Present participle: The usages and exercises with detailed answers

The present participle is one of the knowledge areas you definitely need to learn in your journey to conquer the English language. What is the usage of the present participle? What is the structure of the present participle? All will be explained in the below article!

I. What is the present participle?

Before diving into the the usage, let PREP define present participle!

A present participle in English is formed by adding the suffix "-ing" after the base form of the verb. It is commonly used to form the present continuous tense, describing an action that is happening or a state that currently exists.

Below are some present participle examples:

• The children are playing in the park. 
• She is reading a book. 
• They are studying for the exam. 

II. The usage of the present participle

In the below part, PREP will introduce to you the functions of the present participle to help you understand this grammar point more deeply!

1. The present participle is used in the present continuous tense

The present participle is a verbal form used in the present continuous tense. For example:

• She is studying for her exam. 
• They are playing soccer in the park. 
• I am reading a book right now. 

2. The present participle is used after the verbs of movement or position

The present participle is used after the verbs of movement or position. For example:

• My brother goes swimming at the weekend.
• My mother goes running every morning. 
• I lay looking up at the clouds. 

3. The present participle is used after verbs of perception

The present participle is also used after verbs of perception (mental verbs): seem, look, hear, feel, etc. The structure is:

Mental verbs + object + present participle

For example: 

• I saw him running in the park. 
• She heard the baby crying in the next room. 
• They felt the ground shaking beneath their feet. 

4. The present participle is used as an adjective

The present participle is used as an adjective. For example:

• The water is refreshing.
• He was trapped inside the burning house.
• The barking dog woke up the neighborhood. 

5. The present participle comes after some verbs like spend, waste, catch, find

The present participle usually comes after some verbs like spend, waste, catch, find 

5.1. spend, waste

Spend/waste + time/money expression + present participle

For example:

• She spends her weekends reading books.
• Don’t waste your time watching TV all day.

5.2. catch, find, keep

S + (catch, find, keep) + O + present participle

For example:

• He caught his son playing video games instead of studying.
• I found him waiting for me at the bus stop.
• She keeps her friends waiting for her for a long time.

6. The present participle indicates two simultaneous actions

When two actions occur simultaneously and are performed by the same person or thing, we can use the present participle to describe one of them. For example:

• Breathing heavily, he kept running along the beach.
• Waving his tail, the dog kept licking its owner’s hand.

7. The present participle explains a reason

The present participle can be used instead of phrases beginning with as, since, or because. In this case, the phrase serves to explain the cause or reason for an action. For example:

• Because he knew that his mother was coming, he cleaned his room. ➞ Knowing that his mother was coming, he cleaned his room. 
• Since he was poor, he didn’t spend too much on clothes. ➞ Being poor, he didn’t spend too much on clothes. 

III. Exercises on the present participle

Exercise: Give the correct present participle form of the verbs in the parentheses

• She enjoys (read) __________ books in her free time.
• The dog is (bark) __________ loudly in the backyard.
• They were (play) __________ soccer when it started to rain.
• I saw him (dance) __________ at the party last night.
• He is (study) __________ for his upcoming exams.
• The (bloom)__________  flower is very beautiful
• The teacher catches the students (climb) __________ the wall
• (Feel) __________hungry, he went into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
• (Whistle) __________to himself, he walked down the road.

Answer key:

• reading
• barking
• playing
• dancing
• studying
• blooming
• climbing 
• feeling
• whistling 

The present participle isn't actually that difficult, is it? It's just a minor grammar item, but can be used for various purposes. Hopefully, this article has been helpful for readers. Best of luck to everyone in your studies!