Copy Files Verbosely

cp -v

Adding the -v option (or --verbose) shows you the progress of cp as it completes its work.

$ pwd /home/scott/libby $ ls ~/pix arrowrock.jpg by_pool_03.jpg on_floor_03.jpg by_pool_01.jpg on_floor_01.jpg on_floor_04.jpg by_pool_02.jpg on_floor_02.jpg $ ls arrowrock.jpg libby.jpg libby_on_couch.jpg $ cp -v ~/pix/on_floor_0[1-3].jpg . '/home/scott/pix/on_floor_01.jpg' ->  './on_floor_01.jpg' '/home/scott/pix/on_floor_02.jpg' ->  './on_floor_02.jpg' '/home/scott/pix/on_floor_03.jpg' ->  './on_floor_03.jpg' $ ls arrowrock.jpg  libby_on_couch.jpg  on_floor_02.jpg libby.jpg      on_floor_01.jpg     on_floor_03.jpg 

The -v option does a nice job of keeping you abreast of the cp command's progress. It does such a good job that you really don't need to run that last ls command because the -v option assures you that the files you wanted were in fact copied.