* From verb to present participle: It turns the verb "flee" into a present participle, which can act as an adjective or part of a verb phrase. For example:
* "The fleeing prisoners ran through the forest." (adjective)
* "They were fleeing from the approaching storm." (part of a verb phrase)
* From action to ongoing state: It emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action. While "flee" describes a single act of running away, "fleeing" suggests a continuous process of escape.
* From active to passive: It can sometimes suggest a more passive or helpless state. For example, "The fleeing crowd was caught in the stampede" implies that the crowd was being swept away by the force of the stampede.
So, in essence, "-ing" in "fleeing" transforms a simple action into a more dynamic and ongoing process, often with an added nuance of passivity or helplessness.