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Radovan Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
SEE/HEAR in continuous tenses
Hi, can anyone explain this to me, please?
There are some verbs, state verbs, that are not usually used in continuous tenses. Today I am particularly interested in verbs SEE, and HEAR.
What I understand from grammar books, instead of using them in present/past continuous, we use the modal verbs can/could in such cases.
I can see. (now) I see him everyd day at work.
I can hear you. (now, you do not have to shout)I hear this question at every job interview.
From films, I also gather, that when I use them in present continuous, it probably has the meening of halucinating.
I am/was seeing things. (thing that in reality aren't/weren't there) I am/was hearing thins. (sounds that in reality aren't/weren't there)
I also know, SEE has the meaning of MEET when used in continous tense: "I am seeing him tomorrow so I will ask him." "They have beenseeing each other for some time now. "
However, more and more often I am coming across these verbs used in continuous tenses and I do not why the are used there. Or is it just that the grammar rules are changing? Will it be normal to use state verbs and verbs expressing feelings in continous tenses?
For example, couple of months ago I heard a police officer saying on the news: "When we arrived at the scene we were seeing dead bodies and injured people ......" (that was about a shooting in the US)
Or in Stephen King book Misery (Hodder, 2011). Some examples from the book here:
Whatever had been wrong with her this morning was worse tonigt. Much worse. He realised he was seeing her with all her masks put aside - this was the real Annie, the inside Annie. (page 187)
He sat at the window, totally awake now, totally aware that the police car he was seeing in Annie's driveway was as real as left foot had once been. (page 282)
He heard her cross the kitchen linoleum, knowing where each squeak was going to come the instatnt before it did come. I am hearing all these sounds for the last time, he thought, and that brought a sense of wonder ...... (page 343)
Yet, in another part of the book he uses "could see"
His sunglasses had fallen off. [police officer's] Now Paul could see his eyes. Now he could see how young the cop was .... (page 288)
He turned his head and looked dully out the window. He could see only part of the trooper's body. (page 290)
In all the above cases I would say: "we could see", "he could see" etc.
Or the example from the McDonald's advertisement, "I'm loving it". Would it be ok, for example, to answer a question at a party if I am enjoying the party "Yes, I am loving it." ?
Or Phoebe, in one of the Friends' episodes says "What am I hearing here?"
Thanks a lot. I haven't found any information in grammar books and I have asked one native speaker but he was not quite able to explain.
There are some verbs, state verbs, that are not usually used in continuous tenses. Today I am particularly interested in verbs SEE, and HEAR.
What I understand from grammar books, instead of using them in present/past continuous, we use the modal verbs can/could in such cases.
I can see. (now) I see him everyd day at work.
I can hear you. (now, you do not have to shout)I hear this question at every job interview.
From films, I also gather, that when I use them in present continuous, it probably has the meening of halucinating.
I am/was seeing things. (thing that in reality aren't/weren't there) I am/was hearing thins. (sounds that in reality aren't/weren't there)
I also know, SEE has the meaning of MEET when used in continous tense: "I am seeing him tomorrow so I will ask him." "They have beenseeing each other for some time now. "
However, more and more often I am coming across these verbs used in continuous tenses and I do not why the are used there. Or is it just that the grammar rules are changing? Will it be normal to use state verbs and verbs expressing feelings in continous tenses?
For example, couple of months ago I heard a police officer saying on the news: "When we arrived at the scene we were seeing dead bodies and injured people ......" (that was about a shooting in the US)
Or in Stephen King book Misery (Hodder, 2011). Some examples from the book here:
Whatever had been wrong with her this morning was worse tonigt. Much worse. He realised he was seeing her with all her masks put aside - this was the real Annie, the inside Annie. (page 187)
He sat at the window, totally awake now, totally aware that the police car he was seeing in Annie's driveway was as real as left foot had once been. (page 282)
He heard her cross the kitchen linoleum, knowing where each squeak was going to come the instatnt before it did come. I am hearing all these sounds for the last time, he thought, and that brought a sense of wonder ...... (page 343)
Yet, in another part of the book he uses "could see"
His sunglasses had fallen off. [police officer's] Now Paul could see his eyes. Now he could see how young the cop was .... (page 288)
He turned his head and looked dully out the window. He could see only part of the trooper's body. (page 290)
In all the above cases I would say: "we could see", "he could see" etc.
Or the example from the McDonald's advertisement, "I'm loving it". Would it be ok, for example, to answer a question at a party if I am enjoying the party "Yes, I am loving it." ?
Or Phoebe, in one of the Friends' episodes says "What am I hearing here?"
Thanks a lot. I haven't found any information in grammar books and I have asked one native speaker but he was not quite able to explain.
Top answer
radovan we use the modal verbs can/could in such cases. You can. can see, can hear, can feel, can taste, can smell; also can remember, can understand.
- radovan we use the modal verbs can/could in such cases.
- You can.
- can see, can hear, can feel, can taste, can smell; also can remember, can understand.
- In such cases the "can" (or "could") might not add any significant meaning.
- radovan When we arrived at the scene we were seeing dead bodies and injured people ...
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2 Answers
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radovanwe use the modal verbs can/could in such cases.You can. can see, can hear, can feel, can taste, can smell; also can remember, can understand.
In such cases the "can" (or "could") might not add any significant meaning.
radovanWhen we arrived at the scene we were seeing dead bodies and injured people ...
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Hello Radovan. How are u getting on?
Yea, we can use the verbs 'love' and 'like' in continuous tenses.
• The usual rule is that love is not used in the progressive. ? Don’t say: I am loving my children. She is loving jazz.• In spoken English, people sometimes say I’m
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