Exercises · Present tenses

Present simple or present continuous quiz

Choose the right present tense for each sentence. Every example comes from business, finance or a real meeting – and each answer explains the rule.

Need a refresher? Review the one rule: permanent or temporary, charts and changes and verbs not used in continuous forms in our Verb Tenses in Business guide.

Permanent or temporary
Charts and changes
Stative verbs
Mixed review

1. Permanent or temporary

Your role or your current project? A general habit or a temporary one? Includes negatives and questions.

Rules: 1.1 One rule: permanent or temporary

1As Head of Finance, I the finance team in our Prague office.

manage’m managingmanaging

2At the moment I on the Q4 budget, so I’ll keep this brief.

work’m workingworks

3Sorry, can everyone hear me? My microphone properly today.

doesn’t workisn’t workingnot working

4Our company payment software for banks.

developsis developingdevelop

5We two new analysts this quarter to cope with the extra work.

hire’re hiringhires

6I late every evening this week to finish the audit.

work’m workingworks

7How often these delays with the new supplier at the moment?

do you experienceare you experiencingyou experience

8We normally the board once a quarter to review our results.

meet’re meetingmeets

2. Charts and changes

Describing trends, figures and things that are changing.

Rules: 1.2 Charts and changes

1As you can see on this slide, revenue steadily.

risesis risingrise

2Our sales usually in the run-up to Christmas.

peakare peakingpeaks

3The situation with our main supplier more serious every week.

becomesis becomingbecome

3. Stative verbs

Verbs like need, understand and sound – and the ones that change meaning.

Rules: 1.3 Verbs not used in continuous forms

1I what you mean, but the numbers don’t support it.

understand’m understandingunderstanding

2We more time to review the contract before we sign.

need’re needingneeds

3That proposal really interesting – could you send me the details?

soundsis soundingsound

4We a quick break – let’s restart at eleven.

have’re havinghaving

5This report all the figures from the last quarter.

containsis containingcontain

4. Mixed review

Everything together, the way it comes up in real meetings.

Rules: all present tenses lessons

1I the current pricing model is too complicated for new clients.

think’m thinkingthinks

2We moving our servers to the cloud, but nothing is decided yet.

consider’re consideringconsiders

3The euro against the dollar this week.

fallsis fallingfall

4Our team across two time zones, so we rarely meet in person.

worksis workingwork

5We some technical difficulties at the moment. We apologise for the inconvenience.

experience’re experiencingexperiences

Check a section to see your score here.

More practice

Next exerciseGap-fillType the right present tense Next exerciseMatch the sentence halvesMatch the beginnings and endings The guideVerb Tenses in BusinessDiagrams and explanations

Correct on paper is not the same as natural in the boardroom

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