progressive tenses

• progressive tense

  made up of a verb phrase.

  main verb uses -ing at the end of all progressive tenses.
• present

  this is used to describe an action that is occuring right now ( at this moment, today, this year etc) The action has begun and is still in progress.

  uses the helping verbs am, is, and are.

  am is used with the subject I.

  IS will be used if your subject is singular.

  are is used if your subject is plural.
• past

  is used to talk about an activity that was in progress at a specific point of time in the past. The emphasis is on the duration of the activity in the past. (while,whn, as and before)

  uses the helping verbs was and were.

  use was if your subject is singular.

  use were if your subject is plural.