Progressive tenses indicate ongoing actions from "summary" of Basic English Grammar For Dummies - UK by Geraldine Woods
Progressive tenses are a crucial part of English grammar because they show that an action is ongoing or still in progress. When you use a progressive tense, you are indicating that the action is continuing at the moment you are talking about. For example, if you say, "I am reading a book," you are letting the listener know that you are in the process of reading the book right now. There are several progressive tenses in English, including the present progressive, past progressive, and future progressive. Each of these tenses has its own unique form and is used in different situations. The present progressive tense is used to talk about actions that are happening right now, at the present moment. For example, "She is watching TV," indicates that she is currently watching TV. The past progressive tense is used to talk about actions that were ongoing in the past. For example, "I was studying for my exam," tells us that the action of studying was happening in the past. The future progressive tense is used to talk about actions that will be ongoing in the future. For example, "They will be working on a project next week," indicates that they will be working on the project in the future. In addition to indicating ongoing actions, progressive tenses can also be used to show that an action is temporary or not permanent. For example, "I am living in London," suggests that living in London is a temporary situation. Progressive tenses can also be used to express annoyance or irritation about a repeated action. For example, "He is always leaving his dirty dishes in the sink," conveys annoyance about the repeated action of leaving dirty dishes in the sink.- Progressive tenses are a vital aspect of English grammar that allows us to convey ongoing actions, temporary situations, and annoyance about repeated actions. By understanding how to use progressive tenses correctly, you can communicate more effectively in English and convey your intended meaning to your listener.
