Verbs not used in progressive forms
Some verbs are never used in progressive forms. Examples are: like, need,
believe, doubt, feel, imagine, know, love, hate, prefer, realize, recognize,
remember, see, suppose, think, understand, want, wish etc.
I like this kind of music. (NOT I am liking this kind of music.)
I need to talk to him. (NOT I am needing to talk to him.)
Most non-progressive verbs refer to states rather than actions. There are also some verbs which cannot be used in the progressive form with certain meanings. Examples are: feel, see, think and measure.
When the verbs think and feel mean ‘have an opinion’, they cannot be used in the progressive.
Compare:
I am feeling fine. (= I feel fine.)
I feel that (= have an opinion) he is wrong. (NOT I am feeling that he is wrong.)
I think (= have an opinion) you are correct. (NOT I am thinking you are correct.)
When see means ‘understand’, it cannot be used in the progressive.
I see what you mean. (NOT I am seeing what you mean.)
Can with non-progressive verbs
Can is often used with non-progressive verbs like see, hear, feel, taste, smell and understand to give a kind of progressive meaning. This is common in British English.
I can smell something burning.
Notes
Even verbs which are never used in progressive tenses have -ing forms that can be used in other kinds of structures.
3 comentários:
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This issue is further complicated by the use of the -ing form to mean "starting to", such as "I'm loving it" (I'm starting to love it). It misleads students to think it's ok to use the progressive in stative verbs in other contexts.
Thanks for the useful tips, as usual. How about the use of "being" + verb? Filipino students overuse and misuse it. :)
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