The Present Progressive Tense

Spelling Tip

Verbing (Present Participle)

  • Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking
  • For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding
  • For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying
  • For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is stressed, double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin > beginning. However: enter > entering (last syllable is not stressed)

The present progressive tense is often overused by non-native speakers of English. It should only be used in the following contexts:

To describe an incomplete action which is in progress at the moment of speaking; usually with time expressions such as: now, at the moment, right now.

  1. (During a phone call or in an e-mail) We are discussing the project at the moment.

To describe a plan or arrangement in the near future; usually with time expressions such as: tonight, tomorrow, this week, this Monday.

  1. Jim‘s leaving for Brussels this evening.

To express actions that are repeated regularly; usually with a negative meaning and with the time expressions: always or forever.

  1. Her husband is always complaining about his health.

Note: A common mistake is using this form to describe what a company sells or produces. In general, a company sells something on a regular basis, so you need to use the present simple tense and not the present progressive.

  • Incorrect: We are producing high-end plastic pipes.
  • Correct: We produce high-end plastic pipes.
  • Correct: That company is always selling some cheap gadget. (negative meaning)

The present progressive (continuous) is formed using am, is or are together with the ing (present participle) form of the verb.

Subject A form of be + Verbing (Present Participle) Rest of Sentence
I am taking my final exam tomorrow
He / She / It is sweeping the floor at the moment
You / We / They are giving me a headache

Contractions in the Present Progressive (Continuous)

In general we contract (or shorten) the subject (the person or thing doing the action), and form of be:

  1. I am > I’m – I’m going to the store in about ten minutes.
  2. He is > He’s, She is > She’s, It is > It’s – It’s raining cats and dogs.
  3. We are > We’re, You are > You’re, They are > They’re – We’re catching the 9:00 flight.

Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis.

  1. You are not going out tonight!

When speaking, you should stress the not.

Negatives in the Present Progressive (Continuous)

Spelling Tip

When shortening a form of be and negative, just remove the o in not and add an apostrophe (‘)
is not > isn’t
are not > aren’t

The negative in the present progressive tense is created using am not, is not or are not together with the ing form (present participle) of the verb.

Subject A form of be + Verbing Rest of Sentence
I am not working on that project now
He / She / It isn’t sleeping at the moment
You / We / They aren’t running in the marathon tomorrow

Note: In general, use these contractions in the negative: isn’t, aren’t. Am not cannot be shortened, but you can say I’m not. Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis.

  1. I’m not listening to you.
  2. Roger isn’t eating with us tonight.
  3. The Smiths aren’t going to France this year. They’re going to Thailand.
  4. He is not coming with me dressed like that!

Present Perfect progressive

The present perfect progressive expresses an action that recently stopped or is still going on. It puts emphasis on the duration or course of the action.

Form of Present Perfect Progressive

  Positive Negative Question
I / you / we / they I have been speaking. I have not been speaking. Have I been speaking?
he / she / it He has been speaking. He has not been speaking. Has he been speaking?

Exceptions in Spelling

Exceptions in spelling when adding ing Example
final e is dropped
(but: ee is not changed)		 come – coming
(but: agree – agreeing)
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled sit – sitting
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel – travelling
final ie becomes y lie – lying

Use of Present Perfect Progressive

  • puts emphasis on the duration or course of an action (not the result)

Example: She has been writing for two hours.

  • action that recently stopped or is still going on

Example: I have been living here since 2001.

  • finished action that influenced the present

Example: I have been working all afternoon.

Signal Words of Present Perfect Progressive

  • all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week