"Over 500 students were served the food prepared in this kitchen for lunch every day."
If I use being in the above sentence does it change the meaning?
"Over 500 students were being served the food prepared in this kitchen for lunch every day."
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"I" is always capital.– user31782Commented May 8, 2014 at 5:41
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...and so is "English".– J.R. ♦Commented May 8, 2014 at 9:43
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2 Answers
Expanding on the first example:
Over 500 students were served the food prepared in this kitchen for lunch every day. Then the kitched was closed and the staff laid off.
This is clearly in the past.
I wouldn't say:
Over 500 students were being served the food prepared in this kitchen for lunch every day.
because being indicates something occurring at that time (lunch), but this does not agree with every day.
But you could say:
Over 500 students were being served the food prepared in this kitchen when the earthquake struck.
The word 'being' will change the meaning little bit. "Being" is used to express the situation when the situation starts from the past, go on in the present and we hope it will further go on in the future. The sentence you mentioned is in the past tense:
"Over 500 students were served the food prepared in this kitchen for lunch every day."-
The verb form "were served" means that the students were served instantly. If you add "being" then that will mean that the students were served for a long duration of time not instantly. To clarify, consider the present tense usage:
"Over 500 students are served the food prepared in this kitchen for lunch every day."
The verb form "are served" means the act of serving is completed at present. You may say the act of serving has been completed. Now adding "being" will change the meaning:
"Over 500 students are being served the food prepared in this kitchen for lunch every day."
Finally, "are being served" means the act of serving is not completed yet. It means that we started to serve students in the past and now at present we are still serving them and in future we will probably keep serving them. "being" represents a kind of continuity.
This is how I understand it. I might be incorrect as I am not a native English speaker.
Hope this helps,
Regards.
