Test your English grammar knowledge with these multiple choice quizzes on tenses (Present Simple and Present Continuous) for grades 8, 9 and 10. Additionally, these grammar quiz questions and answers are catered carefully making it compatible for any competitive exams.
Take these online grammar assessment tests for free to review present simple and present continuous tense.
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Tense Grammar Quiz Questions
The following grammar quiz questions and answers are designed to help grammar learners of all levels. This quiz set will test your knowledge on present simple vs present progressive tense.
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Present Simple and Present Progressive Quiz
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Present Simple Tense and Present Continuous Tense Quiz for grade 10
The following grammar assessment test has been designed for class 10 English grammar students to test their understanding of present simple tense and present continuous tense. With grammar questions and answers, you can measure your understanding of English grammar. So, let’s begin the test.
Jeremy usually ____ to school by bus but today his dad ____ him. (go, drive)
goes, is driving
went, drove
is going, is driving
goes, drives
✅ It requires SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE. The second section talks about TEMPORARY action at present. So, choose the VERB accordingly.
How often ____ to the park for a picnic? (you go)
do you go
are you going
have you gone
will you go
✅ The sentence talks about FREQUENCY (often), so choose the verb accordingly.
Northern California ____ a lot of rain during the wintertime but this winter it ____ at all. (get, not rain)
gets, isn’t raining
got, rains
gets, doesn’t rain
is getting, isn’t raining
✅ The first section talks about PERMANENT SITUATION and the second section talks about TEMPORARY ACTION. So choose the verb accordingly.
Look to your right! Mary ____ her little sister to school. How sweet! (bring)
is bringing
brought
brings
will bring
✅ The action is happening at the moment of speaking.
Mom can't help you right now because she ____ dinner. (prepare)
is preparing
prepares
prepared
has been preparing
✅ It’s a TEMPORARY ACTION. Thus, PRESENT CONTINUOUS tense is used i.e. is/am/are+V4
The neighbors' boys always ____ to school late. (come)
come
came
is coming
comes
✅ Look at the use of ALWAYS in the sentence. It denotes a REGULAR ACTION. So, SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE i.e. V1/V5 is used.
Present Simple Tense and Present Continuous Tense Quiz for grade 9
These tenses quiz fill in the blanks and multiple choice questions will test class 9 students on present continuous and present simple tense. Let’s get started.
My parents never ____ cigarettes in front of us. (smoke)
smoke
smokes
are smoking
has smoked
✅ You are right.
I can't understand him because I ____any French. (not know)
don't know
didn’t know
haven’t known
doesn’t know
✅ It expresses the PRESENT ABILITY. So, SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE is used i.e. V1/V5.
Mary ____ eating sweets. Every morning she has coffee with lots of sweets. (like)
likes
like
Is liking
liked
✅ If the sentence expresses LIKES/DISLIKES, simple present tense is used.
What are the ducks doing? – I think they ____ to be fed by the tourists. (the ducks do)
are waiting
wait
is waiting
waits
✅ It’s a TEMPORARY ACTION. Thus, PRESENT CONTINUOUS tense is used i.e. is/am/are+V4
It ____ very hard at the moment. (rain)
is raining
rains
rained
has rained
✅ Look at the use of AT THE MOMENT in the sentence. It’s a temporary action. Thus, PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE is used i.e. is/am/are+V4
They normally ____ TV on Sundays but today they ____ a nap. (watch, take)
watch, are taking
are watching, take
watched, are taking
watch, take
✅ Look at the use of NORMALLY in the sentence. It expresses HABIT and thus SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE i.e. V1/V5 is used. Also, notice the use of TODAY. It expresses temporary action and thus present continuous i.e. is/am/are+V4 is used.
Present Simple Tense and Present Continuous Tense Quiz for grade 8
This English grammar test covers the basics of tenses that 8th graders should know. It includes fill in the blank, multiple choice questions with answers to assess knowledge of tenses particularly of present simple tense and present continuous tense.
Dad ____ TV when he ____home from the office. (not usually watch, come)
doesn't usually watch, comes
don't usually watch, come
doesn't usually watch, is coming
is not usually watching, came
✅ It expresses HABIT. So simple present tense (V1, V5) is used.
Every Monday my dad ____ to work by train because my mom ____ the car. (go, need)
goes, needs
is going, needed
go, need
went, needs
✅ Notice the use of EVERY MONDAY. It expresses FREQUENCY. So, SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE i.e. V1/V5 is used.
Our teacher often ____ at us when she's in a bad mood. (shout)
shouts
shouted
is shouting
shout
✅ Notice the use of OFTEN in the sentence. It expresses frequency. So, SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE i.e. V1/V5 is used.
I ____ for a new car which I want to buy as soon as possible. (save)
am saving
save
will save
saved
✅ The sentence expresses an ONGOING TEMPORARY ACTION. So choose the verb accordingly.
What ____ right now? – He ____ in the river. (tom do, swim)
is tom doing, is swimming
does tom do, swims
was tom doing, was swimming
has tom done, has swum
✅ Notice the use of NOW. The sentence expresses an ONGOING TEMPORARY ACTION. So choose the verb accordingly.
When to use Present Simple Tense (Image Illustration)
Present simple tense is used to show:
- 👉 present affairs
- 👉 habitual actions
- 👉 fixed time table
- 👉 truths and facts
Tense Question, Answer and Explanation
You can download the following present simple and present continuous tense question, answer and explanation.
