Questions tagged [progressive-aspect]
Questions related to the grammatical aspect that expresses an incomplete action or a state at a specific point in time. For specific tenses, see the tags 'present-progressive', 'present-continuous', 'future-progressive', 'past-continuous' and 'perfect-continuous'.
193
questions
0
votes
0
answers
18
views
will be doing vs will, be going to
I often hear the announcement on a train say
"We will soon be arriving at XX station."
I understand the meaning of will, be going to, and will be doing. However, I wonder why the ...
- 1,076
0
votes
1
answer
28
views
Janet is going on a vacation. (is this progressive or future?)
Janet is going on a vacation.
I saw this sentence on internet. Is Janet now, at this moment, going on a vacation? Or, does Janet have a plan to go on a vacation very soon?
- 3,388
0
votes
1
answer
27
views
"A customer was rude to me" vs. "a customer was being rude to me" in context
Could you please tell me if there is any difference in meaning between the following sentences.
The other day I got a call from a customer who was rude to me for no particular reason.
The other day I ...
- 15.3k
0
votes
0
answers
17
views
Would it be possible to use "were looking" here?
We didn’t drink very much at all –one vodka each- but other young people had been drinking heavily all evening. Some of the dancers looked quite drunk.
Would it be possible to use the continuous "...
- 6,415
1
vote
2
answers
24
views
Can we use the verb “ache” verb in continuous constructions like “is aching“?
Does it sound ok to use the ‑ing form of the intransitive verb ache meaning hurt?
My stomach is aching.
instead of the simple verb:
My stomach aches.
In other words, can we use the verb ache verb ...
- 233
1
vote
1
answer
25
views
Static verbs with progressive
Leo was past his prime, and he tried his best to fight it with daily training, but there was a limit to what he could do.
Vampires had an advantage in this, their body structures were different, and ...
- 1,005
1
vote
1
answer
45
views
Difference between "will be doing" and "will do"
I've just learned the grammar of "will be doing" and I was trying to make sentences with that. But I got confused with the difference between "will do" and "will be doing"...
- 173
0
votes
1
answer
21
views
Is 'to be waiting for me...' equal to 'were waiting for me...' in this sentence?
This is a sentence I saw in my practice book.
I don't expect them to be waiting for me.
I want to rewrite it as 'I don't expect them were waiting for me', because it is more nature for me, a non-...
0
votes
1
answer
29
views
Progressive aspect with simple past
Is this sentence correct?
She isn't feeling well so she had to take a day off.
Or should it be wasn't?
Maribel Sevilla
2
votes
1
answer
193
views
Answers from quiz, why this answer is correct in particular?
First answer:
✅ Have you always been living in a big city?(ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴꜱᴡᴇʀ)
❌ Have you always lived in a big city? (ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴀɴꜱᴡᴇʀ)
Second answer:
✅ By the end of August they’ll have been working on ...
Rodion Barannikov
0
votes
0
answers
378
views
Can we use the verb "remember" in progressive tense?
Is this sentence correct or not:
What were you thinking about?
I was remembering my wedding day.
(Example sentence from "understanding and using English Grammar" page 19)
0
votes
2
answers
42
views
Can the simple present be used for temporal actions?
As far as I know, the simple present is used to state facts, how things exist or behave. However, I have seen the following sentence:
I walk to class during the week.
Regarding that the present ...
- 417
0
votes
3
answers
60
views
“I was eating two half hamburgers yesterday”
Yesterday, I was eating half of a hamburger at 3 o’clock, and I was eating half of another hamburger at 6 o’clock.
Why does “I was eating two half hamburgers yesterday” seem weird unlike “I ate two ...
user141460
1
vote
1
answer
42
views
felt or feeling in this case
It brings back memories of one summer evening several years ago. We had spent the day on the beach and we were walking back to the apartment. It must have been 10 o'clock and it still felt warm.
Why ...
- 6,415
0
votes
1
answer
161
views
The simple present tense form of Willing to do
We use the phrase be willing to do in everyday English. But my problem is
how to use it in its simple present tense form with -ing.
For example, what is the simple
present tense form of this sentence?
...
A.A.Knightmare
1
vote
4
answers
1k
views
He could be playing with his friends
John's mother: where is John?
