Definition & Meaning of "present participle"

What is a "present participle"?

A present participle is a verb form that typically ends in "-ing," such as "running," "eating," or "swimming." It is used in various ways, including forming continuous tenses, acting as an adjective, or serving as a noun in gerund form. For example, in the sentence "She is running," the phrase "is running" uses the present participle "running" to indicate an ongoing action. Present participles are important for expressing actions that are currently happening, adding detail to sentences, and creating more complex verb structures to convey time and continuity.