Search results for 'tag:Gerunds tag:Stative verbs' matching tags 'Gerunds' and 'Stative verbs'

Re: saddening/seeing

Clive — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:34:28 GMT

Hi,
I think the following 2 sentences are incorrect - No, they are fine. Not all -ing words involve a progressive verb tense.

1) It is saddening to see that people die of hunger even after 60 years of independence. 'Saddening' here is used as an adjective. eg it is a saddening sight . . .

2) It is high time the common man is disabused of his illusive hope of seeing India as a developed nation. 'Seeing' here is used as a gerund.

"Sad" is a state and therefore a stative verb. "See" is a verb of perception. Therefore both should not be used in the progressive tense.
'Mary is saddening because of all her problems' certainly sounds odd, as does 'Her problems are saddening Mary'.

However, 'Mary is seeing the doctor tomorrow' sounds fine. You could argue that this does not mean 'Mary is perceiving the doctor tomorrow'. But it also sounds OK to say
'Mary is intoxicated. She says that she is seeing double'.

Best wishes. Clive

Re: verbs with gerunds and infinitives

paco2004 — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 22:54:16 GMT

Hello Daxiaoaixad

Daxiaoaixad wrote:
Is there exist a slight difference between "continue to do" and "continue doing"? In the sense that "continue to do" indicates that you finished doing something, then continue to do something else. While "continue doing" indicates that you are doing something, then you are interrupted by something else, then go back to do the something again?

I've thought a bit over this question, but couldn't find good answers. However, I have a feeling some people should make a distinction between the two usages. As usual I did a survey using the pages of New York Times COM on Google. The purpose of survey was to know which one the NY Times people are using more often for what kind of the verb V2, "continued to V2" or "continued V2-ing". The results are as follows:
       "continued to fight" 117 "continued fighting" 139
       "continued to talk" 91 "continued talking" 63
       "continued to walk" 30 "continued walking" 60
       "continued to work" 825 "continued working" 214
       "continued to rise" 660 "continued rising" 27
       "continued to live in" 107   "continued living in" 0
       "continued to be" 13600 "continued being" 17
Although this survey is a very limited one, I'm inclined to conclude from it that the NY Times reporters have a tendency to avoid the use of "continue V2-ing" when the verb V2 is a stative verb. I reason this phenomenon as follows. "Continue" itself gives a notion of continuous to the V2. Therefore when the V2 verb is a stative verb, "continue V2-ing" would emphasize the continuity of the activity of V2 too much enough to sound unnatural.

paco

Re: Will be wanting?

Clive — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 22:20:19 GMT

Hi Mara,

Andrew will be wanting to hear all the news about Sandra.

Is this sentence acceptable in any context? Sounds OK to me. It seems a little colloquial, but it's a common usage. It has the suggestion that the 'wanting' has begun at the time of speaking.

'I have to leave now. My wife will be wondering where I am'.

I thought that some verbs, namely the so-called "stative verbs" were not usually used in the progressive aspect. I also know that there are some cases in which we may use these verbs in the progressive. Yes E.g.:

I enjoy going to the cinema on Sundays. 'Going' is a gerund here, not progressive.

I'm really enjoying this party! OK

They will surely enjoy the experience. This is not progressive.

This time next year, we will be enjoying a wonderful holiday in Paris. OK

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Gerund

enkatesu — Fri, 09 Jan 2004 03:09:42 GMT

BTW, "loving" and "needing" in your sentences are gerunds(nouns).

Yes, you can use progressive. But they convey more meaning than do the normal stative verbs.