Present participle in English
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This chapter will discuss the English present participle. The present participle in English are formed from verbs.
The present participle in English is used to show a continuous action. This form of verb can be used as an adjective or as a verb tense.
Situation | Example |
---|---|
Present participle as adjective |
|
Present participle as verb tense |
|
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The present participle as an adjective is used when talking about a person, thing or situation that gave a certain feeling. The present participles can be used in the present and past form.
Present participle: base of the verb + ing
The present participle as a verb tense shows a continuous action. The present participle comes after another verb, which is usually an auxiliary verb.
Present participle: base of the verb + ing
Tense | Example |
---|---|
Present continuous tense |
|
Present perfect continuous tense |
|
Past continuous tense |
|
Past perfect continuous tense |
|
Future continuous tense |
|
Future perfect continuous tense |
|
Present participles and gerunds look similar. As discussed earlier, the present participles are used as part of a verb tense or as adjective. Gerunds are nouns formed from verbs, also ending in 'ing'.
Form | Example |
---|---|
Present participle | He is walking the dog right now. |
Gerund | Hunting elephants is dangerous. |
Train your skills by doing the exercises!
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the present participle.
Remember: present participle = base of the verb + '-ing'
I was to her all night long. (to talk)
the oldest sibling is not always easy. (to be)
We have been together on this project since 2015. (to work)
We saw some cowboys yesterday at the theme park. (to dance)
He sits next to the girl high heels. (to wear)
up our livingroom we found an old lamp. (to tidy)
The dogs annoy my grandmother. (to bark)
I was hard for the exam. (to study)
We heard the babies all night long. (to cry)
I wish we had water over here. (to run)
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the present participle. Between brackets are two possible verbs given, choose the one that fits the sentence best.
Remember: present participle = base of the verb + '-ing'
The girls were shocked last night. (to scream / to smile)
I was lunch yesterday when my mother came home. (to read / to have)
An documentary was shown on television last night. (to interest / to fly)
The kids were in the garden with their toys. (to play / to lie)
The students were books in the library. (to read / to take)
She is Italian, because she wants to live in Rome. (to hear / to learn)
After the surgery, she was not very well. (to feel / to be)
This very good restaurant is always full of people. (to smile / to cry)
You are very hard on your essay today. (to work / to write)
The sun is not today. (to shine / to come)
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the present participle or the past participle. The verb is given between brackets. Have a good look at the sentence to decide whether the present or the past participle fits best.
Remember:
I was my essay when she walked in. (to type)
My brother had the door without me asking for it. (to open)
We were a marathon when it started to rain. (to run)
My bike was yesterday. (to steal)
Before a shop, I always check if I have all my bags. (to leave)
The manager has my best friend a promotion. (to give)
The kid was waiting for his mother. (to cry)
The thief was by the police yesterday. (to catch)
I was to my friend all night. (to talk)
My kids have a lot since they were young. (to grow)
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the present participle.
Remember: present participle = base of the verb + '-ing'
I was to her all night long. (to talk)
the oldest sibling is not always easy. (to be)
We have been together on this project since 2015. (to work)
We saw some cowboys yesterday at the theme park. (to dance)
He sits next to the girl high heels. (to wear)
up our livingroom we found an old lamp. (to tidy)
The dogs annoy my grandmother. (to bark)
I was hard for the exam. (to study)
We heard the babies all night long. (to cry)
I wish we had water over here. (to run)
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the present participle. Between brackets are two possible verbs given, choose the one that fits the sentence best.
Remember: present participle = base of the verb + '-ing'
The girls were shocked last night. (to scream / to smile)
I was lunch yesterday when my mother came home. (to read / to have)
An documentary was shown on television last night. (to interest / to fly)
The kids were in the garden with their toys. (to play / to lie)
The students were books in the library. (to read / to take)
She is Italian, because she wants to live in Rome. (to hear / to learn)
After the surgery, she was not very well. (to feel / to be)
This very good restaurant is always full of people. (to smile / to cry)
You are very hard on your essay today. (to work / to write)
The sun is not today. (to shine / to come)
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the present participle or the past participle. The verb is given between brackets. Have a good look at the sentence to decide whether the present or the past participle fits best.
