Timeline for The use of the verb "think" in the progressive form in the sense of having some kind of opinion on something
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
12 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Aug 11, 2020 at 10:01 | history | bumped | CommunityBot | This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed. | |
| Apr 8, 2020 at 12:03 | history | bumped | CommunityBot | This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed. | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 21:24 | answer | added | John Lawler | timeline score: 1 | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 16:37 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | I doubt my "at-sign" in the previous comment will automatically "ping" John, since he hasn't yet posted on this page. One relevant factor here is our aversion to the continuous with "verbs of perception / judgement" is particularly strong in the Present tense (I am seeing what you mean, She is loving him). I feel sure there must be some clearly-identifiable principle making the comic's usage okay, whereas my two examples in this comment would usually not be. I doubt it's only because it's Past Tense, but I simply don't know. Sorry! :( | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 16:29 | comment | added | Dmytro O'Hope | Thank you for your attemps! How do I ask him on this webside?) I guess there is no way I could do that | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 16:26 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | I think we need a wiser person than me to unravel this one. @John Lawler could probably explain why there's a difference, if he could be coaxed into engaging with it. | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 16:23 | comment | added | Dmytro O'Hope | Could that be tha the use of "they were probably thinking" was some sort of background event against which the people concluded that Joe farted? | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 16:23 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | ...maybe it's because the context is one where the stand-up comic is "painting a picture in words" of an amusing series of events - which extend over time. So the idea being conveyed isn't so much about what the people thought (their "immediate" reaction / assessment, an action that doesn't really "extend over time"). It's more about continuing to believe something that's inherently incongruous / amusing. Note - although your exact example "works", no native speaker would ever use continuous what they were probably believing was... in such contexts, if that helps. | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 16:11 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | It's not easy to explain exactly why there's a difference. Since you're nns yourself, your biggest problem will almost certainly be that you'll tend to overuse the continuous form (which will be noticed by the natives in many contexts). But in the exact cited example there's no hint of "Indian English". One point that may make a difference is the presence of the qualifier probably (though I can't say exactly why). Without that, what they thought was [that] Joe had farted rolls off the tongue easily enough, but generally we wouldn't want the Perfect there. | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 15:51 | comment | added | Dmytro O'Hope | Could you please explain why the first exemple is unexceptional, but my second sentence is off? | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 14:25 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | Your first example is idiomatically unexceptional for the specific context. But your second example would probably be seen as a substandard "Indian English" usage, so you should avoid it. | |
| Mar 8, 2020 at 13:44 | history | asked | Dmytro O'Hope | CC BY-SA 4.0 |