Related Pages
What Is the Present Progressive Tense? (with Examples)
Present Progressive Tense
The present progressive tense is used for an ongoing action in the present. For example:- John is baking a cake.
- They are painting the fence.
- We are moving to New Zealand in the summer.
- The train is arriving in 2 minutes.
A Video Summary
Here is a short video summarizing the present progressive tense:Infographic for the Present Progressive Tense
Here is an infographic explaining the present progressive tense:
Examples of the Present Progressive Tense
- Caroline is looking for the latest brochure.
- Dan and Billy are fishing off the pier.
- A lot of good arguments are spoiled by some fool who knows what he is talking about. (Playwright Miguel de Unamuno)
- Middle age is when you are sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn't for you. (Poet Ogden Nas)
Forming the Present Progressive Tense
The present progressive tense is formed like this:"am," "is," or "are"
+ [present participle ("verb-ing")]
Choose "am," "is," or "are" based on the following table:
Subject | Verb "to be" | Present Participle | I | am | [verb] + "ing" | You | are | He / She / It (or singular noun) | is | We | are | You | are | They (or plural noun) | are |
---|
For example:
- She is running.
- I am talking.
Forming the Present Participle
The [verb] + "ing" part is known as a present participle. It is formed like this:Add "ing" to most verbs:
- play > playing
- shout > shouting
For verbs that end "e", remove the "e" and add "ing":
- prepare > preparing
- ride > riding
For verbs that end "ie", change the "ie" to "y" and add "ing":
- lie > lying
- untie > untying
For verbs whose last syllable is written [consonant-vowel-consonant] and is stressed, double the final consonant and add "ing":
- run > running
- forget > forgetting
The Negative Version
If you need the negative version, you can use the following construction:"am," "is," or "are"
+ "not"
+ [present participle]
- Caroline is not looking for the latest brochure.
- Dan and Billy are not fishing off the pier.
The Question Version
If you need to ask a question, you can use the following word order for a yes/no question:"am," "is," or "are"
+ [subject]
+ [present participle]
- Is Caroline looking for the latest brochure?
- Are Dan and Billy fishing off the pier?
[question word]
+ "am," "is," or "are"
+ [subject]
+ [present participle]
- Why is Caroline looking for the latest brochure?
- When are Dan and Billy fishing off the pier?
"am," "is," or "are"
+ [subject]
+ [present participle]
+ choice A
+ or
+ choice B
- Is Caroline looking for the latest brochure or her chair?
"am," "is," or "are"
+ [subject]
+ present participle A
+ or
+ present participle B
- Are Dan and Billy fishing off or jumping off the pier?
Verb Tense Widget
Use this widget to learn about the different tenses. How do you use this widget? Well, if there's a button, a drop-down menu, or a
to base form
( verb)
Select the tenses.
Present Tenses 
Past Tenses 
Future Tenses 
The Other Present Tenses
The present progressive tense is one of four present tenses. They are:The 4 Present Tenses | Example |
---|---|
simple present tense | I go |
present progressive tense | I am going |
present perfect tense | I have gone |
present perfect progressive tense | I have been going |
Slider Showing All the Tenses
The following slider shows all 12 tenses. The present progressive tense is highlighted with a yellow background.Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?