ESL worksheet for practicing present continuous tense with fun, illustrated activities.

To solve this worksheet, we need to match the sentences with the correct pictures and fill in the blanks.

Step 1: Understand the Grammar Rule
The instructions say to use the verb "to be" and add "-ing" to the action verb. This creates the Present Continuous Tense, which describes what is happening right now.
* If the subject is He, She, It or one name (like Peter), use is.
* If the subject is I, You, We, They or multiple names (like Ann and John), use are.

Step 2: Solve Each Sentence

1. He \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ on the blackboard.
* Subject: He (singular) → use is.
* Action: Looking at the picture of a boy writing on a green board. The word is write. Add -ing → writing.
* Answer: is writing

2. Peter \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ a delicious cake.
* Subject: Peter (singular) → use is.
* Action: Looking for a cake. One picture shows a chef cooking/baking. The word list has cook. Add -ing → cooking.
* Answer: is cooking

3. Ann and John \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ on swings.
* Subject: Ann and John (plural) → use are.
* Action: The word is swing. Add -ing → swinging.
* Answer: are swinging

4. Karen \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ about her English homework.
* Subject: Karen (singular) → use is.
* Action: A girl looking thoughtful with bubbles/thoughts above her head. The word is think. Add -ing → thinking.
* Answer: is thinking

5. Mary \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ her mother's belly.
* Subject: Mary (singular) → use is.
* Action: A pregnant woman being touched on the belly. The word is touch. Add -ing → touching.
* Answer: is touching

6. Robert \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ baseball.
* Subject: Robert (singular) → use is.
* Action: A boy hitting a ball with a bat. The word is play. Add -ing → playing.
* Answer: is playing

7. Susan \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ some flowers.
* Subject: Susan (singular) → use is.
* Action: A person putting a plant in the ground. The word is plant. Add -ing → planting.
* Answer: is planting

8. They \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ on the sofa, they are writing an e-mail.
* Subject: They (plural) → use are.
* Action: People sitting on a couch with laptops. The word is sit. Note: double the 't' → sitting.
* Answer: are sitting

9. The children \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ a play about pirates.
* Subject: The children (plural) → use are.
* Action: Kids dressed up acting. The word is act. Add -ing → acting.
* Answer: are acting

10. Tom \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ to the school.
* Subject: Tom (singular) → use is.
* Action: A boy walking on a path toward a building. The word is walk. Add -ing → walking.
* Answer: is walking

11. Marissa \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ her hair.
* Subject: Marissa (singular) → use is.
* Action: A girl using a brush on her hair. The word is brush. Add -ing → brushing.
* Answer: is brushing

12. They \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ a book.
* Subject: They (plural) → use are.
* Action: Two kids looking at a book together. The word is read. Add -ing → reading.
* Answer: are reading

13. Liza \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ bubbles.
* Subject: Liza (singular) → use is.
* Action: A girl blowing bubbles from a wand. The word is blow. Add -ing → blowing.
* Answer: is blowing

14. My friends \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ down a slide.
* Subject: My friends (plural) → use are.
* Action: Kids going down a slide. The word is slide. Drop the 'e' and add -ing → sliding.
* Answer: are sliding

15. Manuel \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ a bath with his duck.
* Subject: Manuel (singular) → use is.
* Action: A baby in a tub. Usually, we say "taking a bath." The word is take. Drop the 'e' and add -ing → taking.
* Answer: is taking

16. Omar and Paty \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ a tree.
* Subject: Omar and Paty (plural) → use are.
* Action: Two people holding a small tree to put in the ground. Wait, #7 was planting flowers. Let's look closer. Actually, #7 is planting flowers, and #16 is also planting? Let's re-evaluate.
* Let's check the remaining words. We have lift, draw, solve, go, write (used), read (used).
* Let's look at picture 16 again. It looks like they are holding a tree. Is there another word? Maybe "lifting"? No, usually you plant a tree. Let's look at sentence 7 again. "Susan ... some flowers." That is definitely planting.
* Let's look at sentence 16 again. "Omar and Paty ... a tree." It could also be planting. But we can't use the same word twice if there are unique pictures. Let's look for other options.
* Ah, look at picture 17. A boy lifting weights. That uses lift.
* Look at picture 18. A boy doing a puzzle. That uses solve.
* Look at picture 19. A boy walking/going? Sentence 19 says "he's going to the park". The blank is before that. "Luis \_\_\_ \_\_\_, he's going to the park." This implies movement. The word go fits here.
* Let's re-read sentence 16. "Omar and Paty \_\_\_ \_\_\_ a tree." Is it possible they are lifting a tree? Unlikely.
* Let's check the unused words: draw, go, lift, solve.
* Let's check the pictures again.
* Pic 1: Slide (sliding)
* Pic 2: Bath (taking)
* Pic 3: Planting flowers? Or maybe drawing? No, looks like gardening.
* Pic 4: Sitting/Reading?
* Pic 5: Reading?
* Pic 6: Touching belly?
* Pic 7: Cooking?
* Pic 8: Brushing hair?
* Pic 9: Blowing bubbles?
* Pic 10: Thinking?
* Pic 11: Swings?
* Pic 12: Baseball?
* Pic 13: Walking?
* Pic 14: Writing on blackboard?
* Pic 15: Acting?
* Pic 16: Planting tree?
* Pic 17: Lifting weights?
* Pic 18: Solving puzzle?
* Pic 19: Going/Walking?

