Verbs not used in the Continuous form
The following groups of verbs do not express a process, that is why they are not used in the Continuous form:
1. Verbs denoting sense perception - to see, to hear;
2. Verbs denoting mental activity - to know, to believe, to think (=have an opinion), to doubt, to feel (-have an opinion), to guess, to imagine, to mean, to realize, to recognize, to remember, to suppose, to understand;
3. Verbs denoting wish - to want, to wish;
4. Verbs denoting feeling - to love, to like, to dislike, to hate, to prefer;
5. Verbs denoting abstract relations - to be, to have, to contain, to depend, to belong, to concern, to consist of, to deserve, to fit, to include, to involve, to lack, to matter, to need, to owe, to own, to possess, to appear, to resemble, to seem;
6. Verbs denoting physical properties of objects - to measure (-have length, etc.), to taste (=have a flavour), to smell (=give out a smell), to sound, to weigh (=have weight);
7. Verbs denoting affect or influence - to astonish, to impress, to please, to satisfy,
to surprise. NOTE: Such expressions as:
- to see the sights of;
- to see somebody home/off;
- to have dinner (lunch, supper) can be used in the Continuous form.
Q They were seeing the sights of London when I met them. G He is having lunch.
 |
|
| denoting an opinion - cannot be used in the Continuous form to think |
denoting a process of thought - can be used in the Continuous form
□ I think you are right.
□ I am thinking of what you have just said.
|
to admire
meaning " восхищаться " - cannot be used in the Continuous form
meaning " любоваться " - can be used in the Continuous form
□ I admire this man very much.
□ What are you doing here? Admiring the moon?
EXERCISES
Ex. 1. (A, B) Continue in the negative.
Example: Mother is talking on the phone, (sleep) She isn 't sleeping.
1. John is Standing, (lie down) ___________________________
2. Father is shaving, (wash)______________________________
28
3. The boys are playing, (fight)_____________________________________
4. We are dancing, (jump)________________________________________
5. They are speaking, (shout) _____________________________________
6. Mary is running, (walk)_________________________________________
7. I am eating, (drink)____________________________________________
8. The teacher is speaking, (read)__________________________________
Ex. 2. (A, B) Answer the questions using the words in brackets.
Example: Are you drawing? (write a story)
- No. I'm not. I'm writing a story.
1. Is he writing a letter? (watch television)____________________________
2. Are you reading Byron's poems? (learn them by heart)________________
3. Is Dad smoking in his study? (read a newspaper)____________________
4. Are they listening to the radio? (talk with a friend) ___________________
5. Are you hurrying to work? (go home)______________________________
6. Is Joan playing the piano? (listen to a concert) ______________________
7. Are you working at your essay? (write a film script)___________________
8. Is she washing up? (cook)______________________________________
Ex. 3. (A, B) Answer the questions using the words in brackets.
Example: Is Mother very busy just now? (type a report)
- Yes, she is. She is typing a report.
1. Is Jerry very busy just now? (study)_______________________________
2. Are the students very busy just now? (read)________________________
3. Is Susan very busy just now? (have breakfast) ______________________
4. Are the Greens very busy just now? (shop)_________________________
5. Is Miss Black very busy just now? (sew)____________________________
6. Is Jane very busy just now? (wash up)____________________________
7. Is Henry very busy just now? (skate)______________________________
8. Are the girls very busy just now? (rehearse)________________________
Ex. 4. (A, B) Answer the questions using the words in brackets.
Example: What are you doing? (daydream)
- I'm daydreaming.
1. Why is Father making such a terrible noise? (teach the dog to bark)______
2. What are you doing with the scissors? (cut out a dress)_______________
3. Where are you hurrying to? (run to catch my bus)____________________
4. What are you doing in this shop? (buy a mink coat)__________________
5. Why are you leaving so soon? (go to the University)__________________
6. Why is she playing the violin so late? (rehearse for a concert)__________
7. Why are the children listening so attentively? (listen to a favourite fairy tale)
8. What is George doing in the kitchen? (bake an apple pie)
Ex. 5. (А, В) Answer the questions using the words in brackets.