tangible = physical, something you can touch. Rock, animal, person, car. = can also be used for something that is noticeable, measurable, or observable. intangible = conceptual, something you cannot touch. Truth, the color red, thoughts, vacuum. Progress is uncountable, so cannot say "a progress". Progress is not tangible. You cannot touch it. Tangible progress is okay.

Tangible progress implies that she made real progress, that her progress was significant. However, it would sound a bit awkward to say her progress has been tangible. Tangible also has another, more prevalent, definition. In addition to meaning significant, it can also mean that something is physical (as opposed to conceptual). If you say that something IS tangible, then tangible usually has the second meaning. So, it would make sense to say "this ball is tangible," but rather than saying "her progress is tangible," it sounds a bit more natural to say "her progress is significant." If you said "her progress is tangible," a native speaker would understand what you meant, but it's just not said very often.

I guess it started off as something you could measure by feeling it. For example, he has a tangible lump in his right armpit. And then it grew to mean something that you could measure by other methods. So, if you were listening to someone talking in Kyrgyz you might say that she had made some tangible progress in her oral skills. Although you have to watch when you talk about oral skills!! Ha, ha, ha. Note that you make progress, not a progress. I think most people would understand this word; it's not very literary.

Yes I do. This word can have both literal and figurative meaning. Thank you!

Eltoy, As I said, the word tangible has extended beyond its original meaning. At first it had to be touched, then it had to be counted. Now, it doesn't necessarily have to be either, as long as there is a perception, physical or mental. So you can say: tangible progress tangible results tangible grief tangible assets None of these things has to be physically felt or counted, do you see what I mean?