Remember:
I was my essay when she walked in. (to type)
My brother had the door without me asking for it. (to open)
We were a marathon when it started to rain. (to run)
My bike was yesterday. (to steal)
Before a shop, I always check if I have all my bags. (to leave)
The manager has my best friend a promotion. (to give)
The kid was waiting for his mother. (to cry)
The thief was by the police yesterday. (to catch)
I was to my friend all night. (to talk)
My kids have a lot since they were young. (to grow)
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I’m Mediha, originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina but have been living in Croatia for many years. I love making learning fun and have successfully helped my students improve their English in a pleasant atmosphere. I have experience helping my learners prepare for exams, job interviews, presentations etc. Whether business English, general conversational English or to help you prepare for a particular situation, feel free to book a trial lesson and we can discuss your needs and how I can help you! I graduated on University of Philosophy, and became (MA) master of English. I have many years of experience. I’m looking forward to meeting you!
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Mediha is great teacher. She understands personality of the student and she helped me to find correct goals, methodology and guides me great. I recommend here and I will use here services for sure in the future
Mediha D.
Thank You very much, Mirsad! I appreciate Your postive feedback and I hope we continue to work together on Your progress. I can see a bright future for You in this field as a confident public speaker
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I am a BA in Education graduate, with vast experience in primary, secondary and higher education levels, as well as in other activities related to education. I believe I have a diverse background which makes me a very adaptable teacher and with a lot to offer.
Most of my experience is in high school ,in adult education and university students. I have been able to develop a good relationship with my students, which has translated to better communication and an altogether more rounded experience for them and myself. My lesson planning has always aimed to reflect my students’ needs and interest applied into useful communicative language structures that they can actually use in their lives.
In my last years as a teacher, I have focused on preparing test-takers for the TOEFL. It has been a completely different experience from what I have had before, but I have helped my students accomplish the desired scores in the proposed time.
I believe in making the learning of a new language something exciting and not frightening at all, but challenging and gratifying instead. My material is dynamic and keeps my students engaged and continuesly developing their communiation skills.
I am flexible with my students' time and shcedule; naturally, it is open for deliberation if needed. I look forward to helping you get to the desired goals you set foryourself!
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Daniel is great!He was very kind in every lesson, and patient in explaining things to me that I did not understand. very easy to understand !! I definitely want to continue taking classes with him!
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Let me help you improve your English for any purpose. I am a native English speaker with a Master's degree in English, a Bachelor of Science degree and a CELTA teaching qualification.
I have been teaching for four years. As a copy-editor, I have been helping people improve their written English for over ten years (so yes, I can edit documents for you). Interviews: send me your CV and the job description and I will help you prepare.
Ready for certification? I will help you get ready for English language proficiency exams (TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, OET, C1 (CAE), C2 (CPE).)
We CAN meet free of charge (just book a FREE CHAT for 20 minutes) to discuss your learning needs/my teaching methods and to start talking.
It is useful if you take a quick online test to establish a starting point: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/test-your-english/general-english/ Please let me know the results A1/2 B1/2 C1/2.
If you need to reschedule, please do so 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged.
NB If you are writing a test like IELTS or TOEFL 'in a month or two' and you need to obtain a minimum score to enter a university, remember that according to education bodies like British Council and Cambridge English, it takes an average of 120-130 lesson hours to move from one level or band to the next. So with 'one or two' months, you need to already be at B2 or Upper Intermediate level to start preparing.
For B2-C2 level students who enjoy photography: Would you would like to improve your English conversation and your photography? In a typical lesson, you will show me your latest photos and describe how and why you took them. Then we will discuss how photos are assessed in photographic competitions and, if necessary, we can go over the essentials of using a digital camera (although it's perfectly fine if you use your mobile phone to take photos).
