verbs not used in progressive (‘continuous’) forms
Some verbs are never or hardly ever used in progressive forms.
I like this music, (NOT I’m liking this music.)
I rang her up because I needed to talk, (NOT .. .-because-L-was needing
Some other verbs are not used in progressive forms when they have certain meanings. Compare:
I’m seeing the doctor at ten o’clock.
I see what you mean, (NOT I’m seeing whatyott-mean.)
Many of these non-progressive verbs refer to states rather than actions. Some refer to mental states (e.g. know, think, believe); some others refer to the use of the senses (e.g. smell, taste).
Modal verbs (e.g. can, must) have no progressive forms. see modal auxiliary verbs: introduction.
common non-progressive verbs
Here is a list of some common verbs which are not often used in progressive forms (or which are not used in progressive forms with certain meanings).
mental and emotional states
believe
(dis)like
see (= understand)
doubt
love
suppose
feel (= have an
opinion) prefer
think (= have an opinion)
hate
realise
understand
imagine
recognise
want
know
remember
wish
use of the senses
feel
see
sound
hear
smell
taste
communicating and causing reactions
agree
impress
promise
appear
look (= seem)
satisfy
astonish
mean
seem
deny
please
surprise
disagree
other
be
deserve
measure (= have length etc)
belong
fit
need
concern
include
owe
consist
involve
own
contain
lack
possess
depend
matter
weigh (= have weight)
More details of the use of some of these verbs are given in other entries in the book. See the Index for references. *
progressive and non-progressive uses
Compare the progressive and non-progressive uses of some of the verbs listed above.
I’m feeling fine, (or I feel fine. – see feel.1)
I feel we shouldn’t do it. (NOT I’m feeling we shouldn’t do it. -feel here = have an opinion.)
What are you thinking about?
What do you think of the government? (NOT What are you thinking of the government? – think here = have an opinion.)
I’m seeing Leslie tomorrow.
I see what you mean, (NOT I’m seeing what you mean. – see here = understand.)
Why are you smelling the meat? Is it bad?
Does the meat smell bad? (NOT Is-the meat smelling bad? – see smell.)
I’m just tasting the cake to see if it’s OK.
The calce tastes wonderful, (NOT The cake’s tasting wonderful, – see taste.)
The scales broke when I was weighing myself this morning.
I weighed 68 kilos three months ago – and look at me now!
(not I was weighing 68 kilos … – weigh here = have weight.) Occasionally ‘non-progressive’ verbs are used in progressive forms in order to emphasise the idea of change or development.
These days, more and more people prefer / are preferring to take early retirement.
The water tastes / is tasting better today.
As I get older, I remember / I’m remembering less and less.
I’m liking it here more and more as time goes by.
Need, want and mean can have future or present perfect progressive uses. Will you be needing the car this afternoon?
I’ve just been invited to Sydney. It’s wonderful – I’ve been wanting to go to Australia for years.
I’ve been meaning to tell you about Andrew. He …
can see etc
Can is often used with see, hear, feel, taste, smell, understand and remember to give a kind of progressive meaning, especially in British English. For details, see can and could 5: with see, hear, etc.
I can see Sue coming down the road.
Can you smell something burning?
-ing
forms
Even verbs which are never used in progressive tenses have -ing forms which can be used in other kinds of structure.
Knowing her tastes, I bought her a large box of chocolates.
I don’t like to go to a country without knowing something of the language.
For more information consult a good dictionary like Langman, Oxford, Merriam Webster, or Collins.
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