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Cup cake Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Continuous tense aspect with non-continuous verbs

Hi Everyone,

I know you can't use non-continuous verbs with the continuous aspect.

However, what do people think about the following sentence:

'Jan was being silly.'

You can say this, right?

Just sayin. Emotion: makeup

Thanks, CC.
  

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7 Answers
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'Jan was being silly.'

You can say this, right? Right.
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In that sentence, BE has the dynamic meaning of 'behave',
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Hi fivejedjon,

So you're saying that we need to treat 'being' in this sentence as an active verb rather than a stative?

Hmmm, this is interesting. The more I get into English the more I see how rules are completely bent to suit.

I reckon we can twist a number of rules actually. Lol.

Thank you.
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No rule is being bent here. BE can b used in a number of ways, Including with the meaning of 'behave': http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/be

Verbs used in a stative sense are almost never used in a progressive form
Verbs used in a dynamic sense can be used in a
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fivejedjonThere are very few verbs indeed that are exclusively static or exclusively dynamic in use.
Other examples:

I am seeing my doctor next Tuesday. (see = have a meeting/appointment with)
We are having the Joneses over for dinner tonight. (have = entertain)
He is finally owning up to his involvement in the affair. (ow
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Thank you both! Emotion: drinks

Great examples AlpheccaStars.
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Cup cake'Jan was being silly.'
Jane was being silly this time last Friday.
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