English Language Arts
Grade 5
15 min
Use the progressive verb tenses
Use the progressive verb tenses
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the present, past, and future progressive tenses in sentences.
Correctly form the present progressive tense using 'am/is/are' + a verb ending in '-ing'.
Correctly form the past progressive tense using 'was/were' + a verb ending in '-ing'.
Correctly form the future progressive tense using 'will be' + a verb ending in '-ing'.
Use progressive verb tenses to describe ongoing actions in their own writing.
Distinguish between a simple tense and a progressive tense.
Revise sentences to include progressive tenses for more descriptive effect.
What is happening right now? You are reading this sentence! 📖 That's an action in progress, and we have a special verb tense just for that.
In this...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Progressive TenseA verb tense that shows an action is, was, or will be in progress or ongoing for a period of time. It's also called the 'continuous' tense.The chef is chopping vegetables.
Helping VerbA verb that 'helps' the main verb show the action and tense. In progressive tenses, the helping verbs are forms of 'to be' (am, is, are, was, were, will be).In the sentence 'She *is* singing,' the word 'is' is the helping verb.
Main VerbThe verb that shows the primary action in the sentence. In progressive tenses, it always ends in '-ing'.In the sentence 'They were *laughing*,' the word 'laughing' is the main verb.
Present ProgressiveShows an action that is happening right now.I *am typ...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Present Progressive Formula
Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
Use this to describe an action happening now. Use 'am' with I; 'is' with he, she, it, or a singular noun; and 'are' with you, we, they, or a plural noun.
Past Progressive Formula
Subject + was/were + verb-ing
Use this to describe an ongoing action in the past. Use 'was' with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun; and 'were' with you, we, they, or a plural noun.
Future Progressive Formula
Subject + will be + verb-ing
Use this to describe an ongoing action in the future. The helping verbs 'will be' are used with all subjects.
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Challenging
A writer wants to describe a busy kitchen scene where two actions were happening at the same time in the past. Which sentence best uses the past progressive tense to show this?
A.My father chopped the onions after my mother washed the lettuce.
B.While my father was chopping the onions, my mother was washing the lettuce.
C.My father chopped the onions, and my mother washed the lettuce.
D.My father will be chopping onions while my mother washes lettuce.
Challenging
Which sentence uses the future progressive tense to suggest a planned, ongoing event rather than just a simple prediction about the future?
A.We will be celebrating my birthday all weekend.
B.I will finish my chores soon.
C.It will rain tomorrow.
D.The bus will arrive at 4:00 PM.
Challenging
In the sentence, "The scientists, who were studying the volcano for weeks, finally saw an eruption while they were collecting new data," what is the main function of the progressive verbs?
A.To show two actions that will happen in the future.
B.To show two completed actions that happened one after another.
C.To describe a single, quick action in the past.
D.To provide background information about ongoing actions that were interrupted by a main event.
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