Real Grammar - Susan Conrad, Douglas Biber 2009

Progressive Verbs vs. Simple Verbs
Unit 2 He's looking at me…

What have you learned from your grammar textbook?

The progressive tenses describe actions that are in progress:

• This week I’m working on my term paper, but next week I’ll be relaxing at the beach.

Non-action verbs are NOT used in the progressive tenses:

• Do you want some more cake?

NOT: Are you wanting some more cake?

What does the corpus show?

A

In general, we use simple verbs much more than progressive verbs:

• I think we are almost there.

• I could hold that book for you.

• I want to go to the library and get them.

• Remember when you tried to do that?

• I’ll do anything you say.

B

In conversation, many different verbs occur in the progressive. These include both action and non-action verbs. Here are a few examples of such verbs:

Be careful! Other verbs almost never occur in the progressive. These also include both action and non-action verbs. Here are a few examples of such verbs:

C

A verb usually has two characteristics if it is used in the progressive:

1. The subject of the verb actively controls the action or state.

2. The verb describes an action or state that happens over an extended period of time.

• Are you listening to that song?

• So I was just wondering if you were offended by that.

D

If a verb does NOT have both of these characteristics, the progressive is rare. So, if the subject of the verb simply “experiences” the action or state, the verb is in a simple tense (even if it describes an action or state that happens over an extended period of time):

• She didn’t hear him.

And if the action of the verb happens at a single point in time, the verb is in a simple tense (even if the subject of the verb actively controls the action or state):

• They shut the doors behind them.

E

Frequency information. Some verbs usually occur in the progressive rather than in the simple tenses:

• That’s about one cup - You’re dripping on the floor!

• I think it was hotter today - I was sweating all day.

Two verbs are especially common with the past progressive in conversation: was saying and was thinking:

• So she was saying that she thought tennis would be better.

• I was thinking about bringing hiking boots, but they are so heavy.

Activities

1 Notice in context: Read each conversation, paying special attention to the boldfaced verbs. Then answer the question that follows.

1. In the car.

Brother: We’re almost home.

Sister: You were driving pretty slow the whole time. I can’t believe it’s already been an hour.

Brother: The time goes by so fast.

Sister: I promised Mom we would be there between two and two thirty.

Which of the boldfaced verbs shows the following?

a. an action that happens over a period of time ...

b. an action that happens at one point in time ...

2. Preparing for a trip to Hawaii.

Sarai: Did you guys go shopping?

Mandy: Oh, no. I decided not to. I found some summer clothes in the back of my closet.

Sarai: Mandy, do you see my black ... or my blue pants?

Mandy: Is this what you are looking for?

Sarai: No. Sweats. Pants.

Mandy: You are bringing four pair of sweat pants to Hawaii?

Sarai: I don’t know.

Mandy: You’re gonna be carrying a lot of luggage.

Sarai: I hope I can shut my suitcase.

Which of the boldfaced verbs show the following?

a. an action that is actively controlled by the subject ...

b. a state or action that is only “experienced” by the subject ...

2 Analyze discourse: Look at the boldfaced verbs in these conversations, if the verb is in the correct tense, write C on the line. If the verb is not in the correct tense, cross it out and write the correct form of the verb on the line.

1. Before a class.

Emily: Hi, Beth. A boy from your class was wanting to know about wanted the homework, but Sam said he found somebody else to call.

Beth: I still can’t believe I was missing class today.

2. Explaining a wedding tradition.

Nara: It’s a Native American tradition to give presents to other people at a wedding. It’s called a give-away.

Sulim: Okay. ’Cause I wondered, since Carol and Paul were in the store buying all those gifts a couple of weeks ago, and I thought they shopped early for Christmas or something.

3. Should we eat out?

Katie: Do we eat in a restaurant tonight?

Dawn: I don’t know. Are you looking forward to cooking something?

Katie: Not really. You can easily be convincing me to eat out.

Dawn: I listened to that radio restaurant critic, and she recommended the little Vietnamese place on Broadway.

3 Practice conversation: imagine you are writing the script for a movie, complete the scene with dialogue and stage directions (what the characters do in the scene). Include at least five more simple verbs and five more progressive verbs, and underline these verbs as you write them. When you are finished, practice the scene with a partner.

Scene: Jay has just landed on an island after his ship wrecked in a storm. He hears someone cough on the other side of the small island.

Jay: Hey! [He is waving his arms in the air and shouting.] Hey! How long have you been here?

Jim: Oh! What? [Jim stands up, confused.] I guess I was watching so carefully for ships that I didn’t even notice you. How did you get here?

Jay: Well ...

Jim: ...

Jay: ...

Jim: ...