The present progressive tense: How and When to Use in English
Quick and simple lesson to help you understand grammar better.
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The present progressive tense
The present progressive (auxiliary verb be + verb ending in -ing) is used to express a current action, an action in progress or an unfinished action:
The children are sleeping right now.
It can also be used with modal auxiliary verbs:
They should be sleeping by now.
It is often used for descriptions:
Polly is wearing nice shoes today.
The jaguar is lying on a tree branch.
The present progressive also allows us to express a future action or an intention, mainly with the expression to be going to:
We are going to count the votes this afternoon. We will count the votes this afternoon.
Are you going to accept the proposal? Will you accept the proposal? Do you plan to accept the proposal?
Bruno is not seeing anybody today. Bruno will not see anybody today.
The use of the present progressive is the opposite of that of the present simple, which is used:
• for permanent truths (Christmas falls on December 25th.)
• to express habits (Kevin plays golf every Saturday.)
• for announcements (The President announces a tax increase.)
• to express habits (Kevin plays golf every Saturday.)
• for announcements (The President announces a tax increase.)
Exercise 1
Because it today, Kevin has decided to cancel his golf lesson. Kevin regularly golf on Tuesday, but today he won't be able to play because of the poor conditions.
Because it is raining 1 today, Kevin has decided to cancel his golf lesson. Kevin regularly plays 2 golf on Tuesday, but today he won't be able to play because of the poor conditions.
1 is raining: We use the present progressive tense to describe an action in progress, or one which is currently taking place. Grammatically, the present progressive tense is the only form which fits this construction.
1 rains: The simple present tense is reserved for habitual or regular actions. For example, might say 'It rains frequently in Seattle', or 'It rains all time in the winter'. In this sentence, the term 'today' tells us that we are not describing a regular action, but rather an action taking place at a defined period of time.
1 raining: Although a progressive form of the verb is necessary in this construction, the present progressive tense requires a conjugated form of the auxiliary 'to be' before the ING form of the verb.
2 plays: The simple present tense is used to describe habitual or regular actions. The term 'regularly' in this sentence tells us that golfing on Tuesdays is a regular or habitual action for Kevin.
2 is playing: The present progressive tense is reserved for actions in progress or planned actions for the future. The term 'regularly' tells us that the action of playing golf is not in progress or currently taking place.
2 playing: Progressive tenses are reserved for actions in progress (past, present or future). The term 'regularly' tells us that the action of playing golf is not in progress or currently taking place. Furthermore, progressive tenses requires a conjugated form of the auxiliary 'to be' before the ING form of the verb.
Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks below with the correct form of the verb.
At the moment, Luna a fascinating book on the mating rituals of the Malaysian sea-turtle. In general, Luna science fiction novels, though currently she to expand her interests into nature and science books.
At the moment, Luna a fascinating book on the mating rituals of the Malaysian sea-turtle. In general, Luna science fiction novels, though currently she to expand her interests into nature and science books.
Fill in the blanks below with the correct form of the verb.
At the moment, Luna [not done] is reading 1 a fascinating book on the mating rituals of the Malaysian sea-turtle. In general, Luna [not done] enjoys 2 science fiction novels, though currently she [not done] is trying 3 to expand her interests into nature and science books.
At the moment, Luna [not done] is reading 1 a fascinating book on the mating rituals of the Malaysian sea-turtle. In general, Luna [not done] enjoys 2 science fiction novels, though currently she [not done] is trying 3 to expand her interests into nature and science books.
1 is reading: Because of the phrase 'at the moment', we know that the verb should be put in the present progressive tense, because it expresses an action in progress.
2 enjoys: The simple present tense is the best choice to describe a regular or habitual action. In this case, 'enjoys' describes that Luna likes or has affection for science fiction books. The phrase 'as a general rule' often signals the need for the simple present tense as it introduces a habitual or regular action.
3 is trying: The present progressive tense is used to describe actions in progress. The term 'currently' in this sentence tells us that the action of attempting to expand interests is taking place 'at the moment' or 'right now'. The present progressive tense is formed with a conjugated form of the auxiliary 'to be' plus the ING form of the main verb.
