How to Use the Progressive Verb Aspect

Khan Academy

This video provides a clear and visual explanation of the progressive aspect in English grammar, often referred to as continuous tenses. The narrator distinguishes the progressive aspect from the simple aspect by using a timeline to demonstrate that progressive verbs describe actions that are "ongoing" or happening continuously within a specific moment. The lesson covers how to conjugate verbs into the present progressive ("I am walking"), past progressive ("I was walking"), and future progressive ("I will be walking"). Key grammatical themes include the structure of verb phrases using the auxiliary verb "to be" combined with a main verb ending in "-ing." The video emphasizes that while the main verb form remains constant (e.g., "walking"), the helping verb changes to reflect the time of the action. A mnemonic device—"Always Be Conjugating" (ABC)—is introduced to help students remember the necessity of the "be" verb and the "-ing" ending. For educators, this resource is an excellent tool for visualizing abstract grammar concepts. The use of a color-coded timeline helps students spatially understand the difference between a completed action and an ongoing one. It effectively demystifies the technical term "aspect" by connecting it to the familiar concept of "tense," making it a practical addition to lessons on verb forms, narrative writing, and sentence structure.