The Progressive in Modal Semantics

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

This article presents a semantic analysis of the English progressive as an intensional operator within the framework of modal semantics proposed by Kratzer. This treatment allows a combination of the central idea of Dowty's influential analysis, that the progressive's meaning has a major modal component, with the insights of other scholars (Parsons, Vlach, and Landman). My claim is that using a more sophisticated background theory of modality allows natural solutions for the problems raised for the modal account.