15.

5 Progressive and Emphatic

Forms
■ Each of the six tenses has a progressive form that expresses a continuing
action.
You make the progressive forms by using the appropriate tense of the verb
be plus the present participle of the main verb.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE They are waiting.
PAST PROGRESSIVE They were waiting.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE They will be waiting.
PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE They have been waiting.
PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE They had been waiting.
FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE They will have been waiting.
■ The present and past tenses have additional forms, called emphatic, that
add special force, or emphasis, to the verb.
You make the emphatic forms by using do (or does) or did plus the base
form of the verb.

Verb Tenses, Voice, and Mood

PRESENT EMPHATIC I do think you’re right.
Olga does think you’re right.
PAST EMPHATIC I did think you were right.

Exercise 15 Using the Progressive and Emphatic Forms

For each of the following sentences, replace each verb in parentheses with the progressive
or the emphatic form of the verb that makes sense in the sentence. (Only one of the sen-
tences requires the emphatic form.)
Zydeco Music
1. In southern Louisiana years ago, the words zydeco au soir—“zydeco tonight”—hollered
by a man on horseback meant that the rider (announce) a local dance.
2. He (refer) to an event named for the kind of music that would be played as part of the
evening’s entertainment.
3. That music was zydeco, a fast dance music with a highly syncopated beat, which
(develop) in Louisiana over the past 150 years.
4. Zydeco (deviate) increasingly in recent years from its Cajun, African American, and
African Caribbean origins.
5. Today, rhythm-and-blues tunes and soul (influence) the musicians who play zydeco.

15.5 Progressive and Emphatic Forms 583

 Exercise 16 Understanding the Uses of Verb Tenses
Explain the difference in meaning between the sentences in each of the pairs below.
Name the tense(s) used in each sentence.
SAMPLE a. The artisan drills a hole in a clam shell.
b. The artisan has drilled a hole in a clam shell.
ANSWER In sentence a, the action is going on now (present tense). In sentence b, the
action occurred at some indefinite time in the past (present perfect tense).

Native American Beadwork

1. a. I saw a demonstration of Native American beadwork.
b. I have seen a demonstration of Native American beadwork.
2. a. At the demonstration, a friend of mine noticed that one of the workers had drilled
holes in a great many turquoise beads.
b. At the demonstration, a friend of mine noticed that one of the workers was drilling
holes in a great many turquoise beads.
3. a. Soon another worker will weave some of the beads into a zigzag pattern.
b. Soon another worker will have woven some of the beads into a zigzag pattern.
4. a. A beautiful wampum belt has been evolving at his fingertips.
b. A beautiful wampum belt evolved at his fingertips.
5. a. I did applaud the worker’s skill.
Verb Tenses, Voice, and Mood

b. I am applauding the worker’s skill.

6. a. A third worker had beaded a pair of moccasins before arriving.
b. A third worker was beading a pair of moccasins at the demonstration.
7. a. By the time we finish this project, the worker will have spent many hours on it.
b. The worker will spend many hours on this project.
8. a. Young apprentices are learning the older masters’ skills.
b. Young apprentices have learned the older masters’ skills.
9. a. Fine examples of beadwork are growing in value.
b. Fine examples of beadwork will be growing in value.
10. a. We have been spending a fascinating day at the demonstration.
b. By the end of the demonstration, we will have spent a fascinating day.

Exercise 17 Expressing Past Time in a Paragraph

Write a paragraph of at least five sentences about an important historical event that you
remember or have studied. Underline five verbs or verb phrases that you use in the
paragraph. (Remember that the perfect tenses, as well as the past tense, can be used to
express past action.)

584 Unit 15 Verb Tenses, Voice, and Mood