The progressive-aspect tag has no wiki summary.
4
votes
2answers
173 views
Achievement Verbs with the Progressive Aspect
I was reading a grammar and saw this.
Achievement verbs describe actions that occur instantaeously.
He solved the problem.
He spotted the airplane.
These verbs fall into two classes - one is ...
1
vote
1answer
80 views
Is the sequence of tenses applied properly in this example?
I found this sentence in some book:
When Mom asked Gramma why she hasn't been answering the telephone, Gramma said. . . .
My question is about the sequence of tenses: shouldn't the past perfect ...
0
votes
2answers
166 views
I am going to go?
My English teacher told me that "going to go" doesn't exist in English but I saw it many times. For example "The whole band is going to go to show their support". I'd like to know if it's possible to ...
2
votes
1answer
176 views
Passive auxiliary verb or progressive one?
Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.
—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Is ‘being’ a passive auxiliary verb or a progressive one?
-5
votes
2answers
368 views
Difference between present tense and present continuous tense when using “is” and “are” [closed]
He is my brother.
They are my friends.
These two sentences are in the present tense, but I thought the verbs "is" and "are" were used only in the present continuous tense. If this is so, how then ...
-3
votes
1answer
189 views
past perfect and past continuous [closed]
Which of these is correct?
Before he had come to the factory, Tom was studying at the University of London.
Before he came to the factory, Tom had studied at the University of London.
6
votes
4answers
1k views
“have been working” vs. “have worked”
What is the difference between the following two sentences?
I have been working here for 20 years.
I have worked here for 20 years.
The present perfect tense is used for repetitive or ...
5
votes
2answers
111 views
Manipulativeness of the progressive aspect in “to be wondering if”
I am around a group of people who, for whatever reason, have developed the habit of talking odd tenses. I'm no English or grammar expert but here is what I mean.
Instead of saying "Can I borrow your ...
0
votes
2answers
223 views
Future Passive Progressive? [duplicate]
Does some future passive progressive tense exist, such as:
He will be being interviewed by police."
as a counterpart to the past passive progressive tense, such as:
He was being ...
0
votes
2answers
94 views
“I stay in Canada” vs. “I will stay in Canada” [duplicate]
Situation: I am in Canada and will go back to Hong Kong next week. So, I want to tell my friends that "I will stay in Canada until the 6th of March".
Question: I do not know if the word will should ...
2
votes
3answers
219 views
Answering past simple question with past continuous
For example,
— What did you do yesterday?
— I was working.
I presume this is not grammatically correct; however, I often reply in this way (I'm English). Also vice versa: "What were you doing ...
0
votes
2answers
359 views
Is “have been being investigated” in the following sentence grammatically correct?
I need to know whether the following sentence is grammatically correct or not. Specifically, I am unsure about have been being investigated part.
Do the times that I am using match each other?
...
1
vote
2answers
172 views
What is the grammatical construct using present progressive in relative clauses called?
When I learned this, it had a very distinctive name and allowed to make more interesting sentences. For instance, given the sentence
Fred extended his feet, which stopped the car.
It can be ...
-1
votes
2answers
208 views
Present Simple or Present Continious [closed]
I have to write an email to inform other people about some error that occurred.
I want to write:
It is returning "value1" instead of "value2" when I select something which is causing the error.
...
6
votes
3answers
260 views
Present simple on temporary action
Mary is sleeping in the living room while we redecorate her room.
Why is the present simple "redecorate" used? Present simple is used when there's something permanent, but they don't want to ...
0
votes
2answers
414 views
Grammaticality of “I am worrying” and how it compares to “I am worried” and “I worry”
This question is about worried about vs. worrying about. I think "being worried about someone/something" is more usual than "worry about", isn't it?
Can I use the progressive aspect for ongoing ...
2
votes
2answers
236 views
“He was telling me that he is going…” vs. “He told me that he is going…”
Is it right to say
He was telling me that he will go on a vacation next week.
while recounting your experience?
Even though "he told me that he is going..." seems more appropriate, I would still ...
1
vote
2answers
166 views
Present continuous form for a polite question?
Should we use use the present continuous form "would you mind if" to ask a polite question?
4
votes
2answers
301 views
“I have been keeping ignoring you.”
Does this make any sense?
I have been keeping ignoring you.
Besides that it sounds awkward, my Chinese buddy who knows more grammar rules than I care to list said that the phrase is ...
0
votes
2answers
308 views
Why “should be doing” and not just “should do” in the following sentences?
What is the difference between "should X" and "should be Xing" in the following contexts? Or are they interchangeable?
10 Things you should do to improve the health of your hair.
10 Things ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
“How long have you [had/been having] this?” - Cont. or Simple?
I'm studying Present Perfect tenses at the moment and have been wondering what tense should I use in this example:
How long have you [had/been having] this thing?
So I know that in some cases ...
-2
votes
2answers
135 views
Using verb continuous for living abroad for a period of time [closed]
Suppose that a friend of mine is Thai and he usually lives in Thailand. Now he is in Australia and he is going to live in Australia for only a few years.
Should I say “A friend of mine is living in ...
2
votes
2answers
130 views
Importance and relevance (and accuracy) of the distinctions of the two forms of the future simple tense [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are the guidelines for usage of “will” and “is/are going to”?
I am an ESL teacher in Thailand at a business college. I have been plagued ...
2
votes
2answers
138 views
Which tense should I use in this situation? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Using the gerund two times in a row
Here is the sentence:
Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters (insisting
or insist) that the science about ...
1
vote
3answers
322 views
“I'm not being” or “I'm not been”?
