The progressive-aspect tag has no wiki summary.
44
votes
4answers
3k views
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
Non-native speakers often get confused about what the tenses in English mean. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.
I ...
21
votes
1answer
1k views
“The ticket is printing” vs “…is being printed”
You're standing in front of a ticket vending machine and it says "The ticket is printing". Is that correct or should it be "The ticket is being printed"?
EDIT:
If both are correct, which one should ...
12
votes
7answers
2k views
“I'm lovin' it”
How normal-sounding is the slogan "I'm lovin' it" to native ears?
I know it sounded quite odd to me when I first heard it — and it still sometimes does —, but I can't even tell why. Sure, love is ...
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 ...
9
votes
1answer
520 views
“You were already having been going to do that!”
From one of the Futurama episodes:
Farnsworth A: You people and your
slight differences disgust me. I'm
going home. Where's that blue box with
our universe in it?
Farnsworth 1: Oh,
...
6
votes
5answers
591 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".
6
votes
3answers
944 views
Make “will have been going to go” correct
Is there a situation or question where the phrase will have been going to go is the best, most natural, or clearest response (or included in said response)?
I'm asking this probably somewhat silly ...
6
votes
3answers
239 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 ...
6
votes
4answers
614 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
159 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 ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
“Will be doing” vs. “will do”
What's the difference between:
I will be eating cakes tomorrow.
I will eat cakes tomorrow.
And, when should I use the first form?
5
votes
3answers
624 views
Use of past and progressive tense
Can someone tell me which, if any, of the following sentences are correct:
When she walked in, he was laying on the bed.
When she walked in, he was laid on the bed.
When she walked in, he ...
5
votes
2answers
104 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 ...
4
votes
6answers
16k views
What's the difference between “I look forward to” and “I'm looking forward to”?
I just don't get the reasoning behind which one is correct in which situation.
Typically I use the wrong one, or I use them when I'm not supposed to.
4
votes
3answers
354 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 ...
4
votes
3answers
262 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?
4
votes
3answers
564 views
The times are a-changing? Why a-?
I'm Italian so I don't know English very well.
While listening to Bob Dylan songs I've heard some strange use of progressive tense (is that the correct term?), the title of this question is one ...
4
votes
2answers
438 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
267 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 ...
3
votes
5answers
309 views
Is “be wearing” improper English?
If I were to say,
Can't I just be wearing my swim suit already?
Would "be wearing" be improper English?
3
votes
4answers
319 views
Future perfect progressive
When is the future perfect progressive used? I am trying to understand in which cases it should be used, but I cannot find any practice examples of sentences using that tense.
I will have been ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Present Progressive or Present Continuous?
What is the correct term used to describe this tense in English — Present Progressive or Present Continuous? I see both terms used in grammar books.
3
votes
2answers
353 views
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?
3
votes
3answers
122 views
“Be able to,” “can” in reduced relative pronouns
I am trying to remember whether the sentences below are correct:
I don't know this guy being able to complete this task.
I don't know this guy can complete this task.
I think the first one is ...
3
votes
0answers
91 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 ...
2
votes
3answers
5k views
“I had a dinner” vs. “I was having a dinner”
A friend of mine showed a video on her Facebook wall post. She posted this:
I had a dinner with Chinese friends, I was happy at that moment!!
Should it be "I was having a dinner" instead of "I ...
2
votes
5answers
7k 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: ...
2
votes
3answers
474 views
Past continuous or past simple?
In this sentence, should I use past continuous form of the verb or past simple or it in the gap?
Last night, I was sleeping in my bed, when I ------- (hear) a terrible noise. I ------ (get up) ...
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
1answer
146 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?
2
votes
4answers
188 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 ...
2
votes
3answers
32k 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
134 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
187 views
Is it okay to use Past Simple with Past Progressive for two consecutive actions?
Is it okay to use Past Simple with Past Progressive for two consecutive actions?
For example,
"She added some water to the flour and was mixing it until she got a lump of dough"
or should it be
...
2
votes
2answers
203 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
123 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
953 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"?
2
votes
3answers
215 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
567 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 ...
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?
2
votes
1answer
109 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?
1
vote
3answers
290 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:
...
1
vote
4answers
496 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 ...
1
vote
4answers
222 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
162 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
vote
2answers
566 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..."?
1
vote
1answer
289 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, ...
1
vote
2answers
2k 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
76 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 ...
