Another mistake is dropping to be: write "He is checking the figures," never "He checking the figures." Keep both parts and you will be correct.

Let's practise. Type each answer and press Enter, I'll check it with you.

  1. I (write) a formal email to the client right now.
  2. The manager (prepare) the quarterly report this afternoon.
  3. We (discuss) the new project budget in the meeting.
  4. They (negotiate) a new contract with the supplier.
  5. She (give) a presentation to the board of directors.
  6. You (work) on the marketing campaign this week.
  7. Mr. Jones (meet) a new customer at the airport.
  8. The team (develop) a new software application.
  9. It (get) late, so we should finish the meeting.
  10. I (not/use) my laptop at the moment.
  11. Are you (listen) to the CEO's speech?
  12. The company (expand) its operations into Asia.
  13. We (wait) for the feedback from the legal department.
  14. He (organize) the files in the shared folder.
  15. The technicians (fix) the server right now.
  16. Sarah (send) the invitations for the conference.
  17. They (not/attend) the seminar today.
  18. What the marketing team (plan) for next month?
  19. I (review) your proposal as we speak.
  20. The price of raw materials (increase) rapidly.
  21. We (look) for a new office in the city center.
  22. She (check) her inbox for any urgent messages.
  23. The accountants (calculate) the total expenses.
  24. Is he (travel) to London for the trade fair?
  25. You (make) a very good point in this discussion.

Common questions

What is the difference between the present continuous and the present simple?

Use the present continuous for an action happening now or temporarily: "I am answering emails right now." Use the present simple for habits, routines, and permanent facts: "I answer emails every morning." Time words help: now, at the moment, and this week point to the continuous; usually, every day, and always point to the simple.

Can I use the present continuous to talk about the future?

Yes, when you mean a fixed, planned arrangement, especially with a time or place already decided. For example: "We are interviewing three candidates tomorrow," or "I am flying to Berlin on Monday." This is common and natural in business English for meetings, calls, and travel. It signals the plan is settled, not just a hope or a general intention.

Why is "I am knowing the answer" wrong?

Because know is a state verb, not an action verb. State verbs describe thoughts, feelings, senses, and possession (know, understand, want, like, need, believe, own), and they are not normally used in the continuous. Say "I know the answer" and "I need the figures," using the present simple. Action verbs like work, write, and call do take the continuous: "I am writing the report."