I'm not been able to make up my mind
or
I'm not being able to make up my mind?
Which one is the correct sentence? Why is it correct and why is the other one incorrect?
Edit 10/09/2012:
...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
“By clicking submit you agree…” or “By clicking submit you are agreeing…”
By clicking submit you agree to the Terms and Conditions.
By clicking submit you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions.
Which is correct? Why?
0
votes
1answer
495 views
Is this correct: “Water will be being drunk by Michael”?
I started with "Michael is drinking water", which I could convert to "Water is being drunk by Michael", which I could change to the past tense as "Water was being drunk by Michael".
That leads me to ...
4
votes
3answers
268 views
*Joking* used in continuous form
"I'm only joking" and "She wasn't joking".
Why is the verb to joke used in the present continuous, instead of the present simple tense? Is it because it's a dynamic verb?
5
votes
2answers
160 views
Why is the progressive form used here?
In February 1825 he married Julianne Thiemer, daughter of a property owner and well-established glove-maker in Seesen. Heinrich, a cabinet maker without property, a Beiwohner(boarder), was marrying ...
4
votes
3answers
370 views
Future Perfect with the preposition 'since'
I have a question regarding the future perfect tense and which prepositions go with it. Understandably, by, for, and in work very well with the future perfect.
By friday, I will have been working ...
2
votes
1answer
587 views
Present perfect and present perfect continuous for actions in progress
My grammar book says that both present perfect and present perfect continuous, when used with "for, since, etc", express a situation that began in the past and continues to the present. When used ...
0
votes
3answers
148 views
“Will” vs. “going to” vs. Present Continious [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“The train will leave” vs. “is going to leave” vs. “leaves” vs. “is leaving”
Here are three sentences:
David is going ...
0
votes
2answers
322 views
“rain was coming till tomorrow”
I am asking this question on behalf of a friend of mine. Do tell me, can and when or why can we use past form when we predict something in the future. I agree the phrase is not full. Anyway, the ...
1
vote
2answers
608 views
The real tense of “I'm going to be talking about”
I just listened to a video in which the speaker said "I'm going to be talking about....". Can we change that to "I'm going to talk about..."?
2
votes
4answers
193 views
Correct tense to express one's holding a professorship from 2007 to June 2012
When editing for a valedictory occasion, I came across this: "Prof. Li holds the XXX Professorship from 2007 to 2012." It is the tense of "holds" that baffles me.
If the sentence was one of the ...
1
vote
1answer
329 views
What is correct: “I am saying…” or “I am telling…”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Nothing to tell” versus “nothing to say”
“Told” vs. “Said to” somebody?
Are both of these sentences correct? If so, ...
2
votes
5answers
8k views
“Will graduate” vs. “will be graduated” vs. “is going to graduate”
Which of the following sentences are correct?
He will graduate in May.
He will be graduated in May.
He is going to graduate in May.
Issue 1: Is the second one grammatical?
Issue 2: ...
1
vote
4answers
503 views
Past perfect progressive followed by simple present
I've found the following sentence here:
I had been enjoying the sunshine and blue sky of the day but as soon as we push open the door of the hangar, that pleasure ends brutally.
Is simple ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
“will you be going home” vs. “will you go home”
What's the difference between saying;
Will you be going home this summer?
Will you go home this summer?
Are there any differences between these in written or spoken English?
4
votes
2answers
459 views
Simple present vs. present continuous
What is the difference between saying:
Are you still working there?
Do you still work there?
Which is more common in spoken vs written English?
Google books returned results for both of ...
1
vote
2answers
3k views
“I am going to bed” vs. “I will be going to bed”
What is the difference between saying the following?
I am going to bed in a few minutes.
I will be going to bed in a few minutes.
Or
I will be getting off here. Or, I guess, I will be ...
2
votes
3answers
38k views
“Thank you all” — wrong or right?
On many occasions after we complete a speech, we often consider thanking our audience. In this scenario, I am not sure if "Thank you all" is the right English. Should it be "Thanking you all" instead ...
0
votes
1answer
839 views
Looking forward
Recently I've seen a sentence with "looking forward". Could you explain why it contains a progressive aspect. Doesn't this phrase mean a thought process which cannot be seen and thus must be regarded ...
10
votes
2answers
3k views
“The train will leave” vs. “is going to leave” vs. “leaves” vs. “is leaving”
From the grammatical point of view all are correct, just the meaning are different, please bring your clarification, thank you.
The Train will leave at 10:00 tomorrow morning.
The Train is ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
“It's taking me forever” vs “It has been taking me forever”
If you are writing a long report, which one sounds more natural: "Oh, this report is so long, it's taking me forever" or "Oh, this report is so long, it has been taking me forever"?
3
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2answers
393 views
0
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4answers
877 views
Is 'I will definitely be living away from the shop' correct?
I want to say that I'm definitely going to change my address and live elsewhere, but I don't know the exact day when I'm going to live there, it will happen in a time of one year. Or should I use: 'I ...
1
vote
4answers
231 views
What, in this context, is wrong with using the progressive tense?
In just a couple of years, low-carbohydrate diets have accomplished
what the government has failed to do in decades of trying: convince
the public that refined grains are bad and whole grains ...
6
votes
5answers
639 views
Present perfect continuous and “for”
Why aren't you allowed to say "I have been knowing her for ten years" or "It has been broadcasting for many years"?
But you are allowed to say "I have been waiting for an hour".
2
votes
1answer
110 views
“Is someone covering/going to cover this event?”
Which one of the following is better or more correct?
Is someone covering this event?
Is someone going to cover this event?
