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SpongeBarb Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
finish
I've always wondered why the verb 'finish' can be used in continuous tense; for example, I'd been finishing some work in the garden and hadn't seen Sue come home.
I feel that either you finished the work or you didn't; what does it mean your're finishing it?
My second question is, can the above sentence be rewritten as below without changing its meaning:
"I had finished somework in the garden and hadn't seen Sue come home" ?
Thanks.
I feel that either you finished the work or you didn't; what does it mean your're finishing it?
My second question is, can the above sentence be rewritten as below without changing its meaning:
"I had finished somework in the garden and hadn't seen Sue come home" ?
Thanks.
Top answer
The verb "finish", like "recognize", "win", "die", and many others, have an 'event type' known as an achievement. Achievements, in this terminology, are instantaneous happenings. They do not take the continuous tense without a change of meaning in the underlying verb.
- The verb "finish", like "recognize", "win", "die", and many others, have an 'event type' known as an achievement.
- Achievements, in this terminology, are instantaneous happenings.
- They do not take the continuous tense without a change of meaning in the underlying verb.
- "to finish" means one thing; "to be finishing" means another.
- "to win" means one thing; "to be winning" means another.
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3 Answers
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The verb "finish", like "recognize", "win", "die", and many others, have an 'event type' known as an achievement. Achievements, in this terminology, are instantaneous happenings. They do not take the continuous tense without a change of meaning in the underlying verb.
"to finish" means one thing; "to be finishing" means another.
"to win" means one thing; "to be winning" mean
"to finish" means one thing; "to be finishing" means another.
"to win" means one thing; "to be winning" mean
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Hi
Continuous tenses describe an action as a process, smth that is developing. That can very well apply to finishing, say,
an assignment - you don't really finish it when you put the final dot - you see the finish line approaching while the work
is still in progress. Hence another term - Progressive Tense.
Re your second question: Past Perfect is normally used
Continuous tenses describe an action as a process, smth that is developing. That can very well apply to finishing, say,
an assignment - you don't really finish it when you put the final dot - you see the finish line approaching while the work
is still in progress. Hence another term - Progressive Tense.
Re your second question: Past Perfect is normally used
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