maiko
Could you tell me please why we don't use the verbs:to be,to know,to think,to recognize,to want, to feel and to have in the group of Continuous Tense?
Jan 29, 2015 5:03 PM
Answers · 4
1
These are what we call stative verbs, which means that they describe states rather than actions. Swim, eat and dance, for example, are actions, so it is common to use verbs like these in the continuous tenses : 'I was swimming'. 'She has been eating' 'They will be dancing'. Continuous tenses describe actions. But because the verbs in your list are not things which you actively 'do', we don't often use them in the continuous tenses. For example, you say 'He knows a lot of things'. You can't say 'He is knowing a lot of things', because to 'know' is a state, not an action. That said, there are many situations when you can use some of these verbs in the continuous tenses. For example, 'think' when it means 'believe' is not used in the continuous tenses - 'I think it is beautiful' - but 'think' can also be an action when used in a different sense - 'I'm thinking about my studies.'
January 29, 2015
1
It depends a lot on the context. To know, to want, to recognize you would never use it in a continuous tense, at least I have never heard them used in that way. But the other verbs yes: The room is being cleaned right now. I am feeling butterflies in the stomach. I am thinking about going to the party. The point is that using the present continuous tense you want to ephasize the duration of the action, the action is hapenning in the moment of speaking.
January 29, 2015
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!