Part 2: Verbs
Present Progressive
Examples
I am waiting for the bus.
School is starting two hours late.
The leaders are running for the finish line
Definition
Verbs in the present progressive tense express actions that are happening right now. For this reason, functional grammar calls this tense the present-in-the-present. The present progressive tense is quite common in speech and dialogue writing, but less frequent in academic registers.
Form
The present progressive is formed with the present tense of the auxiliary verb be and the present participle (-ing) form of the main verb. Present participles are completely regular in English.
|
Subject |
auxiliary be |
present participle (-ing) |
|
I |
am |
waiting |
|
You |
are |
eating |
|
School |
is |
starting |
|
The leaders |
are |
running |
Function
The present progressive is the tense of action and dialogue, so it is common in speech and texts that Narrate, especially in dialogue or in descriptions of what is or was happening. In other contexts, it might indicate ongoing change, temporary states, or future plans:
The number of bald eagles in the US is growing.
Consumers are changing their spending habits.
We are going on a field trip next week.
Some verbs are unusual – but not impossible – in the progressive aspect, especially verbs that express states (relating verbs and feeling verbs). We usually teach beginners not to use such stative verbs in progressive tenses. When these verbs are used in the present progressive, the meaning is often that the state is temporary rather than permanent. Compare these sentences:
She is reckless. She is being reckless.
I like movies. I’m liking this movie.
I have difficulty with math. I’m having difficulty with this math problem.
