The -te iru/-te ita have been assumed to show “action in progress”, “resultative state”, “habitual” etc. However, -te iru/-te ita can imply the speaker's feeling or intentions in some cases. This paper clarified the modal features of -te iru/-te ita into eight types (①finding, ②confirmation, ③recalling, ④objectivity, ⑤descriptions of the past related to the present, ⑥consequences of assumptions, ⑦assumptions contrary to fact, ⑧viewpoints of perceptions) through analyzing Japanese novels. A questionnaire based on the 8 types was made to test senior students in order to know their acquisition condition. As a result, “viewpoints of perceptions” and “objectivity” were easiest to be acquired. This result suggests the importance of teachers' input because the follow-up interview showed that these two types were emphasized in classroom instruction.