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I'm extremely pleased with my English lessons. Sandra is a very capable teacher who treats her students according to their individual needs. She's an excellent choice for students who would like to push their English on a higher level. I'm currently preparing for a TOEFL test. Thanks to Sandra I feel well prepared and confident to reach the required score. Thank you for being such a wonderful teacher and lovely human being.
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Hi, my name is Veronika.
I am a native Russian language speaker who is certified in teaching Russian as a foreign language. I am a member of Association for Language Learning and I hold a degree in Journalism as well as a Master’s in Philological Sciences.
I have lived in the UK since 2012 and have taught Russian at different levels both face to face and online. I understand the challenges of learning a language and the importance of classes that are both enjoyable and enable good progress. All my lessons are therefore planned according to individual needs using textbooks as well as my own materials and authentic Russian language sources.
I have always been interested in language acquisition, passionate about teaching and highly focused upon helping learners achieve their language goals.
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Veronika has over 9 years of teaching experience. She is very patient and adjust her classes to the needs of each individual student of hers. She is kind, and you'll surely feel comfortable in her classes.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Well done on making the first step to learning English! It is a fantastic addition to your professional or personal profile. I started my journey as an actress, I moved quickly into the world of Education finding my passion in early childhood development. I am a qualified teacher and have been working in international schools for many years. I recently acquired my TEFL certificate allowing me to expand my horizons and teach online. I grew up in Hong Kong before moving back to England. I have lived in Portugal for the last year teaching Portuguese and French children, I loved the diversity and felt I wanted to teach adults too. Since then I have been tutoring online which has given me the chance to meet people from all over the world and help them on their language journey in a comfortable and open environment. I am married to a Frenchman so I have basic understanding of French and I have a French tutor myself!
I usually test the level at the beginning and then plan with the students the goals they want to achieve. After that with every lesson I check progress and points to review with the help of a log to have a clear plan in every lesson. I believe it is VERY important for the teacher and student to share a positive connection and for both parties to feel comfortable. Drop me an email to make the booking!
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Samantha is a fantastic teacher, she clearly has lots of experience and I felt an instant connection with her. I have been looking for the right person to help me with my spoken English and I believe we will be a good fit when I am ready to book more lessons. Thanks Samantha I cant wait to start learning with you,
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My way of teaching is based on my over 30 years of experience. After spending many years providing my students with a lot of grammar rules I decided to start providing them with the necessary tools that support them in breaking down both linguistic and psychological barriers, improving their confidence, building the correct communication code of the language thus lowering frustration and increasing motivation.
My students are happy with such method as they enjoy each and every lesson and never feel under pressure.
I want English to be learnt naturally with the right commitment but with no frustration.
I love my job and I am totally committed to what I do, while continuously working on new material and on finding the best way to keep my students engaged.
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Patricia has over 30 years of teaching experience. She is very passionate about her job and is eager to help you study. She is very kind and patient. Furthermore, she has written her own English book and teaches very interactive classes.
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Hi, welcome to my profile!
My name is Alessia and I currently live in Italy. I spent a few years in the United States where I deepened my knowledge of English and American dialects. I am currently specializing in Spanish and German. Over the years, I have given private lessons in Italian, English, Spanish, and Japanese, with Japanese being the most requested at the moment. Regarding Japanese, I had the opportunity to teach the language at an American college with a native Japanese teacher, applying the method that they use to learn their own language. I will help you in a simple way; conversation is really important for learning a language, and a good method is even more fundamental. No days spent on textbooks are needed; consistency and fun during lessons are the most important parts of learning. You will see results right away! I am patient, flexible, and will adapt in every way to your personal needs. I look forward to seeing you on my profile for a trial lesson and discovering an easy and fun method to learn a language as soon as possible.
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We only did two lessons but it seems to me that Alessia has understood what I need! She is very good and knows all the terms and idioms of everyday life, just what I need! :)
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Recently, the health situation has prompted me to leave my home country and start a professional retraining. Passionate about English since childhood, I chose to do the TEFL Course to be able to teach the language. Having just graduated with distinction, I would now like to move on to the next step of my apprenticeship : Teaching.
