Definition:
A verb construction (made up of a present form of the verb "to be" plus a present participle) that conveys a sense of ongoing action at the present time. See also:
- Progressive
- What Is the Difference Between the Present Progressive and Present Participle?
- Past Progressive
- Future Progressive
Examples and Observations:
- "I hope that while so many people are out smelling the flowers, someone is taking the time to plant some."
(Herbert Rappaport) - "I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."
(Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.) - "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
(Bill Cosby) - Uses of the present progressive:
- to refer to events that are in progress at the time of speaking or writing
- to refer to things that are taking place or that are true around the moment of speaking or writing, though they may be only temporary
- to describe actions that are repeated or regular but are either temporary or may be judged to be temporary
- to describe regular actions in relation to a particular time or a specified event, especially when those events interrupt something already in progress
- to refer to gradual processes of change
- with adverbs of indefinite frequency (such as always, constantly, continually, forever) to describe events that are regular but unplanned and often undesired
