is paying a form of present progressive when it comes to verb tense?

Yes.

Present progressive is also called present continuous.

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentcontinuous.html

No, paying is not a form of present progressive when it comes to verb tense. Present progressive, also known as present continuous, is formed by using a form of the verb "to be" (am, is, are) followed by a present participle (verb + -ing). It is used to describe an ongoing action happening in the present.

For example:
- "I am eating dinner." (The action of eating is currently happening.)
- "She is studying for her exam." (The action of studying is currently happening.)
- "They are watching a movie." (The action of watching is currently happening.)

"Paying" is the present participle form of the verb "to pay," but it is not used to form present progressive tense. Instead, it is used as a gerund or a verb in noun form. Gerunds are verbs that function as nouns in a sentence.

For example:
- "Paying attention is important in class." (Here, "paying attention" is the subject of the sentence, functioning as a noun.)
- "He enjoys paying for his friend's meals." (Here, "paying" is a verb in the sentence, describing an action.)

To form the present progressive tense, you would use the appropriate form of "to be" followed by the present participle of a verb, not just the present participle alone.