Question: Jeremy usually ____ to school by bus but today his dad ____ him. (go, drive) |
Answer: Jeremy usually goes to school by bus but today his dad is driving him. (go, drive) |
Explanation: Notice the use of usually in the first section of the sentence [It requires simple present tense]. The second section talks about temporary action at present. So, present continuous tense is used. |
Question: How often ____ to the park for a picnic? (you go) |
Answer: How often do you go to the park for a picnic? (you go) |
Explanation: The sentence talks about frequency (often). [It requires simple present tense i.e. v1/v5] |
Question: Look to your right! Mary ____ her little sister to school. How sweet! (bring) |
Answer: Look to your right! Mary is bringing her little sister to school. How sweet! |
Explanation: The action is happening at the moment of speaking. So, it’s a temporary action. Thus, present continuous tense is used i.e. is/am/are+V4 |
Question: Mom can't help you right now because she ____ dinner. (prepare) |
Answer: Mom can't help you right now because she is preparing dinner. |
Explanation: It’s a temporary action. Thus, present continuous tense is used i.e. is/am/are+V4. |
Question: The neighbours' boys always ____ to school late. (come) |
Answer: The neighbours' boys always come to school late. (come) |
Explanation: Look at the use of always in the sentence. It denotes a REGULAR ACTION. So, simple present tense i.e. V1/V5 is used. |
Question: My parents never ____ cigarettes in front of us. (smoke) |
Answer: My parents never smoke cigarettes in front of us. |
Explanation: Look at the use of never in the sentence. It denotes a habit. So, simple present tense i.e. V1/V5 is used. |
Question: I can't understand him because I ____any French. (not know) |
Answer: I can't understand him because I don’t know any French. (not know) |
Explanation: It expresses the present ability. So, simple present tense is used i.e. V1/V5. |
Question: Mary ____ eating sweets. Every morning she has coffee with lots of sweets. (like) |
Answer: Mary likes eating sweets. Every morning she has coffee with lots of sweets. |
Explanation: If the sentence expresses likes/dislikes, simple present tense i.e. V1/V5 is used. |
Question: What are the ducks doing? – I think they ____ to be fed by the tourists. (the ducks do) |
Answer: What are the ducks doing? – I think they are waiting to be fed by the tourists. (the ducks do) |
Explanation: It’s a temporary action. Thus, present continuous tense is used i.e. is/am/are+V4. |
Question: It ____ very hard at the moment. (rain) |
Answer: It is raining very hard at the moment. (rain) |
Explanation: Look at the use of at the moment in the sentence. It’s a temporary action. Thus, present continuous tense is used i.e. is/am/are+V4. |
Question: They normally ____ TV on Sundays but today they ____ a nap. (watch, take) |
Answer: They normally watch TV on Sundays but today they are taking a nap. (watch, take) |
Explanation: Look at the use of normally in the sentence. It expresses habit and thus simple present tense i.e. v1/v5 is used. Also, notice the use of today. It expresses temporary action and thus present continuous i.e. is/am/are+V4 is used. |
Question: Dad ____ TV when he ____home from the office. (not usually watch, come) |
Answer: Dad doesn't usually watch TV when he comes home from the office. |
Explanation: It expresses habit. So simple present tense (v1, v5) is used. |
Question: Every Monday my dad ____ to work by train because my mom ____ the car. (go, need) |
Answer: Every Monday my dad goes to work by train because my mom needs the car. |
Explanation: Notice the use of every Monday. It expresses frequency. So, simple present tense i.e. v1/v5 is used. |
Question: Our teacher often ____ at us when she's in a bad mood. (shout) |
Answer: Our teacher often shouts at us when she's in a bad mood. |
Explanation: Notice the use of often in the sentence. It expresses frequency. So, simple present tense i.e. v1/v5 is used. |
I ____ for a new car which I want to buy as soon as possible. (save) |
Answer: I am saving for a new car which I want to buy as soon as possible. |
Explanation: The sentence expresses an ongoing temporary action. So choose the verb accordingly i.e. present continuous tense (is/am/are+V4). |
Question: What ____ right now? – He ____ in the river. (tom do, swim) |
Answer: What is tom doing right now? – He is swimming in the river. |
Explanation: The sentence expresses an ongoing temporary action. So choose the verb accordingly i.e. present continuous tense (is/am/are+V4). |
When to use Present Continuous Tense (Image Illustration)
Present continuous tense is used to show:
- 👉 activities happening now
- 👉 present moment
- 👉 future plans
- 👉 gradual change
Tense Question, Answer and Explanation (PDF)
If you want to get the pdf version of tense question, answer and explanation, you can get it here.
Faq (Present simple and present progressive)
What is the difference between present continuous and present simple? |
Present continuous is usually used to show temporary action where as present simple is used to show permanent action. |
What is the present simple and present continuous sentence? |
''She works at the office'' is a simple sentence and ''she is working on a project right now'' is a present continuous sentence. |
When to use present continuous? |
Present continuous tense is basically used to show things that are happening now, future plans and arrangements, and gradual change |
When to use present simple? |
Present simple tense is basically used to show present affairs, permanent or long-lasting situations, and habitual actions. |
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Whether you're a Class 8 grammar enthusiast or a Grade 10 student aiming for improving your grammar knowledge, our quizzes offer a blend of education and entertainment.
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