John's father: He is not in his room. He could be playing with his friends.
John's mother: where is John?
John's father: He is in his room. He is always reading ...
- 722
0
votes
0
answers
28
views
Relating to the progressive tense
Someone started to jump, he was jumping, and he finished jumping, and at intervals, he didn’t do any jumps, so is this situation finally counted as ‘he jumped once’?
Progressive: a verb tense that is ...
0
votes
1
answer
69
views
Continuous after when?
I was studying past tenses and this sentence showed up,
when I....... (walk),
I suddenly realized
that I had left my keys at home
Now the answer was walked, but it didn't make since to me, I thought ...
0
votes
1
answer
43
views
I write poetry and {am trying/try} to write a book
When answering the question about what I like to do in my favourite weather which is the correct choice of tense the present simple or the progressive?
I write poetry and try to write a book.
If I ...
- 1,991
0
votes
0
answers
23
views
Can I use Simple Past in a subordinate clause with "while" when the main clause is in the Past Progressive?
I was reading while she slept.
Or should it necessarily be "I was reading while she was sleeping" or "I read while she slept"?
Can I use the Simple Past in a subordinate clause ...
- 681
2
votes
1
answer
105
views
Past simple for longer actions
Is it wrong to say that the past simple is used for very short actions and long actions (the dinosaur example) but for shorter ongoing actions native speakers use the past progressive not the past ...
- 1,991
1
vote
0
answers
211
views
I'm reading a book or I've been reading a book? Implying I started some days ago
I saw a similar question, but I'm not content with the answers, i.e. it's still unclear.
It looks like both options are appropriate here, since for present perfect continuous can be applied to an ...
- 111
1
vote
1
answer
43
views
You could be doing something really meaningful
Michael and Ryan, like so many other veterans, sought help from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Eric Shinseki, the secretary of veterans affairs, declined to speak to me, but the most common view ...
- 722
0
votes
1
answer
215
views
difference: should sleep or should be sleeping [duplicate]
In the following sentence, are both "sleep" and "be sleeping" correct? If so, what's the difference?
When can I leave? I should sleep / should be sleeping at home now.
- 5,497
0
votes
1
answer
656
views
hearing the story vs. listening to the story
Are the following sentences both correct? If so, what's the difference?
Hearing the story, John started a bit.
Listening to the story, John started a bit.
- 5,497
0
votes
1
answer
47
views
will be doing and would be doing
Do you know why "will/would be doing" is used instead of "will/would do" in the following? This use of the progressive seems alien to me.
If you quit your job, you will be doing ...
- 5,497
1
vote
1
answer
84
views
Present simple or progressive
This is from Macmillan English Grammar in Context by Michael Vince.
Alan Chester is a 25-year-old journalism student from Ohio who is taking six years to complete his undergraduate degree. In order ...
- 1,991
0
votes
1
answer
431
views
"Realise" or "are realising"
This passage is from Macmillan English Grammar in Context by Michael Vince.
"Every year thousands of children go to the doctor because of back pain and in fact this kind if problem is rapidly ...
- 1,991
1
vote
0
answers
53
views
present, past, passive and perfect participle usages
Which is correct grammatically?
Beaten severely, he died immediately. [past participle]
Having been beaten severely, he died immediately. [perfect participle)
I would like to put my understanding of ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
273
views
What is the meanning of "should be happening"?
An example from TED:
Those conversations should be happening in a good marriage, not after it is broken.
And I have heard it many times so far, but I am not sure what exactly it means. Does it a ...
- 35
2
votes
5
answers
2k
views
"has felt"/"has been feeling" - why is the first wrong here?
I know that both
a) She has walked for two hours.
and
b) She has been walking for two hours.
mean the same thing: that she started walking two hours back and is still walking.
So according to the ...
0
votes
0
answers
23
views
which sounds more natural
So I was wondering which sounds the most natural and most proper sounding statement a or b
A: the girl was walking down the street.
or
B: the girl walked down the street.
I just was making a ...
1
vote
1
answer
48
views
Is 'fascinates" and "is fascinating" interchangeable?
What's the difference between:
This fascinates me
This is fascinating to me
I just wanted to know because I am curious.
