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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Progressive tenses
Hi,
I've found this sentence:
"Matt and Sarah have been having some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they have been going to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out."
I'm somewhat surprised about the usage of the progressive tenses here. Do you really say "they are having problems/difficulties"? Could you under any circumstances say "...they have gone to a marriage counselor" and when yes, how does it change the meaning?
Thanks in advance
I've found this sentence:
"Matt and Sarah have been having some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they have been going to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out."
I'm somewhat surprised about the usage of the progressive tenses here. Do you really say "they are having problems/difficulties"? Could you under any circumstances say "...they have gone to a marriage counselor" and when yes, how does it change the meaning?
Thanks in advance
Top answer
Both the perfect progressive and perfect aspects are possible here in the main clause. Use of the continuous (progressive) accentuates the ongoing action, and either makes the image more immediate for the speaker and/or listener, or expresses added interest or emotional involvement in the process by the speaker. Here, these differences do not affect the meaning significantly.
- Both the perfect progressive and perfect aspects are possible here in the main clause.
- Use of the continuous (progressive) accentuates the ongoing action, and either makes the image more immediate for the speaker and/or listener, or expresses added interest or emotional involvement in the process by the speaker.
- Here, these differences do not affect the meaning significantly.
- In the second clause, however, the continuous is used to indicate a repeated action-- they have seen the counselor more than once.
- Using the perfect 'have gone' would suggest that they have consulted the counselor only once so far.
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2 Answers
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Both the perfect progressive and perfect aspects are possible here in the main clause. Use of the continuous (progressive) accentuates the ongoing action, and either makes the image more immediate for the speaker and/or listener, or expresses added interest or emotional involvement in the process by the speaker. Here, these differences do not affect the meaning significantly.
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