PROGRESSIVE TENSES

The progressive tenses are all formed by the helping verb

be in some form immediately followed by a verb in the
present participle form.
The present progressive uses a present tense form of
be, the past progressive uses a past-tense form of be,
while the future progressive uses the future tense of be.
The progressive tenses are all used to describe an action
in progress at some present, past or future moment of
time.
The key to using the progressive tense is that they are
always tied to some action that takes place at a specific
point or moment in time.
Thus, the progressive tenses can never be used to make
broad timeless generalizations.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
How is the form?

The most common use of the present

progressive is to talk about what is happening
at the present time.
For example if someone were to go the
window and say, “It’s raining,” we know
without being told that the speaker is talking
about what is happening right now.
Can you make other example?
The progressive is not limited to just the
present moment. It often refers to action that
goes beyond just the present moment.
We are living in Yogyakarta now.
She’s working in Bethesda hospital.
The present progressive often conveys a sense
of temporariness. For example, compare the
following pair of sentences:
They fly first-class.
They are flying first-class.
In the first sentence, the use of present tense
shows that it is normal custom to fly first-class. It
doesn’t mean that they are flying first class at
the moment.
The use of present progressive in the second
sentence means that they are flying first-class
on the particular flight we are talking about at
the moment. We don’t know whether they
regularly fly first class or not.
Not all verbs can be used in the present
progressive (or any other progressive tense,
for that matter).
There is a group of verbs called stative verbs.

Quite often we think of a verb as word used to

express action. However this is not rules of
stative verbs. Stative verbs do not express
action. Stative verbs describe an ongoing
condition.
Look at these sentences.
John drives a car.
John owns a car.

The practical difference between action and

stative verbs is that we can use action verbs in
all the progressive tense, but we cannot use
stative verbs in any of the progressive tenses.
John is driving a car.
John is owning a car.
Stative verbs tend to fall into distinct
categories based on meaning
EMOTIONS: appreciate, desire, dislike, doubt,
feel, hate, like, love, need, prefer, want, wish
MEASUREMENT: consist of, contain, cost,
entail, equal, have, measure, weigh
COGNITION: believe, doubt, know, mean,
think, understand
APPEARANCE: appear, be, look, resemble,
seem, sound
SENSE PERCEPTION: feel, hear, see, seem,
smell, taste
OWNERSHIP: belong, have, own, posses
exercise
Examine each verb in italics in the following sentences.
If the verb is not a stative verb, rewrite the verb as a
present progressive. If the verb is a stative verb, rewrite
the verb in the present tense.
1) The plane encounter some resistance.
2) The security guard unlock the door.
3) The boss doubt that we can finish the project
on time.
4) My friend be park his car.
5) The entire project cost more than a million
dollar.
6) You deserve the new promotion.
PAST PROGRESSIVE
It consists of the past tense of the verb be
(was or were), followed by a verb in the
present participle form. The past progressive
is always tied up to the past time. It can be a
specific moment or period in time.
By 9 a.m., I was working at my desk.
At noon we were fixing lunch.
During the afternoon, we were having drinks on
the terrace.
The past time can be defined by some other
event as expressed in a past-tense subordinate
clause.

For example:
We were watching TV when the lights went
out.
When you called, we were working in the
garden.
They were driving to Richland when they had
the accident.
The past progressive can also be used for a
past-time action or event that spans a
defined period of past time.

For example:

All last week, my boss was meeting with the

sales reps.
From noon on, I was raking leaves in the
backyard.
All the time he was talking, I was looking at my
watch.
exercise
Examine each verb in italics in the following
sentences. Rewrite the verb as a past
progressive.
1) The chef bake the pie when the guests came.
2) As she walk down the street yesterday, she
noticed the stray dog.
3) All last month, the teacher grade tests.
4) At the time of the hurricane, they live on the
west side of the city.
5) The police control the rioters when the
convention began.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE
The future progressive consists of the future
tense of the verb be (will be) followed by a
verb in the present participle form.

The future time can be a specific moment or

period in time.

At noon, I will be flying to Houston.

Next week, the kids will be staying with their
grandparents.
During the school year, she will be living in a
dorm.
Or the future time can be defined as taking
place during some future-time event that is
expressed in a present-tense subordinate
clause.

When you are in California, I will be working on my

thesis.
He will be arranging more interviews when you
enter the data.
I will be working from home when they repaint my
office.
Thank you...