- 39
1
vote
1
answer
36
views
What is the difference in meaning between "if I do something" and "if I am going to do something"?
What is the difference in meaning between if I do something and if I am going to do something? For example:
If I take a cab, I will be just in time.
If I am going to take a cab, I will be just ...
- 15.3k
0
votes
1
answer
44
views
What is a difference between two sentences?
There are two sentences below.
1) She couldn't stand being kept waiting.
2) She couldn't stand keeping waiting.
Please, let me know about difference.
- 456
2
votes
3
answers
78
views
Continuous Past vs Continuous Past Perfect
Well, guys, please consider the following:
When he arrived, she was repairing the bike.
When he arrived, she had been repairing the bike.
Which one is better? Or do they have their own meanings?
- 181
-1
votes
2
answers
3k
views
"have liked"/"have been liking"/"had liked"/"had been liking"
I have liked you since childhood.
I have been liking you since childhood.
I had liked you since childhood.
I had been liking you since childhood.
What is the difference between the above sentences?
1
vote
1
answer
774
views
Can I use "being" with "keep"?
Action verbs used with "keep" sound normal, like "keep doing," "keep smiling," etc., but "being" sounds weird with it.
For example, this:
I won't talk to you if you keep being rude.
1
vote
3
answers
94
views
Present perfect simple for an unfinished action
I decided to walk back home. I had walked for about 200 meters when the storm began and I ran to the nearest cafe.
Would it be possible to use past perfect progressive since the walk was not ...
- 6,415
0
votes
1
answer
82
views
Is it wrong to say "are you sitting anywhere?" to imply have you already taken a seat?
Suppose you bump into a friend in a restaurant (or a food place in general) and you want to know weather he already has taken a seat.
Is it wrong to ask
Are you sitting anywhere?
Would it sound ...
- 5,975
2
votes
1
answer
36
views
Progressive form of "have" indicating possession
I know that normally I cannot say "I am having a car", but is the following correct?
Having a car, I decided to drive there.
I am fine with having a car but do not expect me to drive.
- 1,635
1
vote
1
answer
11k
views
what's the difference in the meaning "I am assuming and I assume" [duplicate]
There’s a Funky Frankenstein tape so I’m assuming anything else that was in that package is here.
why the progressive here, first reason is that it is happening right now but does the progressive ...
- 6,415
1
vote
1
answer
528
views
Is it ok to say 'We were wanting to book a trip to Sardinia'?
We were wanting to book a trip to Sardinia.
Is it ok to say that nowadays?
- 487
0
votes
1
answer
9k
views
Present Simple or Present Continuous with "these days"
"These days" express the period around now. Then, I wonder, why is used the Present Simple in the following sentence?:
These days I travel a lot. I’m spending more and more time away from
home. (...
- 395
0
votes
3
answers
953
views
"has written two essays this morning" vs "has been writing an essay all morning"
What is the difference in meaning between these sentences?
John has written two essays this morning.
John has been writing an essay all morning.
The police sergeant has interviewed two people ...
- 575
0
votes
1
answer
682
views
One of the most interesting projects I worked on in the past couple of years (tense choice)
I want to tell someone about one of the most interesting projects I was involved in during the past couple of years:
One of the most interesting projects I worked on in the past couple of years [is ...
- 499
1
vote
3
answers
5k
views
What is the difference between future continuous and future perfect continuous?
Context:
'I will be going tomorrow' and 'I will have been going tomorrow'.
As meaning of both seems to be same, so what's the exact difference between the meanings of these two sentences?
- 447
1
vote
2
answers
7k
views
Is “I was wanting to know” grammatically correct? [duplicate]
Is the following sentence grammatically correct:
I was wanting to know if I could sent you a link.
It does not sound correct to me.
Dawn
0
votes
1
answer
29
views
"Night falls": why not continuous/progressive?
There is a series of "Nighty Night" videos for preschoolers about going to bed, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqRDEV6BnAU.
All of them begin with the sentence:
Night falls.
I wonder why ...
- 1,265
0
votes
2
answers
124
views
Can we say the earth is moving around the sun?
I'm learning English with text books and it says the present progressive form means an action or event taking place at the present time and the action or event has limited duration.
It is truth that ...
- 179