Year 7 English: Understand Progressive Verb Tenses

What Are Progressive Verb Tenses?

Progressive verb tenses (also called continuous tenses) are used to describe actions that are happening over a period of time. They are often used when the action is ongoing, in progress, or unfinished at the time of speaking.

There are three main progressive tenses:

• Present Progressive: Describes an action happening right now.
• Past Progressive: Describes an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.
• Future Progressive: Describes an action that will be happening at a specific time in the future.

Present Progressive

The present progressive tense describes something that is happening right now or around the current time. It is formed with am/is/are + verb-ing.

Examples:

• I am reading a book. (happening now)
• They are playing football. (happening at the moment)

Past Progressive

The past progressive tense describes an action that was happening at a specific moment in the past. It is formed with was/were + verb-ing.

Examples:

• She was cooking dinner when I arrived. (action in progress in the past)
• We were watching TV at 8 pm yesterday.

Future Progressive

The future progressive tense describes an action that will be happening at a specific time in the future. It is formed with will be + verb-ing.

Examples:

• He will be travelling to London this time tomorrow.
• We will be studying for our exams next week.

Key Rules for Using Progressive Tenses

1. Present Progressive: Always use am/is/are followed by the -ing form of the verb.

• Example: He is running fast.

1. Past Progressive: Always use was/were followed by the -ing form of the verb.

• Example: They were eating lunch when it started to rain.

1. Future Progressive: Always use will be followed by the -ing form of the verb.

• Example: We will be visiting the museum next week.

Tips and Tricks

• If the action is happening right now, you’re most likely using the present progressive.
• If the action was happening at a specific time in the past, you’re using the past progressive.
• If you’re talking about something that will be happening in the future, use the future progressive.

Questions for Practice

Easy Questions

1. What is the present progressive form of “run”?
2. Complete the sentence: She __ (play) the piano now.
3. What is the past progressive form of “eat”?
4. Complete the sentence: We __ (watch) a movie at 9 pm yesterday.
5. Change the sentence into the future progressive: They sing tomorrow.
6. Complete the sentence: He __ (read) a book now.
7. What is the future progressive form of “swim”?
8. Write the past progressive form of “walk”.
9. Complete the sentence: I __ (study) at 8 pm last night.
10. Change the sentence into present progressive: She dances.
11. Complete the sentence: They __ (sleep) at the moment.
12. What is the present progressive form of “write”?
13. Complete the sentence: He __ (drive) to work right now.
14. What is the past progressive form of “run”?
15. Complete the sentence: I __ (cook) dinner when the phone rang.
16. Change the sentence into future progressive: She eats later.
17. Complete the sentence: We __ (talk) at the meeting next week.
18. What is the future progressive form of “read”?
19. Complete the sentence: I __ (paint) tomorrow afternoon.
20. Write the present progressive form of “play”.

Medium Questions

1. Why do we use the present progressive tense?
2. Complete the sentence: They __ (run) when the storm started.
3. What is the future progressive form of “teach”?
4. Write the past progressive form of “dance”.
5. Complete the sentence: He __ (write) a letter when I called.
6. What is the present progressive form of “listen”?
7. Change the sentence into past progressive: She sings at the party.
8. Complete the sentence: We __ (study) for exams tomorrow.
9. What is the past progressive form of “drive”?
10. Complete the sentence: The children __ (play) outside when it started to rain.
11. Change the sentence into future progressive: They finish their work soon.
12. Complete the sentence: She __ (speak) to her friend now.
13. Write the past progressive form of “read”.
14. Complete the sentence: I __ (cook) at 7 pm yesterday.
15. What is the future progressive form of “run”?
16. Complete the sentence: We __ (learn) French next month.
17. Write the present progressive form of “swim”.
18. Complete the sentence: She __ (sing) when I arrived.
19. What is the past progressive form of “make”?
20. Change the sentence into present progressive: He writes a letter.

Hard Questions

1. Explain when to use the past progressive tense.
2. Complete the sentence: The dog __ (bark) all night when the storm hit.
3. What is the future progressive form of “build”?
4. Write the past progressive form of “swim”.
5. Complete the sentence: I __ (talk) to him while you were away.
6. Why do we use the future progressive tense?
7. Complete the sentence: We __ (eat) lunch at 2 pm tomorrow.
8. What is the present progressive form of “run”?
9. Change the sentence into past progressive: He plays football every weekend.
10. Complete the sentence: They __ (wait) for the bus when it started raining.
11. What is the past progressive form of “sing”?
12. Write the future progressive form of “dance”.
13. Complete the sentence: She __ (drive) to work when she got a flat tyre.
14. Change the sentence into future progressive: I do my homework later.
15. Write the present progressive form of “talk”.
16. What is the past progressive form of “speak”?
17. Complete the sentence: I __ (write) my essay at 5 pm tomorrow.
18. What is the future progressive form of “travel”?
19. Write the past progressive form of “ride”.
20. Explain how the present progressive tense is different from the past progressive.

Answers

Easy Questions

1. Am running
2. Is playing
3. Was eating
4. Were watching
5. They will be singing tomorrow.
6. Is reading
7. Will be swimming
8. Was walking
9. Was studying
10. She is dancing.
11. Are sleeping
12. Am writing
13. Is driving
14. Was running
15. Was cooking
16. She will be eating later.
17. Will be talking
18. Will be reading
19. Will be painting
20. Am playing

Medium Questions

1. To describe an action happening right now.
2. Were running
3. Will be teaching
4. Was dancing
5. Was writing
6. Am listening
7. Was singing
8. Will be studying
9. Was driving
10. Were playing
11. They will be finishing their work soon.
12. Is speaking
13. Was reading
14. Was cooking
15. Will be running
16. Will be learning
17. Am swimming
18. Was singing
19. Was making
20. He is writing a letter.

Hard Questions

1. To describe an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.
2. Was barking
3. Will be building
4. Was swimming
5. Was talking
6. To describe an action that will be happening at a specific time in the future.
7. Will be eating
8. Am running
9. Was playing
10. Were waiting
11. Was singing
12. Will be dancing
13. Was driving
14. I will be doing my homework later.
15. Am talking
16. Was speaking
17. Will be writing
18. Will be travelling
19. Was riding
20. Present progressive describes ongoing action now, while past progressive describes action that was ongoing in the past.