The Continuous

We use continuous forms for actions and happenings that have started but not finished. Stative verbs are not normally used in this way.

Think
When think means ‘believe’ or ‘have an opinion’, we do not use the continuous:
- I think Ady is Balinese, but I’m not sure. (not I am thinking)
- What do you think about my plan? (= What is your opinion)
When think means ‘consider’, the continuous is possible:
- I’m thinking about you. I often think about it
- Ady is thinking of giving up his job. (=he is considering it)

Am/is/are being
We use am/is/are being to say how somebody is behaving.
He is being = He is behaving / He is acting. Compare
- I can’t understand why he’s being so selfish. He isn’t usually like that. (being selfish = behaving selfishly at the moment)
- He never thinks about other people. He is very selfish. (not he is being) (= He is selfish generally, not only at the moment)

See, hear, smell, taste
We normally use the present simple (not continuous) with these verbs:
- Do you see that man over there? (not are you saying)
- This room smells. Let’s open a window.
We often use can + see/hear/smell/taste
- I can hear a strange noise. Can you hear it?

Look, feel
We can use the present simple or continuous to say how somebody looks or feels now:
- You look well today. OR. You are looking well today.
- How do you feel now? OR. How are you feeling now?
But
- I usually feel tired in the morning. (not I am usually feeling)

References:
1. A concise grammar for English Language Teachers (ELT G 0055)
2. Oxford Practice Grammar (ELT G 0035)
3. English Grammar in Use (ELT G 0052)

Submitted by Ady, ADS6ME 2006

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Dynamic Verbs

Verbs that relate to activity or change are called dynamic verbs.

Dynamic verbs – durative (continuous act)
Verbs such as live, work, rain, stay, talk, sleep, study, sing, teach are durative because they give no indication of their duration/termination. This property becomes most noticeable when the difference between the present perfect simple and continuous is almost neutralised by the aspect of continuity within the verb itself.
1. We have lived here for 10 years
2. We have been living here for 10 years
What is the difference in meaning, if any, between two sentences above?
Typically (with durative verbs) the perfect simple conveys finality or achievement, e.g. in the first sentence the speaker may well be about to move house. It is also often used to focus on the person rather than activity. The perfect continuous, on the other hand, is more often employed for focussing on the duration and the activity itself, and implies future continuity.

Dynamic verbs – punctual (single/repetitive act)
Verbs such as jump, slam, throw, kick, nod, and stab, depict momentary events.
Used in the continuous aspect they indicate repetition,
e.g. Robbie was kicking the ball.
The simple form requires context to convey once-off or repetitive action,
e.g. Robbie kicked the ball to David; Robby kicked the ball around.
Explain the two errors using grammatical terminology and suggesting a reason for student’s writing below.
Also, in Spain I was working 2 years as a tour guide after finish my tourism studies. Later I…
The past continuous has been used erroneously; there is no simultaneous or background event so the past simple is required. The first language would appear to have an imperfect tense, which the student thinks approximates to the past continuous in English. After is a preposition and therefore must be followed by a noun or phrase, or in this case a gerund (-ing form used a noun), finishing. (After could also be a conjunction in a time clause, e.g. after I finished my studies.)

References:
A concise grammar for English Language Teachers (ELT G 0055)
Oxford Practice Grammar (ELT G 0035)
English Grammar in Use (ELT G 0052)

Submitted by Ady, ADS6ME 2006

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Static Verbs

When verbs have a stative sense it usually cannot occur in a continuous tense.
The lists of verbs that have or can have a stative sense are shown below.
1. Mental and emotional states
Believe, doubt, feel (opine), imagine, know, like, love, hate, prefer, realize, remember, see (understand), think (opine), want, wish
2. Senses
Appear, hear, look (seem), see, smell, sound, taste
3. Reactions etc.
(dis)agree, deny, impress, mean, promise, satisfy, surprise
4. Description, possessions, etc.
Be, belong, concern, consist, contain, depend, deserve, fit, include, involve, lack, matter, need, owe, own, possess, weigh (have weight)

The examples below show that the verb like is always stative, but think can be used statively or dynamically.

1. I am liking you (X)
2. I am thinking you are nice (X)
3. I think you are nice
4. I am thinking about it

The sentence “He is being cold” may or may not be acceptable, why?
In this case it’s really the adjective cold that has a stative or dynamic meaning, linked with be.
If it refers to temperature or sensation then the sentence is unacceptable because with that sense be is also stative and may not be used in the continuous aspect.
If cold means unfriendly, in fact showing unfriendliness through some activity, then be is dynamic and is correctly used in the continuous aspect.

References:
A concise grammar for English Language Teachers (ELT G 0055)
Oxford Practice Grammar (ELT G 0035)
English Grammar in Use (ELT G 0052)

Submitted by Ady, ADS6ME 2006

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Practicing Present Perfect Tense

Present perfect tense is commonly used in our daily conversation. However, it is still difficult to be applied. Below is my writing to practice pesent perfect tense. It illustrates how my life has changed since I started my EAP.

My Life Has Changed

I have worked as a physician as well as a lecturer in the Public Health School in Bali since I finished my first job in Central Sulawesi. My life has changed since I started my English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at IALF Bali. Not only my daily activities have changed, but I have also been changed in many ways.
I have more responsibilities than before. I usually wake up at 6.00 a.m. if I work as a lecturer, whereas, after joining EAP class, I wake up an hour earlier, at 5.00 a.m. to do homework or review yesterday’s lessons. As a lecturer, I have taught my students and have given tasks or homework to them. My work time, which was flexible, depended on the lecture schedules. Conversely, at an intensive EAP course, I am a student who gets lessons and tasks from my teacher. I have to focus on my English all day. As a physician, I have conducted private practice in the afternoon. However, I cannot do this when I have to be fully involved in my EAP course.
My life has also been changed by making friends. By attending EAP course, I have got a lot of new friends. They come from various regions of Indonesia. They are all cute and friendly, and they make me feel part of an amusing community. We respect each other even though we have different backgrounds. Moreover, I have close friends. I feel as if they are my brothers and sisters. In our spare time, we have enjoyed eating ice cream, walking on the beach, or just talking and laughing together. It is a wonderful and worthwhile brotherhood.
Overall, I am pleased to have a great opportunity to change my lifestyle as well as my learning styles. I am also happy that my life has been changed into an amusing friendship which I have never had before.

(329 words)

Submitted by Ady Wirawan, ADS 6ME, 2006

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