Let's map sentences to specific pictures based on the verbs available:
* write: Pic 14 (boy at blackboard). Sentence 1.
* cook: Pic 7 (chef). Sentence 2.
* swing: Pic 11 (kids on swings). Sentence 3.
* think: Pic 10 (girl with thought bubble). Sentence 4.
* touch: Pic 6 (woman touching belly). Sentence 5.
* play: Pic 12 (baseball). Sentence 6.
* plant: Pic 3 (kneeling with plant) OR Pic 16 (holding tree). Let's see. Sentence 7 is Susan/planting flowers. Sentence 16 is Omar and Paty/tree. Both involve plants. Is there another word?
* sit: Pic 8 (on sofa). Sentence 8.
* act: Pic 15 (pirates). Sentence 9.
* walk: Pic 13 (boy on path). Sentence 10.
* brush: Pic 8? No, Pic 8 is sitting. Where is brushing hair? Pic 8 in the top row is brushing hair! Wait, let me look at the image layout again.

Let's identify the pictures row by row, left to right.
Row 1:
1. Kids on slide.
2. Chef cooking.
3. Person kneeling with a small plant (planting).
4. Three kids on a bench/sofa.
5. Three kids reading a book together.
6. Woman touching pregnant belly.
7. Girl brushing her hair.

Row 2:
8. Boy lifting weights.
9. Girl reading a book alone? Or thinking? She has her hand on her chin. Looks like thinking.
10. Girl painting/drawing? She has a brush and paint.
11. Girl blowing bubbles.
12. Baby in bath.
13. Kids on swings.

Row 3:
14. Boy playing baseball.
15. Boy walking on a path.
16. Boy writing on a blackboard.
17. Pregnant woman? No, this is a woman lying down/touching belly? Wait, Pic 6 was touching belly. Pic 17 looks like a woman resting or maybe "lying"? But "lie" isn't in the list. Let's look closer. It's a woman with long dark hair, hand on head. Maybe she is thinking? But Pic 9 looked like thinking too.
18. Kids acting/playing pirates?
19. Boy walking/going towards a house/school.

Let's re-match carefully based on the text clues.

1. He ... on the blackboard. -> Verb: write. Picture: Row 3, Image 3 (Boy at chalkboard). Correct.
2. Peter ... a delicious cake. -> Verb: cook. Picture: Row 1, Image 2 (Chef). Correct.
3. Ann and John ... on swings. -> Verb: swing. Picture: Row 2, Image 6 (Kids on swings). Correct.
4. Karen ... about her English homework. -> Verb: think. Picture: Row 2, Image 2 (Girl with hand on chin, looking up). Correct.
5. Mary ... her mother's belly. -> Verb: touch. Picture: Row 1, Image 6 (Hand on belly). Correct.
6. Robert ... baseball. -> Verb: play. Picture: Row 3, Image 1 (Baseball batter). Correct.
7. Susan ... some flowers. -> Verb: plant. Picture: Row 1, Image 3 (Kneeling with potted plant). Correct.
8. They ... on the sofa... -> Verb: sit. Picture: Row 1, Image 4 (Kids on bench/sofa). Correct.
9. The children ... a play about pirates. -> Verb: act. Picture: Row 3, Image 5 (Kids in costumes/pirates). Correct.
10. Tom ... to the school. -> Verb: walk. Picture: Row 3, Image 2 (Boy walking on path). Correct.
11. Marissa ... her hair. -> Verb: brush. Picture: Row 1, Image 7 (Girl brushing hair). Correct.
12. They ... a book. -> Verb: read. Picture: Row 1, Image 5 (Three kids reading one book). Correct.
13. Liza ... bubbles. -> Verb: blow. Picture: Row 2, Image 4 (Girl blowing bubbles). Correct.
14. My friends ... down a slide. -> Verb: slide. Picture: Row 1, Image 1 (Kids on slide). Correct.
15. Manuel ... a bath with his duck. -> Verb: take. Picture: Row 2, Image 5 (Baby in tub). Correct.
16. Omar and Paty ... a tree. -> We have used: write, cook, swing, think, touch, play, plant, sit, act, walk, brush, read, blow, slide, take.
Remaining verbs in the box: draw, go, solve, lift.
Sentence 16 needs a verb for "a tree". None of the remaining verbs fit "a tree" perfectly except maybe they are drawing a tree? Let's check the pictures again.
Is there a picture of drawing? Row 2, Image 3 shows a girl with a paintbrush and canvas. She is drawing or painting. The word list has draw.
So, who is drawing? Sentence ?
Let's look for a sentence about drawing. There isn't one explicitly named "drawing".
Let's look at Sentence 16 again: "Omar and Paty ... a tree."
Let's look at Picture Row 3, Image 6 (the last one in the middle block? No, Row 3 has 5 images).
Let's recount the pictures.
Row 1: 7 pics.
Row 2: 6 pics.
Row 3: 5 pics.
Total 18 pictures?
Let's count the sentences. 1-19. There are 19 sentences.
Let's count the circles under the pictures.
Row 1: 7 circles.
Row 2: 6 circles.
Row 3: 5 circles.
Total 18 circles.
Wait, Sentence 19 is "Luis ..., he's going to the park." This sentence structure is different. It might not correspond to a unique picture, or it shares one.

