Cover Page of
The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing
Table of ContentsWriting TimelineIndexHelpCredits

Section 11.3.1.7

Progressive Form

Use the progressive form (sometimes called the continuous form) in conjunction with any verb tense (present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, future perfect) to express an action that is ongoing with respect to a point in time or another action. To make the progressive, use a form of the auxiliary be and the present participle of the following verb.
In many sections of the United States, the productive topsoil is rapidly disappearing. [present tense: the disappearing is ongoing with respect to the present time]

In many sections of the United States, the productive topsoil was rapidly disappearing. [past tense: the disappearing was ongoing with respect to a particular point in time]

--James Gilluly, Principles of Geology (modified)

Although astronomers have been accumulating observations of all the stages in a star's life in recent years, it is fair to say that really tremendous strides have been taken within the past few years in observing the very earliest stages of stellar life. [present perfect: the accumulating was ongoing in the past and continues to be ongoing in the present time]

--Martin Cohen, "Star Birth and Maturity"


Do not use the progressive form with states or facts; use the simple present tense or simple past tense instead. Some verbs that commonly describe states are appear, appreciate, be, believe, belong, care, comprise, consider, contain, cost, desire, dislike, doubt, entail, envy, fear, feel, forget, hate, have, hear, imagine, include, know, like, look, love, mean, mind, need, owe, own, possess, prefer, realize, recognize, remember, resemble, see, seem, suppose, taste, think, trust, understand, want, and weigh.


Unacceptable

When we compare what we can see of our Galaxy with other galaxies, it is appearing that our Milky Way Galaxy is resembling a spiral like many other galaxies, stoked with hundreds of billions of stars unevenly interlaced throughout chaotic swirls of interstellar gas and dust.

Acceptable

When we compare what we can see of our Galaxy with other galaxies, it appears that our Milky Way Galaxy resembles a spiral like many other galaxies, stoked with hundreds of billions of stars unevenly interlaced throughout chaotic swirls of interstellar gas and dust.

--Eric J. Chaisson, "Our Galaxy"


Reference Link Text
## Progressive Form ##
Reference Link Text

[ Home | Table of Contents | Writing Timeline | Index | Help | Credits]