A selection of English ESL simple present present continuous printables

all the English language tenses are explained in a table with their use, form, key words, and examples.  
This document can be used by student and Teachers and for different Level of Learners as well.

All Tenses explained (Form, Use, Key words, Examples)

Easy practice with the helping verbs for present simple and present continuous. This ws is designed to to help students focus on the differences and get them straight. A detective theme. B&W and key included. 3 pages in all.

Present Simple/Continuous Helping Words + B&W + KEY 

They put the verbs, which are in the past simple, into the present tense. Don't worry, they all make sense! I will follow this up with the reverse exercise - present into past - if this sheet is popular. There is a key. 

Practice for past simple and present tense. 

This lesson is designed for upper-intermediate learners (CEFR B2 level) who already have a solid foundation in English but are working on refining their grammatical accuracy and fluency, particularly with more advanced tenses like Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous. At this level, students are familiar with English verb forms but may struggle to apply them correctly, especially when distinguishing between results and processes, or completed versus ongoing actions.


The vocabulary used in the lesson draws from both conversational English and more academic language (e.g., "cheat code," "minefield," "pronunciation"), making it suitable for learners who are comfortable with abstract concepts and complex sentence structures. Additionally, the article itself incorporates humor and a light, relatable tone to engage students and help them digest the grammar points more easily.


In terms of skills development, the lesson focuses primarily on reading comprehension, grammar accuracy, and writing, with opportunities for speaking practice through partner discussions. The inductive grammar approach aligns well with the language level, encouraging learners to analyze examples and figure out the rules themselves before confirming their understanding through explicit teaching. By combining both controlled and free practice exercises, students are able to gradually build confidence with these two tenses and use them more effectively in real-life situations.


This level of detail and structured learning is ideal for teenagers or young adults who are motivated to move beyond basic grammar and want to polish their ability to express nuanced ideas in English.











How Hard Is It to Learn English?: Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous.

There is a set of 26 sentences with gaps and verbs to use in brackets. Students need to choose 'will', 'be going to', 'present simple' or 'present continuous' when talking about the future and to put the verbs in the correct tense. Made for the book 'Gateway B1 plus' second edition.

Will / Be going to / Present Continuous / Present Simple for talking about the Future

Ideal for strong students of Junior B' Class, Students A' Senior or even adults who want to practice. Also for children who have forgotten some rules or have a difiiculty in spotting the differenences.

XMAS edition! Present Simple Or Present Continous Sentences! (with Key answers)

There are 5 activities 1- read and match 2-match the  opposite adjectives 3- complete and match the nationalities with the flags 4- complete with the present simple or present continuous form of the verbs in brackets 5-complete with the ordinal numbers from the box

MY BEST FRIENDS

There are 5 activities 1-look at the picture and put a tick next to the things you can see 2-answer questions 3-complete using the right preposition of place 4-complete the paragraph using present simple-present continuous 5-read and match

AT KINDERGARTEN

This is a worksheet that tests the students' ability to make the difference between the Simple and Continuous aspects of the Present and Past Tense. They have to read carefully and think about the situations presented and choose the right forms of the verbs.

Present Simple/Continuous and Past Simple/Continuous

An activity to practice the simple present tense and continious present tense and have some fun using the song "I Put a Spell on You" by Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins. Students should choose the correct alternatives before listening to the song to check. Enjoy!

I Put a Spell on You

this worksheet can be work in class for teaches topics as home, wh-questions and present continuos

test simple present and adjectives

Thirty-ones sentences for practicing affirmative, negative and interrogative forms of these tenses. Key is included. Thank you!!!

Revision:Present Simple or Present Continuous

Culture, intercultural communication, cross-cultural communication

Adjectives to describe feelings, emotions

Adjectives to describe personality and character

Adjectives: Gradable / Non-gradable adjectives

Articles: Definite or indefinite article (a, an or the)

BE + infinitive structures (e.g. he was to become famous)

Clauses of contrast (e.g.  although, while)

Clauses of purpose (e.g. in order to, so that, so as to)

Clauses of reason (e.g. because, because of, due to, as, since)

Cleft sentences (e.g. It's Joey we're looking for)

Comparison: Comparative adjectives and structures

Comparison: Superlative adjectives and structures

Conditional 2 (second conditional) - would

Conditionals: Conditional phrases (e.g. unless, provided that, as long as)

Conjunctions (aka connectives, e.g. and, but, or, so, then)

Contractions (shortened forms, e.g. don't, aren't, etc.)