Let's look at the remaining verbs: draw, go, solve, lift.
And the remaining sentences:
16. Omar and Paty ... a tree.
17. Robbie ... weights.
18. Richard ... a puzzle.
19. Luis ..., he's going to the park.

Let's match the obvious ones first:
17. Robbie ... weights. -> Verb: lift. Picture: Row 2, Image 1 (Boy lifting dumbbells). Correct. Answer: is lifting.
18. Richard ... a puzzle. -> Verb: solve. Picture: Is there a puzzle picture? I don't see a clear jigsaw puzzle. Let's look at Row 2, Image 3 again. Girl with paint/draw.
Let's look at Row 3, Image 4. A group of kids around a table with pieces? Yes, Row 3, Image 4 looks like kids working on something on a table. Could be a puzzle. Or maybe Row 2 Image 3 is the puzzle? No, that's clearly art.
Let's assume Row 3 Image 4 is "solving a puzzle". Answer: are solving (Wait, Richard is singular). So is solving.

Now we have Sentences 16 and 19 left.
Verbs left: draw, go.
Pictures left:
- Row 2, Image 3: Girl drawing/painting.
- Row 3, Image 6? No, Row 3 only has 5 images.
Let's re-examine Row 3.
1. Baseball
2. Walking
3. Blackboard
4. Kids at table (Puzzle?)
5. Boy walking away/going?

If Row 3 Image 5 is "going", that fits Sentence 19: "Luis is going, he's going to the park." This makes sense. The verb is go. Answer: is going.

That leaves Sentence 16: "Omar and Paty ... a tree."
And the verb draw.
And the picture Row 2, Image 3 (Girl drawing).
But the subject is "Omar and Paty" (Plural). The picture shows one girl.
Also, "drawing a tree" fits the verb draw.
Is there a picture of two people drawing a tree?
Let's look at Row 1, Image 3 again. Kneeling with a plant. That was "planting flowers" for Susan.
Let's look at Row 3, Image 4 again. Kids at a table.

Maybe I swapped 16 and another one?
Let's check if "Omar and Paty" are in the "drawing" picture. The picture at Row 2, Image 3 is just one girl.
However, sometimes worksheets aren't perfect matches for gender/number in the clipart vs the name.
BUT, look at the verb list again. draw.
Is there any other sentence that could be "draw"?
No.
Is there any other sentence that could be "plant"?
Sentence 7: Susan ... some flowers. (Singular). Picture: Row 1, Image 3 (One person). Matches.
Sentence 16: Omar and Paty ... a tree. (Plural).
Is it possible they are planting a tree?
If 16 is are planting, then what is 7?
If 7 is is planting, we use "plant" twice. The instructions don't say "use each word once". But usually, these puzzles do.

Let's look for a picture of two people with a tree.
I don't see one.
Let's look for a picture of two people drawing.
I don't see one.

Let's reconsider the "Puzzle" picture. Row 3, Image 4. There are 3 kids. Sentence 18 is "Richard" (Singular). Mismatch.
Sentence 9 is "The children" (Plural) ... a play. That matched the pirate picture.

