Worksheet: 3

So, what are you Nowadays? I’m

doing nowadays? learning French.

Why are you learning I’m planning to work in

French? France.

Barbara Sarah

When Barbara asks ‘What are you doing …?’, Sarah is NOT learning French (She’s chatting/having coffee).
However, Sarah’s answer is the present continuous (I’m … ing) . She is learning French nowadays (around the
present time), not at the moment of speaking. We can use the present continuous tense to talk about
something we are doing around now.

1 Look at these activities. Which of them are you doing these days?


0 learning English 
These days …

00 working until late night  0 I’m learning English.

1 reading a novel
2 looking for a new job
3 save up some money
4 travelling a lot
5 going on a diet
00 I’m not working until late night.
1 ................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................
3 ................................................................................................
4 ................................................................................................
5 ................................................................................................

6 decorating our house/flat 6 ................................................................................................

7 planning to go abroad
8 cooking my own meals
9 doing the washing up
10 writing a report
7 ................................................................................................
8 ................................................................................................
9 ................................................................................................
10 ................................................................................................
11 ................................................................................................

11 revising for an exam 12 ................................................................................................

12 making a lot of friends

2 Practise with your partner using the ideas in 1. Give details.

A: Are you learning English these days?

B: Yes, I am. I’m learning English at college.
A: Are you working until late night?
B: No, I’m not.

1 © Mohamed Farzan
3 Interview the class. Find someone who’s doing these things nowadays.

Find someone who is doing these things nowadays.

Name Activity Details

0 Anju learn a new skill to cook; mother teaching; get married.

1 _________ look for a place to live _______________________________________
2 _________ plan a party/social event _______________________________________
3 _________ write anything _______________________________________
4 _________ read anything interesting _______________________________________
5 _________ apply for jobs _______________________________________
6 _________ eat less of something _______________________________________
7 _________ try to give up a bad habit _______________________________________
8 _________ plan to take up a hobby _______________________________________
9 _________ save up money _______________________________________
10 _________ entertain visitors _______________________________________
11 _________ do a course _______________________________________
12 _________ decorate their house/flat _______________________________________
13 _________ take any medicine _______________________________________
14 _________ do a lot shopping _______________________________________
15 _________ play a computer game _______________________________________

A: Are you learning a new skill?

B: A new skill? Yes, I’m learning how to cook with my mother. (or My mother’s teaching me.)
A: Are you looking for a place to live?
C: …

4 Tell the class about what you have found out.

Anju is learning to cook nowadays. Her mother is teaching her how to cook. She is going to get
married soon, so she needs to know how to cook.

Ramesh is looking for a place to live. He wants a flat to rent at a reasonable price. He wants one in
a quiet neighbourhood. He’s starting university in three months. …

2 © Mohamed Farzan