My first lessons will be based on the PPP method or Presentation-Practice-Production. This method consists, first of all, in presenting or having people guess the target language before giving learners the opportunity to practice it through controlled activities. During the last step of the lesson, students have the opportunity to produce the language in freer activities.
I will try, as much as possible, to give my students a way to discover the target language for themselves, based on their existing knowledge. Also, since the practice of a foreign language requires oral comprehension, my lessons will be entirely given in English.
My classes are open to everyone!
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Clément is a new teacher and is eager to help you learn English. He specializes in teaching the levels A1 until B2. He is patient and structures his class according to the PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production) Method. You are guaranteed to learn a lot from him!
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Hey everyone!
My name is Ashlyn, and I am a native English speaker from New Zealand :) I love to create lessons for my students to help them make their English language journey as enjoyable as possible! I am an online university student studying history and social anthropology.
I have two years of teaching experience in private English language schools, and I also have a CELTA certificate. Therefore, I know how to teach English effectively and create lessons to practice speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills.
I love to use technology in the classroom, and I always create fun and colourful PowerPoint presentations to guide us through the lesson. I am always open to suggestions from my students. If you want to focus more on certain topics or activities, I am happy to make that possible for you.
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Ashlyn is a very competent teacher, her courses are very clear and structured. The lesson is adapted to match with our interests and also there are some games which make the course interactive. I highly recommend her!
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My aim is to help as many people achieve their goal of learning English. 10+ years of tutoring experience(classroom and 1-1). Have taught from kindergarten to senior secondary as well as doing communication and pronunciation correction with adults.
I will start were you are … ABC's, colours, numbers and beginner reading OR reading with comprehension, grammar and sentence structure or just plain communication focusing on pronunciation, tenses, and general grammar.
For the little ones I use flash cards, puppets, star chart, etc to keep them involved and interested in the lesson. For the older students I find out where their interests lay, and what their requirements are, and work my lessons around that. As long as you are interested, you will learn.
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Susan is a new teacher and eager to help you learn or improve your English. She is very patient, and you'll surely feel comfortable in her presence.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
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Monique is very good and very patient teacher! It is always fun to have a lesson with her! I really love it
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Angelina is a fantastic teacher! She helps me out in revising my English papers with enthusiasm and patience! I recommend her.
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Hi! My name is Elisabetta, I’m from Italy and I can provide professional Italian, Spanish and English language lessons for all levels. I am an open and friendly person, but also very rigorous with my job and I expect my students be the same, that is positive and committed. The language course I am offering will be tailored to your specific needs and we’ll together find the best way to reach your goal: learn a new language and enjoying while doing it!
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Elisabetta is a teacher who manages to convey love for her work. It follows you on your path of growth and strongly supports you. He follows different teaching methods according to the needs and priorities of the moment. Punctual, precise and super helpful. That's what I was looking for! Thanks
Elisabetta S.
Thank you very much dear, I send you a hug :)
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Hello! My name is Lucille and I’m from South Africa. I’m a fun and adaptable tutor who is able to adjust my teaching method according to the focus and needs of every individual student. I have 120hr TEFL certification and 4 years of experience in teaching children of all ages as well as adults. I’m a former actress, dancer, musician and makeup artist. My lessons are a warm and friendly environment where students are able to freely express themselves and are able to ask me questions at any time.
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Lucille is an enthusiastic teacher. She has 4 years of teaching experience. She has taught to children and adults. Furthermore, she is eager to help you learn English!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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I’m Mediha, originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina but have been living in Croatia for many years. I love making learning fun and have successfully helped my students improve their English in a pleasant atmosphere. I have experience helping my learners prepare for exams, job interviews, presentations etc. Whether business English, general conversational English or to help you prepare for a particular situation, feel free to book a trial lesson and we can discuss your needs and how I can help you! I graduated on University of Philosophy, and became (MA) master of English. I have many years of experience. I’m looking forward to meeting you!
