Bamtori“Please would anyone explain why the progressive form was used in here?:
"I should be thanking you! It should be the other way around."
Also, this one, "
Shouldn't be taking so long." . The situation is that a guy is waiting for something to happen. Thanks in advance!
”
If the subject is animate, you can think of the progressive as adding the idea "in the act of".
I should be in the act of thank
ing you, not you in the act of thank
ing me, as you
are now do
ing (or as you have just
been do
ing).
_________
Both in that case and in the second one, something
is happen
ing at the very moment the speaker
is talk
ing about it happen
ing.
(It) shouldn't be taking so long implies that it
is tak
ing too long. Whatever
is be
ing done seems to the speaker to
be dragg
ing out longer and longer. He finds that unreasonable and
is gett
ing impatient as he
is wait
ing.
________
Contrast these to the corresponding simple forms which may imply a future action:
I should thank you. (at some time in the future, quite soon or later)
It shouldn't take so long. (when you decide to do it at some time in the future)
It shouldn't take so long. (whenever it is done, it is to be expected that it won't take so long)
CJ