Exercise 3
Fill in the blanks below with the correct form of the verb.
Don't forget to use auxiliaries where necessary.
It is 7:45 in the evening, and Philip Cheeter late for his date with Swedish super-model Ivana Bümbüm. Cheeter gets into his car and to the florist to buy some petunias.
Don't forget to use auxiliaries where necessary.
It is 7:45 in the evening, and Philip Cheeter late for his date with Swedish super-model Ivana Bümbüm. Cheeter gets into his car and to the florist to buy some petunias.
Fill in the blanks below with the correct form of the verb.
Don't forget to use auxiliaries where necessary.
It is 7:45 in the evening, and Philip Cheeter [not done] is running 1 late for his date with Swedish super-model Ivana Bümbüm. Cheeter gets into his car and [not done] drives 2 to the florist to buy some petunias.
Don't forget to use auxiliaries where necessary.
It is 7:45 in the evening, and Philip Cheeter [not done] is running 1 late for his date with Swedish super-model Ivana Bümbüm. Cheeter gets into his car and [not done] drives 2 to the florist to buy some petunias.
1 is running: 'To be running late' is a common English idiom that means 'to be behind schedule'. It is nearly always used in the present (or past) continuous (I am running late, I was running late) because it describes an ongoing state. The phrase 'It's 7:45' confirms that Philip is running late NOW, therefore we use the present continuous. A similar example: You are reading this correction. Think about that for a while!
2 drives: This verb must be put in the simple present tense to match the previous verb in the sentence ('gets into'). In a narrative text, we use the simple present tense to describe actions which are completed during the narration. For example: 'It is Tuesday, so Bruno wakes up early and eats a quick breakfast'.
Exercise 4
I to the store right now. Do you anything?
I am going 1 to the store right now. Do you need 2 anything?
1 am going: We use the present progressive tense to describe an action in progress. In this sentence, the speaker is probably on his way to the store (as we speak), however the present progressive is still appropriate.
1 go: The simple present tense is only used to describe regular or habitual activities, or permanent ones. The phrase 'right now' tells us that 'going to the store' is not a habitual activity, but simply one which is in progress.
1 went: 'Went' is incorrect here because the phrase 'right now' indicates this activity does not take place in the past.
2 need: 'Need' is the correct choice. The second person, present tense form of the verb 'to need' is 'you need'. We know that the present tense is needed because of the phrase 'right now' which indicates that this action takes place in the present.
2 needed: Because the phrase 'right now' places this action in the present tense, we cannot use the past tense form of this verb.
2 needing: Because the phrase 'right now' places this action in the present tense, we cannot use a progressive form of this verb. Moreover, the verb 'to need' is rarely used in the progressive tense, it describes a 'state' or condition. We use the present progressive tense to describe actions which are ongoing or in progress.
Exercise 5
Icarus reading some files yesterday morning, when Horatio stopped by his office. 'How you doing today Señor Quincy? Everything going well, I hope.'
Icarus was 1 reading some files yesterday morning, when Horatio stopped by his office. 'How are 2 you doing today Señor Quincy? Everything is 3 going well, I hope.'
1 was: In the past tense, 'was' is the correct form of the verb 'to be' in the third person singular.
1 is: Because of the phrase 'yesterday morning' we know that this incident took place in the past, therefore we must use the third person form of the verb 'to be' in the past tense.
2 are: This is the correct choice. In the present tense, the second person form of 'to be' is 'are'.
2 were: Because of the word 'today' in this question, we must use the present tense form of the verb here.
2 is: 'Is' is the third person form of the verb 'to be'. Because Horatio is speaking directly to Icarus, we must use 'are', the second person form.
3 is: This is the best choice here. In the phrase 'I hope everything is going well', the subject 'everything' is considered a third person subject, and so the verb 'to be' is conjugated as 'is'.
3 are: We cannot use 'are' in this sentence because 'everything' is treated like the third person form, and takes 'is' rather than 'are'.
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