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Mediha is great teacher. She understands personality of the student and she helped me to find correct goals, methodology and guides me great. I recommend here and I will use here services for sure in the future
Mediha D.
Thank You very much, Mirsad! I appreciate Your postive feedback and I hope we continue to work together on Your progress. I can see a bright future for You in this field as a confident public speaker
Review
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I am a BA in Education graduate, with vast experience in primary, secondary and higher education levels, as well as in other activities related to education. I believe I have a diverse background which makes me a very adaptable teacher and with a lot to offer.
Most of my experience is in high school ,in adult education and university students. I have been able to develop a good relationship with my students, which has translated to better communication and an altogether more rounded experience for them and myself. My lesson planning has always aimed to reflect my students’ needs and interest applied into useful communicative language structures that they can actually use in their lives.
In my last years as a teacher, I have focused on preparing test-takers for the TOEFL. It has been a completely different experience from what I have had before, but I have helped my students accomplish the desired scores in the proposed time.
I believe in making the learning of a new language something exciting and not frightening at all, but challenging and gratifying instead. My material is dynamic and keeps my students engaged and continuesly developing their communiation skills.
I am flexible with my students' time and shcedule; naturally, it is open for deliberation if needed. I look forward to helping you get to the desired goals you set foryourself!
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Daniel is great!He was very kind in every lesson, and patient in explaining things to me that I did not understand. very easy to understand !! I definitely want to continue taking classes with him!
Review
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Let me help you improve your English for any purpose. I am a native English speaker with a Master's degree in English, a Bachelor of Science degree and a CELTA teaching qualification.
I have been teaching for four years. As a copy-editor, I have been helping people improve their written English for over ten years (so yes, I can edit documents for you). Interviews: send me your CV and the job description and I will help you prepare.
Ready for certification? I will help you get ready for English language proficiency exams (TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, OET, C1 (CAE), C2 (CPE).)
We CAN meet free of charge (just book a FREE CHAT for 20 minutes) to discuss your learning needs/my teaching methods and to start talking.
It is useful if you take a quick online test to establish a starting point: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/test-your-english/general-english/ Please let me know the results A1/2 B1/2 C1/2.
If you need to reschedule, please do so 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged.
NB If you are writing a test like IELTS or TOEFL 'in a month or two' and you need to obtain a minimum score to enter a university, remember that according to education bodies like British Council and Cambridge English, it takes an average of 120-130 lesson hours to move from one level or band to the next. So with 'one or two' months, you need to already be at B2 or Upper Intermediate level to start preparing.
For B2-C2 level students who enjoy photography: Would you would like to improve your English conversation and your photography? In a typical lesson, you will show me your latest photos and describe how and why you took them. Then we will discuss how photos are assessed in photographic competitions and, if necessary, we can go over the essentials of using a digital camera (although it's perfectly fine if you use your mobile phone to take photos).
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I'm extremely pleased with my English lessons. Sandra is a very capable teacher who treats her students according to their individual needs. She's an excellent choice for students who would like to push their English on a higher level. I'm currently preparing for a TOEFL test. Thanks to Sandra I feel well prepared and confident to reach the required score. Thank you for being such a wonderful teacher and lovely human being.
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Hi, my name is Veronika.
I am a native Russian language speaker who is certified in teaching Russian as a foreign language. I am a member of Association for Language Learning and I hold a degree in Journalism as well as a Master’s in Philological Sciences.
I have lived in the UK since 2012 and have taught Russian at different levels both face to face and online. I understand the challenges of learning a language and the importance of classes that are both enjoyable and enable good progress. All my lessons are therefore planned according to individual needs using textbooks as well as my own materials and authentic Russian language sources.
I have always been interested in language acquisition, passionate about teaching and highly focused upon helping learners achieve their language goals.
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Veronika has over 9 years of teaching experience. She is very patient and adjust her classes to the needs of each individual student of hers. She is kind, and you'll surely feel comfortable in her classes.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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