Question 1

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb.
-After working several hours at the writing lab, Sam (finished, was finishing) his essay.

Accepted Answer

The past tense verb "finished" correctly indicates that Sam completed his essay in the past, after working several hours at the writing lab. The past continuous verb "was finishing" would indicate that Sam was in the process of finishing his essay at a specific point in the past, but does not necessarily indicate that he actually completed it.

Question 2

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb.
-The bread dough (rises, is rising) right now.

Accepted Answer

The present progressive tense is used for actions that are happening right now, so the correct form of the verb is "is rising."

Question 3

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-I bought toys for the children in the orphanage. I __________________ toys for the children in the orphanage.

Accepted Answer

The past progressive tense requires the auxiliary verb "was" for singular subjects like "I". Therefore, the correct choice is "was buying". The plural form "were buying" would only be used if the subject was plural, like "we".

Question 4

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below.
-Jackie visiting her best friend in Los Angeles when the earthquake hit.

Accepted Answer

The subject "Jackie" is singular, so the correct form of the verb to be is "was." Therefore, the correct sentence is "Jackie was visiting her best friend in Los Angeles when the earthquake hit."

Question 5

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below.
-The children playing in the park down the street when their mother called for them.

Accepted Answer

Since "children" is plural, we need to use the plural form of the verb "to be," which is "were." Therefore, the correct answer is B) were.

Question 6

Below are sentences in the present tense.  Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-Sam lives in South Dakota. Sam ____________________ in South Dakota.

Accepted Answer

We use the present continuous tense (is living) to talk about actions that are happening at the moment of speaking, or actions that are happening around the time of speaking.

Question 7

Below are sentences in the present tense.  Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-Lee and Dana play basketball after class. Lee and Dana __________________ basketball after class.

Accepted Answer

The subject of the sentence is "Lee and Dana," which is plural, so the correct form of the verb to use is "are playing." A is incorrect because it uses the singular verb form "am" instead of the plural form "are." B is incorrect because it uses the singular verb form "is" instead of the plural form "are."

Question 8

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb.
-We (having, are having) problems with this assignment.

Accepted Answer

The correct form of the verb in this sentence is the present progressive "are having" to indicate an ongoing action in the present moment. "Having" on its own would be an incomplete verb phrase.

Question 9

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb.
-Henry (packs, is packing) his bags for his trip to Ecuador.

Accepted Answer

The verb "is packing" is in the present progressive tense, which is used to describe an action that is currently happening. Henry is currently packing his bags, so the present progressive tense is the most appropriate choice.

Question 10

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-The children played in the abandoned house. T he children __________________ in the abandoned house.

Accepted Answer

The best choice is "were playing" because it correctly forms the past progressive tense with the auxiliary verb "were" and the -ing form of the main verb "playing."

Question 11

Below are sentences in the present tense.  Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-In this program, we learn new languages. In this program, we ___________________ new languages.

Accepted Answer

The subject "we" is plural, so the correct verb form to use is "are learning."

Question 12

Below are sentences in the present tense.  Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-Jennifer studies for her biology test. Jennifer _____________________ for her biology test.

Accepted Answer

The correct form of the verb for the subject "Jennifer" is "is studying" since "Jennifer" is a singular subject and requires a singular form of the verb. "Am studying" is incorrect because "am" is the first-person singular form of the verb "to be," and "Jennifer" is not referring to the speaker. "Are studying" is incorrect because "are" is the plural form of the verb "to be," and "Jennifer" is singular, not plural.

Question 13

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-The professor quizzed the students on Tuesday's history lesson. The professor _____________________ the students on Tuesday's history lesson.

Accepted Answer

The past progressive tense is used to indicate actions that were ongoing in the past. Here, the professor quizzing the students was an ongoing action that took place in the past, so the correct form is "was quizzing." Also, since the subject is singular ("the professor"), the correct form of the verb to use is "was" and not "were."

Question 14

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb.
-Since I (bought, have been buying) health food, I have lost ten pounds.