Let's look at Sentence 12: "They ... a book." Plural. Picture Row 1, Image 5 (3 kids reading). Matches.

Let's look at Sentence 16 again. "Omar and Paty". Plural.
If the answer is are drawing, does the picture match? No, it's one girl.
If the answer is are planting, does the picture match? No, the planting picture is one person.

Is it possible that Sentence 16 corresponds to the picture of the kids at the table (Row 3, Image 4)?
What are they doing? They are looking at papers/books. Could they be drawing a tree together?
If so, Sentence 16: are drawing.
Then what is Sentence 18? "Richard ... a puzzle."
If Richard is solving a puzzle, where is the picture?
Maybe Row 2, Image 3 (Girl with paint) is actually Richard solving a puzzle? No, it's clearly paint.

Let's look at the verbs again.
solve is in the list.
draw is in the list.

Maybe Sentence 18 "Richard ... a puzzle" matches the picture of the kids at the table (Row 3, Image 4), assuming the clipart is generic for "working on a task"? But "Richard" is singular.

Let's try a different angle. Look at Sentence 19. "Luis ..., he's going to the park."
The blank is likely is going.
Picture: Row 3, Image 5 (Boy walking away). This fits "going".

So we have Sentence 16 and 18 left.
Verbs left: draw, solve.
Pictures left:
- Row 2, Image 3 (Girl painting/drawing).
- Row 3, Image 4 (Kids at table).

Sentence 16: Omar and Paty (Plural).
Sentence 18: Richard (Singular).

Picture Row 2, Image 3: One person. Fits Singular (Richard).
Picture Row 3, Image 4: Multiple people. Fits Plural (Omar and Paty).

So:
Sentence 18 (Richard) matches Picture Row 2, Image 3?
Action: Drawing? But the sentence says "a puzzle". You don't draw a puzzle usually, you solve it.
BUT, if Richard is drawing, then the sentence "Richard ... a puzzle" is wrong contextually unless he is drawing a picture OF a puzzle? Unlikely.

Let's swap them.
Sentence 16 (Omar and Paty) matches Picture Row 3, Image 4 (Kids at table).
Action: Solving a puzzle? Yes, kids at a table often do puzzles.
So Sentence 16: are solving a tree? No, you don't solve a tree.

Okay, there is a mismatch in my picture identification or the worksheet has a trick.
Let's look at Sentence 16 again: "Omar and Paty \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ a tree."
Could the verb be draw? "Omar and Paty are drawing a tree."
Does Picture Row 3, Image 4 show them drawing? They have papers on the table. It's plausible.

Then Sentence 18: "Richard \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_ a puzzle."
Verb: solve.
Picture: Row 2, Image 3. Does that look like solving a puzzle? It looks like painting. But maybe it's a "picture puzzle"? Or maybe I am misidentifying the picture.
Actually, look at Row 2, Image 3 closely. She is holding a brush. It's definitely art.

Is there a "draw" sentence? No.
Is there a "paint" verb? No.

Let's look at Sentence 7 again. "Susan ... some flowers."
If Susan is drawing some flowers?
Picture Row 1, Image 3: Kneeling with a pot. That is physically planting.

Let's look at Sentence 16 again. "Omar and Paty ... a tree."
If they are planting a tree?
Picture Row 3, Image 4: Kids at table. Not planting.

Is it possible that Sentence 16 matches Picture Row 1, Image 3?
"Omar and Paty are planting a tree."
But the picture shows one person.
And Sentence 7 "Susan is planting flowers" would need a picture.

Let's reconsider the "Think" picture. Row 2, Image 2. Girl with hand on chin.
Sentence 4: Karen is thinking.

Let's reconsider the "Read" picture. Row 1, Image 5. Three kids reading.
Sentence 12: They are reading.

Let's look at the remaining verbs: draw, solve.
And the remaining sentences:
16. Omar and Paty ... a tree.
18. Richard ... a puzzle.

And the remaining pictures that haven't been strongly claimed:
- Row 2, Image 3 (Girl with brush/paint).
- Row 3, Image 4 (Kids at table).

Hypothesis:
The worksheet creator made a mistake in gender/number matching for the clipart, OR:
Sentence 16: are drawing a tree. (Matches Plural). Picture: Row 3, Image 4 (Kids at table drawing?).
Sentence 18: is solving a puzzle. (Matches Singular). Picture: Row 2, Image 3 (Girl... solving a puzzle??).

Alternative Hypothesis:
Sentence 16: are planting a tree. (But we used plant for #7).
Sentence 18: is doing a puzzle? "Do" is not in the list. "Solve" is.

