We often use the present progressive tense in English. It is very different from the simple present tense, both in structure and in use.
A. How do we make the Present Progressive Tense?The structure of the present progressive tense is:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
| | be | | base + ing |
Look at these examples:
| subject | auxiliary verb | | main verb | |
| + | I | am | | speaking | to you. |
| + | You | are | | reading | this. |
| - | She | is | not | staying | in London. |
| - | We | are | not | playing | football. |
| ? | Is | he | | watching | TV? |
| ? | Are | they | | waiting | for John? |
B. How do we use the Present Progressive Tense?
We use the present progressive tense to talk about:
- action happening now
- action in the future
Present progressive tense for action happening now
a) for action happening
exactly now
| I am eating my lunch. |
| past | present | future |
|
| The action is happening now. | |
Look at these examples. Right now you are looking at this screen and at the same time...
 |  |  |
| ...the pages are turning. | ...the candle is burning. | ...the numbers are spinning. |
b) for action happening
around now
The action may not be happening exactly now, but it is happening just before and just after now, and it is not permanent or habitual.
| John is going out with Mary. |
| past | present | future |
|
| The action is happening around now. | |
Look at these examples:
- Muriel is learning to drive.
- I am living with my sister until I find an apartment.
Present progressive tense for the future
We can also use the present progressive tense to talk about the
future - if we add a
future word!! We must add (or understand from the context) a future word. "Future words" include, for example,
tomorrow,
next year,
in June,
at Christmas etc. We only use the present progressive tense to talk about the future when we have planned to do something before we speak. We have already
made a decision and a plan before speaking.
| I am taking my exam next month. |
| past | present | future |
|
| A firm plan or programme exists now. | The action is in the future. |
Look at these examples:
- We're eating in a restaurant tonight. We've already booked the table..
- They can play tennis with you tomorrow. They're not working.
- When are you starting your new job?
In these examples, we have
a firm plan or programme before speaking. The decision and plan were made
before speaking.
C. How do we spell the Present Progressive Tense?
We make the present progressive tense by adding -ing to the base verb. Normally it's simple - we just add -ing. But sometimes we have to change the word a little. Perhaps we double the last letter, or we drop a letter. Here are the rules to help you know how to spell the present progressive tense.
| Basic rule | Just add -ing to the base verb: |
| work | > | working |
| play | > | playing |
| assist | > | assisting |
| see | > | seeing |
| be | > | being |
| Exception 1 | If the base verb ends in consonant + stressed vowel + consonant, double the last letter:
| s | t | o | p |
| consonant | stressed
vowel | consonant |
(vowels = a, e, i, o, u) |
| stop | > | stopping |
| run | > | running |
| begin | > | beginning |
| Note that this exception does not apply when the last syllable of the base verb is not stressed: |
| open | > | opening |
| Exception 2 | If the base verb ends in ie, change the ie to y: |
| lie | > | lying |
| die | > | dying |
| Exception 3 | If the base verb ends in vowel + consonant + e, omit the e: |
| come | > | coming |
| mistake |
Now play Present Progressive Tense Games below:
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