Accepted Answer

The use of "since" implies an action that started in the past and is still ongoing, so the present perfect continuous tense "have been buying" is appropriate to show that the speaker started buying health food in the past and is still buying it now. The past simple tense "bought" would imply that the action is completely finished in the past.

Question 15

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below.
-Amanda majoring in nursing.

Accepted Answer

When expressing a present participle verb in the present continuous tense (progressive), the verb "to be" should match the subject. Since Amanda is a singular subject, the correct form of "to be" is "is."

Question 16

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below.
-This morning, the attorney asking the judge to set bail for his client.

Accepted Answer

The subject "attorney" is singular, so the correct form of verb to be is "is".

Question 17

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-Luis and Julia traveled in France. Luis and Julia ___________________ in France.

Accepted Answer

The past progressive tense for "travel" is "were traveling" as the sentence is referring to both Luis and Julia, making it plural.

Question 18

Below are sentences in the present tense.  Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-On Saturday, I go to the museum. On Saturday, I ________________ to the museum.

Accepted Answer

The verb should be in the present tense since it is an action that happens regularly. "Am going" is the correct form for first person singular (I). "Is going" is incorrect because it is third person singular (He/She/It) and does not match the subject. "Are going" is incorrect because it is for plural subjects.

Question 19

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below.
-On Wednesday, we going to run a marathon.

Accepted Answer

The correct form of the verb to be in this case would be "are," as "we" is a plural subject and requires the plural form of the verb to be. "Is" would be incorrect as it is the singular form of the verb to be.

Question 20

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank.
-During lunch, Suzanne reviewed her PowerPoint presentation. During lunch, Suzanne ______________________ her PowerPoint presentation.

Accepted Answer

The subject of the sentence is singular, Suzanne, so the correct form of "to be" to use is "was." The action of reviewing the PowerPoint presentation was ongoing, so the correct verb form to use is the past progressive tense, "was reviewing."

Quiz 14: Progressive Tenses to Be -Ing Verb Form

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb. -After working several hours at the writing lab, Sam (finished, was finishing) his essay.

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb. -The bread dough (rises, is rising) right now.

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -I bought toys for the children in the orphanage. I __________________ toys for the children in the orphanage.

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below. -Jackie visiting her best friend in Los Angeles when the earthquake hit.

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below. -The children playing in the park down the street when their mother called for them.

Below are sentences in the present tense. Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -Sam lives in South Dakota. Sam ____________________ in South Dakota.

Below are sentences in the present tense. Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -Lee and Dana play basketball after class. Lee and Dana __________________ basketball after class.

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb. -We (having, are having) problems with this assignment.

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb. -Henry (packs, is packing) his bags for his trip to Ecuador.

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -The children played in the abandoned house. T he children __________________ in the abandoned house.

Below are sentences in the present tense. Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -In this program, we learn new languages. In this program, we ___________________ new languages.

Below are sentences in the present tense. Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -Jennifer studies for her biology test. Jennifer _____________________ for her biology test.

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -The professor quizzed the students on Tuesday's history lesson. The professor _____________________ the students on Tuesday's history lesson.

Read each sentence carefully and select the letter of the correct form of the verb. -Since I (bought, have been buying) health food, I have lost ten pounds.

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below. -Amanda majoring in nursing.

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below. -This morning, the attorney asking the judge to set bail for his client.

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -Luis and Julia traveled in France. Luis and Julia ___________________ in France.

Below are sentences in the present tense. Select the present progressive tense (am, is, or are + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -On Saturday, I go to the museum. On Saturday, I ________________ to the museum.

Select a form of the verb to be to complete the incomplete progressives in the sentences below. -On Wednesday, we going to run a marathon.

Below are sentences in the past tense. Select the past progressive tense (was or were + -ing form of the main verb) for the blank. -During lunch, Suzanne reviewed her PowerPoint presentation. During lunch, Suzanne ______________________ her PowerPoint presentation.