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What Is The Progressive Verb Tense - Definition, Examples of The Continuous Tense - Writing Explained
What Is The Progressive Verb Tense - Definition, Examples of The Continuous Tense - Writing Explained
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3/9/2021 What is the Progressive Verb Tense? Definition, Examples of the Continuous Tense - Writing Explained
The progressive tense is also used in the perfect progressive of past, present, and
future tenses.
The progressive tense is formed with a “to be” verb conjugation and the present
participle of a verb (-ing ending).
See below for a brief description of each and click the link for a full description.
Past Progressive
What is the past progressive tense? The past progressive expresses events that
lasted for a duration of time in the past.
duration
I was reading.
interrupted actions in progress
I was reading when he arrived.
actions happening at the same time
I was lying on the bed while I was reading.
polite question
He was wondering if you could assist him.
What is the present progressive tense? The present progressive expresses actions
that are happening now or that are in progress.
Future Progressive
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What is the future progressive tense? The future progressive usually expresses
actions will be happening (that subject will be in progress doing) at some point in the
future.
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What is the past perfect progressive? The past perfect progressive most often
expresses actions in the past that were in progress before other actions.
Subject + had been + present participle (and “-ing” to end of the verb)
What is the present perfect progressive? The present perfect progressive tense
expresses actions that began in the past and continue to the present and actions that
have recently stopped.
Subject + has/had + been + present participle (and “-ing” to end of the verb)
What is the future perfect progressive? The future perfect progressive tense
expresses actions that will last for a set time at a speci c moment in the future.
Subject + will have been + present participle (and “-ing” to end of the verb)
In summary,
To form the progressive tense, the “to be” verb needs to be appropriately conjugated
and added to a present participle verb.
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