Determiners (words that can come before nouns)

Formal and informal English (politeness or colloquial language)

Future perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Future perfect simple and continuous (progressive) tense

Future phrases (e.g. be about to, bound to, likely to, due to, set to + INF)

Homonyms (two words with the same pronunciation - homophones and homographs)

It as preparatory subject (e.g. it's raining, it's nice of you to)

Linking verbs (aka copulas, e.g. I am a student)

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how to accuse somebody of something in English

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how to blame somebody for something in English

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how to express agreement /disagreement in English

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how to express likelihood, probability in English

how to express likes and dislikes in English

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how to express shock and disbelief in English

how to express sympathy and condolences in English

how to give permission, authorization in English

how to inform somebody about some news in English

how to interpret what was said in English

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how to make guesses about something in English

how to make, accept and refuse offers in English

how to order or make a booking in English

how to persuade, convince people in English

how to praise people and express appreciation in English

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how to refuse and object to something in English

how to remind people of something in English

how to rephrase, paraphrase what was said in English

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Nouns: Collective nouns (team, class, family, committee)

Nouns: Proper nouns (names of people, cities, companies)

Oxymorons (phrases with words of contradictory meaning, e.g. living dead)

Participles: Past participle (e.g. HAVING DONE)

Participles: Present participle (e.g. DOING)

Parts of Speech (aka word classes, e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

Past perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Phonetics (pronunciation, IPA, phonetic symbols)

Plural nouns: regular plurals with S ending

Prefixes (e.g. A, UN, IM, DIS, MIS, EN, etc. )

Prepositions vs adverbs (e.g. before me, saw him before.)

Prepositions: Double prepositions (e.g. out of)

Prepositions: Participle prepositions (e.g. pending, concerning)

Prepositions: Phrase prepositions (e.g. by means of)

Present perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Present perfect simple or present continuous tense

Present simple tense: S for third person singular verbs

Present simple vs continuous (progressive) tense

Pronouns: EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER (reciprocal pronouns)

Pronouns: Possessive pronouns (e.g. my, mine)

Pronouns: Reflexive pronouns (e.g. myself, yourself))

Pronouns: SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, EVERYBODY, NO ONE, NOTHING, etc.

Pronouns: THIS, THAT, THESE, THOSE (demonstratives)

Pronouns: YOU and THEY to talk about people in general

Quantifiers (e.g. some, many, much, any, few, little)

Questions: WH questions (open-ended questions)

Reported speech: reported questions (indirect questions)

There is / there are / there was / there were / there will be, etc.

Verbs: Transitive or intransitive verbs (words that can or cannot stand with objects)

Working with Paragraphs: ordering, titling

Role play, miming, drama activity or improv game

Pictionary (picture dictionary) or picture matching

Writing an opinion essay (persuasive essay)

Learners who are Pre-A1 have just begun learning English and will first learn how to:<ul><li>Say the letters in the alphabet and numbers</li><li>Say hello, talk about names and age</li><li>Name the colors and dates, express likes and dislikes</li></ul>

Absolute beginners who have begun to learn the letters and numbers

Learners taking the A1 Elementary exam should be able to:<ul><li>Introduce themselves and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, things he/she has, people he/she knows.</li><li>Communicate using very basic phrases as long as the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: common adjectives & adverbs of frequency, going to, how much/how many, imperatives, I'd like, 's – possessive, common prepositions of place and time, present simple & continuous, there is/are</li></ul>

A very basic tourist level, which is enough for buying food and a bus ticket

Learners taking the A2 Pre-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand sentences and frequently used expressions (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).</li><li>Complete tasks that are routine and exchange information about familiar matters.</li><li>Describe matters of immediate need in simple terms.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: countable/uncountable nouns, adverbs of frequency, future will/going to, much/many, present perfect, past simple, past continuous, common phrasal verbs, common modals: can/should</li></ul>

A tourist who can do basic conversations about the past, present and future

Learners taking the B1 Intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand points regarding family, work, school or leisure-related topics.</li><li>Deal with most travel situations in areas where the language is spoken.</li><li>Create simple texts on topics of personal interest.</li><li>Describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions, as well as opinions or plans in brief.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: question tags, intensifiers: too/enough, future tenses, past tenses, modals, conditionals, wh-questions in the past</li></ul>

Learners who can deal with both familiar and routine situations, in friendly and work contexts

Learners taking the B2 Upper-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.</li><li>Interact with fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without difficulty for either party.</li><li>Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain an opinion on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: perfect tenses, mixed conditionals, modals in the present, phrasal verbs, reported speech, wish, relative clauses</li></ul>

The level where you can be a tour guide for your foreign friends and talk about a lot of topics, even abstract ones, with ease and fluency

Learners taking the C1 Advanced exam should be able to: Express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts. Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, using linking phrases (=words that connect ideas between sentences). Main grammar points to know: inversion, mixed conditionals, modals in the past, all passive forms, phrasal verbs (all patterns), wish/if only for regrets

Learners who can smoothly communicate in every walk of life, read long texts and write well

Learners taking the C2 Proficient exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand almost everything read or heard with ease.</li><li>Summarize information from a variety of sources into a coherent presentation.</li><li>Express themselves using precise meaning in complex scenarios.</li><li>Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations</li></ul>

Get here and you are ready to study in English at university

746 Simple present present continuous English ESL worksheets pdf & doc