Агентство Лангуст [переход на главную]

Unit 4. Present Continuous and Present Simple (2) (I am doing and I do)
(настоящее продолженное и простое настоящее времена II)

We use Continuous tenses only for actions and happenings (they are eating / it is raining etc.). Some verbs (for example, know and like) are not action verbs. You cannot say "I am knowing" or "they are liking"; you can only say "I know", "they like".
The following verbs are not normally used in continuous tenses:
 
like
love
hate
want
need
prefer
know
realise
suppose
mean
understand
believe
remember
belong
contain
consist
depend
seem

When think means "believe", do not use the Continuous: When have means "possess" etc., do not use the Continuous (See Unit 17. Have and have got): See   hear   smell   taste
We normally use the Present Simple (not Continuous) with these verbs: We often use can + see/ hear/ smell/ taste: But you can use the Continuous with see (I'm seeing) when the meaning is "having a meeting with" (especially in the future - see Unit 19. Present tenses (I am doing/ I do) for the future): He is selfish and He is being selfish
The Present Continuous of be is I am being / he is being / you are being etc.
I'm being = "I'm behaving / I'm acting". Compare: We use am/ is/ are being to say how somebody is behaving. It is not usually possible in other sentences: Look and feel
You can use the Present Simple or Continuous when you say how somebody looks or feels now: See Unit 4. Present Continuous and Present Simple (2) (I am doing and I do)
See Unit 17. Have and have got
See Unit 19. Present tenses (I am doing/ I do) for the future
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