Let's look at the word list again.
draw, walk, blow, brush, touch, take, read, write, go, slide, swing, plant, solve, think, sit, cook, play, lift.

There is no "paint". So the girl with the brush MUST be drawing.
So, who is drawing?
If the girl is drawing, the sentence must be singular.
Sentence 18 is Richard (Singular).
Sentence 16 is Omar and Paty (Plural).
Sentence 7 is Susan (Singular).
Sentence 11 is Marissa (Singular).

If Sentence 18 is "Richard is drawing a puzzle", that makes no sense.
If Sentence 7 is "Susan is drawing some flowers", that makes sense!
Let's check Picture Row 1, Image 3. Is she drawing flowers? She is kneeling next to a potted plant. It really looks like planting. But if she is holding a paper and crayon? It's hard to tell. But there is a brown pot.

If Sentence 7 is is drawing, then what is Sentence 16?
"Omar and Paty ... a tree."
If they are planting a tree?
Then we need a picture of two people planting.
Picture Row 3, Image 4? Kids at a table. No.

Let's look at Sentence 16 again. Is it possible the verb is draw?
"Omar and Paty are drawing a tree."
And the picture is Row 3, Image 4 (Kids at table drawing).

Then what is Sentence 18?
"Richard is solving a puzzle."
And the picture is Row 2, Image 3?
Does the girl with the brush look like she is solving a puzzle? No.

Wait, look at Sentence 19. "Luis ..., he's going to the park."
We said is going.

Let's look at the very first picture. Row 1, Image 1. Slide.
Sentence 14. My friends ... down a slide. are sliding.

Let's look at the "Puzzle" concept again.
Is there a picture of a puzzle?
Maybe Row 3, Image 4 IS the puzzle picture.
If Row 3, Image 4 is "Solving a puzzle", then the subject should be plural ("The children" or "They").
Sentence 18 is "Richard" (Singular).
Sentence 9 is "The children ... a play".
Sentence 12 is "They ... a book".
Sentence 8 is "They ... on the sofa".
Sentence 3 is "Ann and John ... on swings".
Sentence 14 is "My friends ... down a slide".
Sentence 16 is "Omar and Paty ... a tree".

There are many plural subjects.
If Picture Row 3, Image 4 (Kids at table) is "Solving a puzzle", which plural sentence fits?
None of the plural sentences mention a puzzle.

Okay, let's look at Sentence 16: "Omar and Paty ... a tree."
Could they be drawing a tree?
If Picture Row 3, Image 4 is "Drawing", then "Omar and Paty are drawing a tree" fits the plural subject and the activity (kids at table with paper).

Then Sentence 18: "Richard ... a puzzle."
Verb: solve.
Picture: Row 2, Image 3.
Is it possible the girl is solving a puzzle? Maybe it's a "connect the dots" or a visual puzzle? She is holding a tool. If it's a pencil, she could be solving a maze/puzzle. The prompt says "don't forget to add -ing".

Let's assume:
16. are drawing (Omar and Paty, Plural). Picture: Kids at table.
18. is solving (Richard, Singular). Picture: Girl with tool (interpreted as solving a puzzle/maze).

This seems the most logical distribution of the remaining verbs and subjects, despite the clipart ambiguity.

Let's double check Sentence 7: "Susan ... some flowers."
Verb: plant.
Picture: Row 1, Image 3 (Kneeling with pot).
Answer: is planting.

This leaves "draw" for 16 and "solve" for 18.

Final Check of all answers:
1. He is writing on the blackboard.
2. Peter is cooking a delicious cake.
3. Ann and John are swinging on swings.
4. Karen is thinking about her English homework.
5. Mary is touching her mother's belly.
6. Robert is playing baseball.
7. Susan is planting some flowers.
8. They are sitting on the sofa...
9. The children are acting a play...
10. Tom is walking to the school.
11. Marissa is brushing her hair.
12. They are reading a book.
13. Liza is blowing bubbles.
14. My friends are sliding down a slide.
15. Manuel is taking a bath...
16. Omar and Paty are drawing a tree. (Best fit for plural + remaining verb 'draw' + picture of kids at table with paper).
17. Robbie is lifting weights.
18. Richard is solving a puzzle. (Best fit for singular + remaining verb 'solve' + picture of person concentrating with a tool).
19. Luis is going, he's going to the park.

Final Answer:
1. is writing
2. is cooking
3. are swinging
4. is thinking
5. is touching
6. is playing
7. is planting
8. are sitting
9. are acting
10. is walking
11. is brushing
12. are reading
13. is blowing
14. are sliding
15. is taking
16. are drawing
17. is lifting
18. is solving
19. is going