An image forming apparatus, operable in a single-sided image formation mode in which images can be formed on a first side of a continuous sheet and a double-sided image formation mode in which images can be formed on a first side and a second side of a continuous sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising: conveying means configured to convey the continuous sheet; image forming means configured to form a plurality of images on a first side of a continuous sheet and, if the double-sided image formation mode is to be used, to subsequently form a plurality of images on the second side; cutting means, positioned downstream of the image forming means in a sheet conveyance direction, configured to cut the continuous sheet; duplex conveying means positioned downstream of the cutting means and configured, if the double-sided image formation mode is to be used, to convey the continuous sheet to the image forming means for image formation on the second side, wherein the duplex conveying means is further configured to reverse the continuous sheet; and control means configured, if the single-sided image formation mode is to be used: to perform control such that the image forming means forms a plurality of images on a first side, and to perform control such that the cutting means cuts the continuous sheet at a first position behind a final image on the first side to form a cut edge, and configured, if the double-sided image formation mode is to be used: to perform control such that the image forming means forms a plurality of images on the first side, to perform control such that the cutting means cuts the continuous sheet at a second position behind the first position, and to perform control such that the duplex conveying means winds the continuous sheet from a first end and feeds the continuous sheet from a second end to the image forming means, wherein, in feeding of the continuous sheet, the image forming means forms a maintenance pattern on the second side at a position which does not overlap with the last image based on image information on the first side. conveying means configured to convey the continuous sheet; image forming means configured to form a plurality of images on a first side of a continuous sheet and, if the double-sided image formation mode is to be used, to subsequently form a plurality of images on the second side; cutting means, positioned downstream of the image forming means in a sheet conveyance direction, configured to cut the continuous sheet; duplex conveying means positioned downstream of the cutting means and configured, if the double-sided image formation mode is to be used, to convey the continuous sheet to the image forming means for image formation on the second side, wherein the duplex conveying means is further configured to reverse the continuous sheet; and control means configured, if the single-sided image formation mode is to be used: to perform control such that the image forming means forms a plurality of images on a first side, and to perform control such that the cutting means cuts the continuous sheet at a first position behind a final image on the first side to form a cut edge, and configured, if the double-sided image formation mode is to be used: to perform control such that the image forming means forms a plurality of images on the first side, to perform control such that the cutting means cuts the continuous sheet at a second position behind the first position, and to perform control such that the image forming means forms a plurality of images on a first side, and to perform control such that the cutting means cuts the continuous sheet at a first position behind a final image on the first side to form a cut edge, and to perform control such that the image forming means forms a plurality of images on the first side, to perform control such that the cutting means cuts the continuous sheet at a second position behind the first position, and to perform control such that the duplex conveying means winds the continuous sheet from a first end and feeds the continuous sheet from a second end to the image forming means, wherein, in feeding of the continuous sheet, the image forming means forms a maintenance pattern on the second side at a position which does not overlap with the last image based on image information on the first side.